Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
  • Register
  • Login
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Current
  • Archives
  • Announcements
  • About
    • About the Journal
    • Submissions
    • Editorial Team
    • Privacy Statement
    • Contact
  • Register
  • Login

Quality in Sport

The Effects of Cannabis on Male Fertility: A Literature Review
  • Home
  • /
  • The Effects of Cannabis on Male Fertility: A Literature Review
  1. Home /
  2. Archives /
  3. Vol. 45 (2025) /
  4. Health Sciences

The Effects of Cannabis on Male Fertility: A Literature Review

Authors

  • Karolina Kusibab Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9743-8734
  • Gabriela Sikora Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4627-7403
  • Martyna Woźniak Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2518-4531
  • Karolina Kutnik Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2250-1232
  • Karolina Koguc Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0762-7356
  • Michał Czechowski Medical University of Silesia: Katowice https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7038-6731
  • Gabriela Skórska Medical University of Silesia: Katowice https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2197-3414
  • Marcela Słomianny Medical University of Silesia: Katowice https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8029-1422
  • Karolina Kolada Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4960-9604
  • Małgorzata Sajda Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6836-0704

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.45.66516

Keywords

marijuana, cannabis, male fertility, cannabis use disorder, endocannabinoid system

Abstract

Background: Cannabis is a commonly used drug, both recreationally and in medicine, that has a big impact on endocannabinoid system responsible for human reproductive functions.

Aim: The review of current literature on the effects that cannabis has on male reproductive system.

Methodology: A review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. Search terms included: cannabis, marijuana, male fertility, cannabis use disorder, endocannabinoid system. Studies published between 2020-2025 were reviewed.

Results: Chronic marijuana use can potentially lead to fertility problems in male population, such as decreased sperm motility, DNA integrity or compromised capacitation, leading to troubles with egg fertilization and conception, however, the research is not conclusive.

Conclusions: Men planning reproduction should consider abstinence from both THC and CBD, because of their potential impact on male fertility, but further studies in this area should be considered.

References

1. Brosz, M. (2024). Używanie alkoholu i innych substancji psychoaktywnych wśród uczniów szkół ponadpodstawowych oraz młodych dorosłych w wieku 18-24 lata na terenie Gdańska. Raport z badań socjologicznych. Zakład Realizacji Badań Społecznych https://download.cloudgdansk.pl/gdansk-pl/d/202501243940/raport-espad-gdansk-2024.pdf

2. Srinivasan, M., Hamouda, R. K., Ambedkar, B., Arzoun, H. I., Sahib, I., Fondeur, J., Escudero Mendez, L., & Mohammed, L. (2021). The Effect of Marijuana on the Incidence and Evolution of Male Infertility: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 13(12), e20119. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.20119

3. Huang, B., Wang, Z., Kong, Y. et al. Global, regional and national burden of male infertility in 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2019: an analysis of global burden of disease study. BMC Public Health 23, 2195 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16793-3

4. Amor, H., Ismaeil, A., Jankowski, P.M. et al. Effects of marijuana and tobacco on male fertility and their relationship to genetic variation of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase genes. Sci Rep 15, 7547 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91894-0

5. Ransing, R., de la Rosa, P. A., Pereira-Sanchez, V., Handuleh, J. I. M., Jerotic, S., Gupta, A. K., Karaliuniene, R., de Filippis, R., Peyron, E., Sönmez Güngör, E., Boujraf, S., Yee, A., Vahdani, B., Shoib, S., Stowe, M. J., Jaguga, F., Dannatt, L., da Silva, A. K., Grandinetti, P., & Jatchavala, C. (2022). Current state of cannabis use, policies, and research across sixteen countries: cross-country comparisons and international perspectives. Trends in psychiatry and psychotherapy, 44(Suppl 1), e20210263. https://doi.org/10.47626/2237-6089-2021-0263

6. NIDA. Cannabis and hallucinogen use among adults remained at historic highs in 2023. National Institute on Drug Abuse website. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/08/cannabis-and-hallucinogen-use-among-adults-remained-at-historic-highs-in-2023. August 29, 2024 Accessed June 28, 2025.

7. Patel, J., & Marwaha, R. (2024, March 20). Cannabis use disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538131/

8. Chan, O., Daudi, A., Ji, D., Wang, M., Steen, J. P., Parnian, P., Li, C., Xiong, A., Zhang, W., Lopes, L. C., MacKillop, J., Busse, J. W., & Wang, L. (2024). Cannabis Use During Adolescence and Young Adulthood and Academic Achievement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 178(12), 1280–1289. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3674

9. Kroon, E., Mansueto, A., Kuhns, L., Filbey, F., Wiers, R., & Cousijn, J. (2023). Gender differences in cannabis use disorder symptoms: A network analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 243, 109733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109733

10. Choi, N. G., Morris, J. A., & Marti, C. N. (2025). DSM-5 Criteria for Alcohol and Cannabis Use Disorders: Are Older Adults Less Likely to Endorse Certain Criteria? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 843. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060843

11. Choi, N. G., Moore, J., & Choi, B. Y. (2024). Cannabis use disorder and substance use treatment among U.S. adults. Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, 167, 209486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2024.209486

12. Connor, J. P., Stjepanović, D., Le Foll, B., Hoch, E., Budney, A. J., & Hall, W. D. (2021). Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. Nature reviews. Disease primers, 7(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-021-00247-4

13. Chayasirisobhon S. (2020). Mechanisms of Action and Pharmacokinetics of Cannabis. The Permanente journal, 25, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/19.200

14. Castillo-Arellano, J., Canseco-Alba, A., Cutler, S. J., & León, F. (2023). The Polypharmacological Effects of Cannabidiol. Molecules, 28(7), 3271. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073271

15. NIDA. 2024, September 24. Cannabis (Marijuana). Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/cannabis-marijuana on 2025, June 27

16. Calapai, G., Mannucci, C., Chinou, I., Cardia, L., Calapai, F., Sorbara, E. E., Firenzuoli, B., Ricca, V., Gensini, G. F., & Firenzuoli, F. (2019). Preclinical and Clinical Evidence Supporting Use of Cannabidiol in Psychiatry. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2019, 2509129. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2509129

17. Talwar, A., Estes, E., Aparasu, R., & Reddy, D. S. (2023). Clinical efficacy and safety of cannabidiol for pediatric refractory epilepsy indications: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Experimental neurology, 359, 114238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114238

18. von Wrede, R., Helmstaedter, C., & Surges, R. (2021). Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Epilepsy. Clinical drug investigation, 41(3), 211–220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40261-021-01003-y

19. Giorgi, V., Marotto, D., Batticciotto, A., Atzeni, F., Bongiovanni, S., & Sarzi-Puttini, P. (2021). Cannabis and Autoimmunity: Possible Mechanisms of Action. ImmunoTargets and therapy, 10, 261–271. https://doi.org/10.2147/ITT.S267905

20. e Melo Reis, R. A., Isaac, A. R., Freitas, H. R., de Almeida, M. M., Schuck, P. F., Ferreira, G. C., Andrade-da-Costa, B. L. D. S., & Trevenzoli, I. H. (2021). Quality of Life and a Surveillant Endocannabinoid System. Frontiers in neuroscience, 15, 747229. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.747229

21. Meccariello, R. (2020). Endocannabinoid System in Health and Disease: Current Situation and Future Perspectives. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(10), 3549. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21103549

22. Lu, H.-C., & Mackie, K. (2021). Review of the endocannabinoid system. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(6), 607–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.07.016

23. Pařízek, A., Suchopár, J., Laštůvka, Z., Alblová, M., Hill, M., & Dušková, M. (2023). The endocannabinoid system and its relationship to human reproduction. Physiological Research, 72(Suppl. 4), S365–S380. https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.935229

24. Belladelli, F., Fallara, G., Pozzi, E., et al. (2022). Effects of recreational cannabis on testicular function in primary infertile men. Andrology, 10, 1172–1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13235

25. Hedges, J. C., et al. (2022). Chronic exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol impacts testicular volume and male reproductive health in rhesus macaques. Fertility and Sterility, 117(4), 698–707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.12.022

26. Ismaeil, A., Jankowski, M., Bibi, R., Hammadeh, M. E., & Amor, H. (2023). The effects of cannabis compounds (THC, CBD, and THC-COOH) on sperm motility in male participants: A prospective study. International Journal of Women’s Health and Reproduction Sciences, 12(1), 16–20. https://doi.org/10.15296/ijwhr.2024.6001

Quality in Sport

Downloads

  • PDF

Published

2025-11-12

How to Cite

1.
KUSIBAB, Karolina, SIKORA, Gabriela, WOŹNIAK, Martyna, KUTNIK, Karolina, KOGUC, Karolina, CZECHOWSKI, Michał, SKÓRSKA, Gabriela, SŁOMIANNY, Marcela, KOLADA, Karolina and SAJDA, Małgorzata. The Effects of Cannabis on Male Fertility: A Literature Review. Quality in Sport. Online. 12 November 2025. Vol. 45, p. 66516. [Accessed 27 December 2025]. DOI 10.12775/QS.2025.45.66516.
  • ISO 690
  • ACM
  • ACS
  • APA
  • ABNT
  • Chicago
  • Harvard
  • IEEE
  • MLA
  • Turabian
  • Vancouver
Download Citation
  • Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
  • BibTeX

Issue

Vol. 45 (2025)

Section

Health Sciences

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Karolina Kusibab, Gabriela Sikora, Martyna Woźniak, Karolina Kutnik, Karolina Koguc, Michał Czechowski, Gabriela Skórska, Marcela Słomianny, Karolina Kolada, Małgorzata Sajda

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Stats

Number of views and downloads: 116
Number of citations: 0

Search

Search

Browse

  • Browse Author Index
  • Issue archive

User

User

Current Issue

  • Atom logo
  • RSS2 logo
  • RSS1 logo

Information

  • For Readers
  • For Authors
  • For Librarians

Newsletter

Subscribe Unsubscribe

Tags

Search using one of provided tags:

marijuana, cannabis, male fertility, cannabis use disorder, endocannabinoid system
Up

Akademicka Platforma Czasopism

Najlepsze czasopisma naukowe i akademickie w jednym miejscu

apcz.umk.pl

Partners

  • Akademia Ignatianum w Krakowie
  • Akademickie Towarzystwo Andragogiczne
  • Fundacja Copernicus na rzecz Rozwoju Badań Naukowych
  • Instytut Historii im. Tadeusza Manteuffla Polskiej Akademii Nauk
  • Instytut Kultur Śródziemnomorskich i Orientalnych PAN
  • Instytut Tomistyczny
  • Karmelitański Instytut Duchowości w Krakowie
  • Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego
  • Państwowa Akademia Nauk Stosowanych w Krośnie
  • Państwowa Akademia Nauk Stosowanych we Włocławku
  • Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa im. Stanisława Pigonia w Krośnie
  • Polska Fundacja Przemysłu Kosmicznego
  • Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne
  • Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze
  • Towarzystwo Miłośników Torunia
  • Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu
  • Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu
  • Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie
  • Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika
  • Uniwersytet w Białymstoku
  • Uniwersytet Warszawski
  • Wojewódzka Biblioteka Publiczna - Książnica Kopernikańska
  • Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne w Pelplinie / Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne „Bernardinum" w Pelplinie

© 2021- Nicolaus Copernicus University Accessibility statement Shop