Men who smoke marijuana frequently, might experience some abnormalities in their sperm, researchers in the United States and Japan suggest.

Medical examiners at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and colleagues said the findings show that genetic loss of a certain fatty acid results in elevated levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, in the male reproductive system, leading to compromised fertilizing capacity of the sperm.

The endocannabinoid system refers to a group of lipids and their receptors that are involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, mood and memory.

Retention of fatty acid amide hydrolase on an egg provides evidence that the sperm’s capacity to penetrate is dampened by elevated anandamide levels.

The bottom line is, the active components in marijuana are doing something to sperm, and the numbers are in the direction toward infertility.

So guys, think twice before lighting up that joint.

(Via UPI)