– SO YOU CAN PIN UP BOTH SIDES! Heartburn drugs can triple young men’s infertility risk

HEARTBURN drugs prescribed to millions of people on the NHS may be leaving some young men infertile, according to research.

Those in their 20s and 30s who took medicines such as Zanprol, Prevacid and Prilosec for more than six months were three times more likely to have low sperm counts than men not on the pills.

Last year, there were more than 55million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) – drugs that reduce the amount of acid made in the stomach that causes heartburn. Most of the medicines are prescription only, though some can be bought over the counter at pharmacies.

The research, by specialists at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, is the latest to highlight the drugs’ possible side-effects, with recent links to an increase in heart attacks, stroke and harm to the kidneys. PPIs are only meant to be taken for a maximum four weeks at a time but many patients take them for months or even years. The Erasmus University researchers found that men taking heartburn drugs for less than six months had mostly healthy sperm counts but those taking them for longer were three times more likely to have a very low sperm count. Tests also revealed they had lower levels of motile sperm, the ‘strong swimmers’ needed to reach an egg and fertilise it.

They suspect the drugs may be altering conditions in the gut, causing a deficiency in Vitamin B – vital for the formation of healthy sperm.

Tim Spector, professor of genetics at Kings College London, said: ‘Our research shows PPIs mess up the gut microbiome, which produce Vitamin B. If you take them for a few days for indigestion, your body can adapt to them. But take them for a long time and they change your gut make-up.’

John Smith, of The Proprietary Association of Great Britain, which represents suppliers of drugs sold over the counter, said that the study did not prove a link between the tablets and sperm count.

He added: ‘Anyone concerned about the use of PPIs should speak to their pharmacist.’