Viagra could be harmful to fertility

LONDON, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A study to be published in the British medical journal Fertility and Sterility suggests that Viagra could harm men's fertility.

The research, led by Queen's University consultant Gynecologist Dr. David Glenn, suggests that the drug can damage sperm and prevent fertilization, The Telegraph reported Sunday.

The findings state that recreational use by young men could damage their chances of starting a family.

Glenn's team bathed sperm samples in weak solution of Viagra and then compared the treated sperm to standard samples.

They found that Viagra made sperm more active, but also damaged its acrosome, which contains enzymes needed to break down the membrane surrounding a woman's egg to allow sperm to fertilize it.

"Essentially the acrosome breaks open too early in sperm that has been exposed to Viagra. The sperm cannot get to the egg and so it is not fertilized," said Glenn.