Posted: March 17, 2016 Contributor: administrator
The Latest on the Male Birth Control Pill
It’s been months since we first mentioned the up and coming idea of the male birth control pill but now we are learning that we are getting closer to turning this discovery into a reality. The idea of a male birth control pill has been around for some time but has proven to be a bit more challenging than the female birth control pill. Essentially, when women take the pill, the hormonal changes that occur as a result trick the body into thinking it’s pregnant. When developing a male birth control pill, however, it must act as a temporary, reversible vasectomy. This is a bit harder to create.
Using testosterone in high doses has been one concept since the hormone can lead to infertility in high amounts. The problem with this is the side effects. Weight gain is very common.
Still working on it
Recent news, however, has revealed that we are getting closer to having an effective form of the male birth control pill. A pharmaceutical company is currently attempting to utilize a new compound that would impact the protein involved in reproduction. This has proven effective but the main issue is that the pill also impacts 2 other unrelated proteins which makes side effects more likely.
Getting closer to a solution
While this issue has proven troublesome, it’s believed that a solution is on the horizon. The answer comes down to replacing a peptide bond with a similar bond that would hold the molecules together for longer. This would, in turn, reduce the significance of the side effects. The downside is that this creation has a slightly more difficult time identifying the male protein associated with fertility. While this still sounds like the male birth control pill is up in the air, researchers state that these findings are bringing them ever closer to developing a worthwhile male birth control pill.
So yes, we will have to wait a bit longer until the male birth control pill is available in pharmacies but with each and every new discovery, we are one step closer!