The use of testosterone or other steroids can cause severe male fertility, including a sperm count that becomes lowered all the way to zero. When men take testosterone or other anabolic steroids, the body recognizes that it does not need to produce its own testosterone. The result is that the testicles shut down, which means they stop doing the two things they’re supposed to do, which are 1) producing testosterone, and 2) producing sperm. Fortunately, the impact of anabolic steroids on sperm production is usually not permanent but can last for many months.
Men trying to conceive who have been exposed to anabolic steroids should consult with a male fertility specialist and undergo fertility testing. In cases where sperm production is found to be impaired, certain medications can be prescribed by a reproductive urologist to expedite testicular recovery.
