Reliable Male Contraceptive In the Works

Hugh Pickens writes "The BBC reports that recent tests in China indicate a monthly injection of testosterone, which works by temporarily blocking sperm production, could be as effective at preventing pregnancies as the female pill or condoms. In trials in China only one man in 100 fathered a child while on the injections, and six months after stopping the injections the mens' sperm counts returned to normal. The lead researcher said that if further tests proved successful, the treatment could become widely available in five years' time. Previous attempts to develop an effective and convenient male contraceptive have encountered problems over reliability and side effects, such as mood swings and a lowered sex drive. However, despite the injection having no serious side effects, almost a third of the 1,045 men in the two-and-a-half year study did not complete the trials; no reason was given for this."

Comments

Bad science

[forand]

When researchers don't address a loss of a 3rd of their sample they are not doing their job. Something is fishy from that end.

Also who wants only a 1/100 chance of NOT getting your SO pregnant? For most Americans that would be on the order of once year (assuming the women is only fertile for a few days a month).

Re:You're doing it wrong!

[MyLongNickName]

I hate condoms. For a couple years I used them with my wife as the pill was creating undesirable side effects. Regardless of brand or style, you DO NOT get the same level of sensation as without. Tight, loose or somewhere in between.. the condom just didn't matter. Sure, it was still fun, but "unprotected" I could feel more sensation in my skin as it rubbed against hers. I am glad that since I had my two kids I went the vasectomy route. Sex life has improved, and it is a lot more fun.

On another note, it is also fun to be able to get half-way into it... take a breather and go back at it later. Repeat as much as I am able. With a condom, that just ain't practical.

Reliable Male Contraceptive Already Exists

[drinkypoo]

It's called Neem oil, and the Indian military ran a one-year trial without side effects or pregnancies. The reason you're not going to see any Neem-based contraceptives go through the FDA process is that so far attempts to control it have been largely unsuccessful.

Next week, we'll talk about olive leaf extract...

Re:Reliable Male Contraceptive Already Exists

[drinkypoo]

Well, you could just go read the Wiki, but here goes. I'm just a lowly American so I only know so much about the stuff, but Neem has been used for thousands of years for a broad variety of uses in the home and the garden. Different parts and extracts of the plant have different properties; seed meal and oil can both be used to repel insects, the wood grows quickly and is burned for fuel, et cetera.

In terms of use as a contraceptive, the oil can either be encapsulated and consumed by the man or introduced directly into the vagina before the penis. I have so far been unable to find any information as to dosages in the Indian military study (the language barrier's a bitch) but have direct and intensely personal experience with the latter method. There is one side effect; it tends to make pussy smell like a Tiger's Milk bar — and you don't want to know what it tastes like! We mixed it with food-grade coconut oil. Both came from the health food store. So far, neem has been successful in controlling aphids, spider mites, and rugrats. Also, the garden stuff stored over winter that had neem on it wasn't invaded by rodents; for example a big wad of spun polyethylene ("Agribon", most common trade name is Remay) was free of them while a trashbag of trashbags without any became a nest.