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Sperm killers! Modern technologies hit men directly in the gonads (Part 2)
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Cell phones and sperm
More than 1 billion cell phones are in operation today and the numbers are expected to continue to rise exponentially across the globe. Cell phones have become essential devices in our daily life.
These phones generally operate between 400 MHz and 2000 MHz of frequency bands and emit radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (EMW).
Information and reports of potentially harmful effects from cell phones’ radiofrequency electromagnetic waves on the brain, heart, endocrine system, and DNA of humans and animals are becoming more accessible than ever before.
In a study recently published in the medical journal, Fertility and Sterility, Dr. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, Head of the Andrology Laboratory and the Director of Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, reported another link between cell phones in talk mode and their adverse affect on sperm.
The report states researchers collected semen samples from 32 subjects, including nine patients and 23 healthy donors, and divided the samples into two parts to allow for both a test group and a control group. Specimens from the test group were then placed 2.5 centimeters from an 850 MHz cell phone in talk mode for 1 hour. Researchers identified this distance as being the typical distance between the testes and pant pockets; a common place for men to store their cell phones while talking on a hands-free earpiece.
Special equipment measured and monitored the radio-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted by the phone. Then, researchers measured the levels of reactive oxygen species (harmful free radicals), total antioxidant capacity and DNA integrity of the sperm cells, and compared them to the control group.
The findings showed that cell phone radiation increased the amount of reactive oxidative stress (or free radicals) and decreased the amount of antioxidants in semen to levels that have a negative impact on the motility and viability of sperm.
Additionally, back in 2004, the members of the research team conducted an earlier observational study and reported on 361 men who were undergoing infertility evaluations, at the median age of 31. They were divided into four test groups consistent with their daily cell phone use: group A: no use; group B: <2 h/day; group C: 2–4 h/day; and group D: >4 h/day.
According to the study, semen samples were collected by masturbation in a sterile wide-mouthed calibrated container after an abstinence period of 5 days.
After the samples’ separation into their respective category of cell phone usage; according to the test subjects themselves; analysis was performed by researchers according to World Health Organization guidelines to evaluate eight sperm parameters: volume, liquefaction time, pH, viscosity, sperm count, motility, viability, and percentage of normal morphology.
Their findings during this study even revealed that use of cell phones do in fact decrease the semen quality in men by decreasing the sperm count, motility, viability, and normal morphology by up to 40 % depending upon the duration of daily exposure.
With the continued growth of cell phone usage, one thing is for sure. Dr. Agarwal and his team will continue to develop research protocols to further test their findings on the relationship of sperm and cell phones. The doctor and his team say that more research must be done to understand the full impact.
Last fall, on September 28, 2008 in a press release issued the day before a House Domestic Policy Subcommittee Hearing into wireless phones and health effects, President and CEO of CTIA –The Wireless Association, Steve Largent reassured consumers “there is no reason for concern”.
Guess he didn’t actually read the report.
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