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By: George Citroner
New research suggests the radiation from mobile devices could be harming male fertility, adding yet another potential risk to the list of health concerns associated with cellphone use.
Over 20 Percent Reduction in Sperm Concentration
The new study, published in Fertility and Sterility, is the largest cross-sectional study examining the association between cellphone use and male fertility. Researchers analyzed data from 2,886 Swiss men between 18 and 22 years old recruited at six military conscription centers between 2005 and 2018.
The participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their lifestyle habits, overall health status, frequency of cellphone use, and where they kept their phone when not using it.
The findings revealed a link between frequent cellphone use and lower sperm concentration. The median sperm concentration was significantly higher in men who didn’t use their cellphones more than once a week than those who used them much more frequently.
Specifically, using a cellphone over 20 times per day was associated with a 21 percent decrease in sperm concentration compared to men who only used the device one or fewer times per day.
However, no consistent association was observed between phone use and sperm motility or morphology. Keeping a phone in participants’ pants pockets wasn’t associated with reduced semen quality either.
“Do the microwaves emitted by mobile phones have a direct or indirect effect? Do they cause a significant increase in temperature in the testes? Do they affect the hormonal regulation of sperm production? This all remains to be discovered,” Rita Rahban, who has a doctorate in reproductive biology nd is the study’s lead author, said in a press statement.
Cellphone Radiation’s Effect Declines From 2G to 4G
The findings showed the association between cellphone use and reduced sperm quality was more pronounced from 2005 to 2007, the initial period of the study. This effect gradually decreased from 2008 to 2018.
“This trend corresponds to the transition from 2G to 3G, and then from 3G to 4G, that has led to a reduction in the transmitting power of phones,” Martin Röösli, associate professor at Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, said in the press statement.
However, the decline in cellphone power over time “does not equate to a decline in their impact on sperm,” Devra L. Davis, epidemiologist, toxicologist, and Fellow at the American College of Epidemiology, told The Epoch Times.
“It is not the power,” she said, “but the pulse of these radiating devices that affects their biological impact.”
Some research suggests that the heat generated by cellphones and the electromagnetic fields they produce could potentially lead to elevated testicular temperature, affecting sperm production and quality.
Review of Research Shows Cellphone Risks to Fertility
Other research shows newer phones can be even more damaging to DNA than older models, according to Ms. Davis, who is also the founder and president of Environmental Health Trust, a think tank that publishes research on environmental health hazards.
Regarding fertility impacts, Ms. Davis pointed to research conducted by her team and others at institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. Laboratory studies “demonstrate that current levels of cellphone radiation reduce the quantity and quality of human sperm,” she added.
Additional studies find sperm quality isn’t the only aspect affected by cellphone radiation exposure. A 2021 review of studies found that electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and Wi-Fi devices causes DNA fragmentation in sperm and reduced testosterone production.
