Warning: Mobile phones destroy men's health

Causes low sperm concentration

A new study reports that cell phone use may be linked to lower sperm concentration and total sperm count.

However, the study found no association between use of the devices and decreased sperm motility and morphology.

Mobile phones harm men's fertility

Various environmental and lifestyle factors have been proposed to explain the decline in semen quality observed over the past 50 years, but the role of electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones has not yet been proven.

Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) analyzed data on 2,886 Swiss men between the ages of 18 and 22, who were recruited between 2005 and 2018 in six military recruitment centers.

The researchers found that sperm concentration was higher in the group of men who did not use their phones more than once a week (56.5 million per milliliter), compared to men who used their phones more than 20 times a day (44.5 million per milliliter). .

According to the study, this difference corresponds to a 21% lower sperm concentration in frequent phone users, who used the devices more than 20 times a day, compared to infrequent users, who used their phones less than once, or once a day.

Semen quality is determined by evaluating factors such as sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm shape.

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that it will likely take a man more than a year to conceive a child if his sperm concentration is less than 15 million per milliliter.

Previous studies have shown that semen quality has declined over the past 50 years, due to a combination of environmental factors (pesticides, radiation) and lifestyle habits (diet, alcohol, stress, smoking).

This association found in the study was more evident in the first study period (2005-2007) and gradually decreased over time (2008-2011 and 2012-2018).

The results indicate that the fourth generation of cell phones (4G) may be less harmful than the second generation (2G).

“This trend corresponds to the transition from 2G to 3G, and then from 3G to 4G,” said Martin Rosli, associate professor at the Swiss Institute for Tropical and Public Health (Swiss TPH). This led to a decrease in the transmission power of phones.”

“Previous studies have been conducted that evaluate the relationship between mobile phone use and quality of life,” said Rita Rahban, a senior researcher and teaching assistant in the Department of Genetic and Developmental Medicine at the University of Geneva Medical School and at the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT) who is also the first author and co-leader of the study. "Semen was collected from a relatively small number of individuals, they rarely took into account lifestyle information, and they were subjected to selection bias, as they were recruited from fertility clinics. This has led to inconclusive results."

Where to keep the phone

The research indicates that where the phone is stored, such as pants pockets, was not linked to low levels of concentration and counting.

However, the number of people who said they did not hold their phones close to their bodies was too small to reach a firm conclusion on this point.

The men participating in the study completed a detailed questionnaire regarding their lifestyle habits, their general health condition, the frequency with which they use their phones, as well as where they are placed when not in use.

The most important results of the study

Despite these findings, experts say there is no cause for concern. Professor Alison Campbell, chief scientific officer at Care Fertility Group, said: “This is a fantastic new study and should not cause concern or radical changes in habits. Men who are looking to conceive, or want to improve their sperm health, should exercise, take a diet A balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and seeking help if they are having problems conceiving.”

Alan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Manchester, explained: “If men are feeling anxious, keeping their phones in a bag and limiting their use is relatively easy for them to do. But there is currently no evidence that this will improve their sperm quality (and this would need to be done). Randomized controlled trial).