Cell Phone Use May Potentially Affect Sperm Quality

Can the radiation emitted by mobile phones impact semen quality? Although various factors like environmental and lifestyle changes have been proposed to explain the decrease in semen quality observed over the last five decades, the role of mobile phones in this decline remains unproven.

A collaborative team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) has conducted a significant cross-sectional study on this topic. Their research suggests that frequent mobile phone use is linked to lower sperm concentration and total sperm count, although there is no apparent connection between mobile phone use and reduced sperm motility or morphology. You can find the study’s results in Fertility & Sterility.

Understanding Key Parameters and WHO Guidelines

Semen quality is evaluated based on parameters such as sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) criteria, a man may take over a year to conceive a child if his sperm concentration falls below 15 million per milliliter. Additionally, the likelihood of pregnancy decreases when sperm concentration is less than 40 million per milliliter.

Numerous studies have indicated a decline in semen quality over the last fifty years, with sperm count dropping from an average of 99 million sperm per milliliter to 47 million per milliliter. This decrease is believed to result from a combination of environmental factors (such as endocrine disruptors, pesticides, and radiation) and lifestyle choices (including diet, alcohol consumption, stress, and smoking).

The Investigation of Mobile Phones’ Impact

Is mobile phone usage also a contributing factor? Following their initial national study in 2019 on the semen quality of young Swiss men, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have now published the largest cross-sectional study on the topic. This research, conducted in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), is based on data from 2886 Swiss men aged 18 to 22, collected between 2005 and 2018 at six military conscription centers.

Scientists assessed the relationship between semen parameters of these men and their mobile phone usage. They collected detailed information on lifestyle habits, general health status, and specifically the frequency and placement of mobile phone use when not in use.

Mobile Phone Use and Sperm Concentration Decline

Serge Nef, a full professor in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and at the SCAHT (Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology), who co-directed the study, explains that the data revealed a connection between frequent mobile phone use and lower sperm concentration. The median sperm concentration was notably higher in the group of men who used their phones less than once a week (56.5 million/mL) compared to those who used their phones more than 20 times a day (44.5 million/mL). This disparity corresponds to a 21% decrease in sperm concentration for frequent users (>20 times/day) compared to infrequent users (<1 time/week).

The correlation between mobile phone usage and semen quality showed a more significant effect during the initial study period (2005-2007) and gradually declined in subsequent periods (2008-2011 and 2012-2018). This pattern aligns with the transition from 2G to 3G and later from 3G to 4G, resulting in reduced phone transmission power, as explained by Martin RÖÖsli, an associate professor at Swiss TPH.

Small Samples and Selection Bias in Mobile Phone-Semen Quality Studies

Previous investigations into the connection between mobile phone use and semen quality involved relatively small sample sizes, often lacked lifestyle data, and suffered from selection bias as they recruited individuals from fertility clinics. These limitations led to inconclusive findings, as noted by Rita Rahban, a senior researcher and teaching assistant in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development at the Faculty of Medicine at UNIGE and SCAHT. She served as the first author and co-leader of this study.

The analysis also suggests that the placement of the phone, such as in a trouser pocket, did not correlate with decreased semen parameters. However, the number of participants in this cohort who reported not carrying their phone close to their body was too small to draw a definitive conclusion on this aspect, according to Rita Rahban.

Assessing Mobile Phone Impact on Semen Quality

This study, like most epidemiological studies exploring the impact of mobile phone use on semen quality, relied on self-reported data, which has its limitations. It assumed that the reported usage frequency accurately represented exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

To address this limitation, a study funded by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) was initiated in 2023. Its goal is to directly and precisely measure exposure to electromagnetic waves and assess their impact on male reproductive health and fertility potential, considering types of use such as calls, web browsing, and messaging. Data will be collected through a mobile phone application downloaded by each participant, and the research team is actively recruiting participants for this study.

The aim is also to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind these findings. Questions remain regarding whether microwaves emitted by mobile phones have a direct or indirect effect, whether they cause a significant increase in testes temperature, and whether they impact the hormonal regulation of sperm production, as summarized by Rita Rahban.

Read the original article on: Science Daily

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