- Health experts have searched for environmental and lifestyle influences behind decreasing male sperm count for half a century.
- Some researchers believe mobile phones emitting low-level radiofrequency electromagnetic fields may affect male fertility.
- A large Swiss population study revealed decreased sperm concentration and total sperm count with increased mobile phone use.
- The findings indicate that advanced phone technologies may have less impact on sperm quality.
Compromised male fertility is thought to contribute to approximately half of clinical infertility cases.
Male infertility is a growing public health concern as experts have observed a 50% decline in male sperm counts over several decades.
Searching for answers, researchers have been investigating various environmental factors for their potential influence on sperm quality. These may include:
- radiation exposure
- endocrine disruptors
lifestyle habits (i.e., diet, stress, alcohol, drugs, and smoking)
In a recent study, scientists with the University of Geneva and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute examined the effects that mobile phone use and placement may have on male infertility.
The 13-year study suggests that smartphone use may be associated with lower sperm concentration and total sperm count (TSC) in young adult males.
However, transitions to 3G and 4G may have eased the impact on sperm count, perhaps due to the lower transmitting power of newer phones.
The findings were recently published in Fertility and Sterility.
For the study, researchers recruited 2,886 men ages 18 to 22 between 2005 and 2018 at military recruitment centers. The study periods spanned from 2005–2007, 2008–2011, and 2012–2018.
The laboratory specialists captured semen samples and recorded sperm concentration, total sperm count (TSC), and motility.
Participants…
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