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The man’s sperm count has decreased More than 50% worldwide Researchers are scrambling to understand why. Is it pollution, PFAS and other potential toxins in our food and water, increases in obesity and chronic disease, or the ever-present cell phones?
A new study examines the role of mobile phones and finds that men aged 18 to 22 use their phones more than 20 times a day. They were 21% more likely to have a low overall sperm count. Men also had a 30% higher risk of having low sperm concentration, a less important measure of the number of sperm in a milliliter of semen. The study did not reveal whether the men used their phones to make calls, send text messages, or both.
On the positive side, the researchers found that as phone technology improved over the course of the 13-year study, the effects on sperm counts began to lessen.
“I’m intrigued by the observation that the biggest effects were clearly seen on older 2G and 3G phones compared to the latest 4G and 5G versions. This is beyond my ability to explain,” says University of Manchester, UK Alan Pacey, vice provost and associate dean of the School of Biology, Medicine and Health, said in a statement. He was not involved in the study.
Another benefit is that the study found that there was no reduction in sperm shape or motility (which refers to how sperm swim to their destination).
“While sperm count is important, it’s at least as important that the sperm have the ability to swim, have healthy, intact DNA, and are of the correct shape,” says the chief scientific officer at Care Fertility, a network of fertility clinics. Alison Campbell said in a statement. .
“This is fascinating and novel research and should not cause alarm or dramatic changes in habits,” said Campbell, who was not involved in the study. “Men who are trying to conceive or want to improve their sperm health should exercise (but be careful not to overheat their groins), eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and You should avoid smoking, limit alcohol, and seek help if you are having trouble conceiving.”
Mobile phones have become an essential part of our lives. However, mobile phones emit low-level radio-frequency electromagnetic fields, or RF-EMF. Studies show that when these phones are radiating at full power, surrounding tissue can be heated by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius, or about 33 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Cellphones are constantly sending and receiving signals, and when you’re using them, they’re sending and receiving stronger signals,” said Dr. Alexander Pastuszak, assistant professor of surgery and urology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Salt Lake City.
“But especially with modern cell phones, the signal changes depending on whether you’re talking or transmitting data. said Pastushak, who was not involved in the study.
According to the study, high-frequency electromagnetic fields are significantly reduced when sending text messages, when downloading large files, streaming audio or video, when only one or two bars are visible, and when moving at high speed in buses, cars, etc. , is at its maximum when you’re on the train. California Department of Public Health.
The agency recommends keeping cell phones away from your body and head, using a speakerphone or headphones instead, and carrying your cell phone in a backpack, briefcase, or purse.
However, whether these areas can actually have a negative impact on male fertility has been a topic of controversy and debate in the scientific community for many years.
A study in mice found that RF-EMF fields comparable to those of cell phones reduce male fertility, contributing to sperm death and changes in testicular tissue. However, other animal studies have not reproduced such effects, and there are significant differences in the way sperm are produced between humans and mice.
Observational studies in humans also found that frequent cell phone use was associated with lower sperm viability and an effect on the way sperm swim. However, those studies were small and short-lived. Many scientists were also unimpressed because they couldn’t necessarily control for factors such as smoking or alcohol intake.
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To avoid the effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields on sperm counts, men should keep their smartphones away from their bodies and heads and carry the devices in backpacks or briefcases, according to the California Department of Public Health.
“I’ve been asked many times over the past decade whether there’s a link between cell phones and male fertility. But I’m mostly unconvinced by the data published so far. I haven’t,” Pacey said.
“But this is a large epidemiological study that appears to have been very well-conducted, so (this) study moves the discussion forward a little bit,” he said. “This is a real-world study, which is a good thing in my opinion. But it only shows a link between cell phone use and semen quality, so be careful in its interpretation. ”
Men have the option of keeping their phones in their pants pockets, breast pockets, belt carriers, etc., but over 85% keep their phones in their pants pockets when not in use.
The results showed that men who used their mobile phones one to five times a day or less than once a week had much higher sperm counts and concentrations. Sperm counts decreased as cell phone use increased, with men who used their phones more than 20 times a day having the lowest sperm counts.
The researchers also assessed the impact of mobile phones over different time periods. The association between lower sperm count and concentration and phone use was greatest between 2005 and 2007. As companies migrated from 2G to 5G, the relevance weakened as there was a “corresponding decrease in phone output power,” the study said.
“It’s very difficult to draw definitive conclusions from this type of study because it’s not well controlled to be able to do that,” Pastushak said. “The daily exposures of living in an urban environment cannot be controlled and should not be underestimated. Even stress levels can affect spermatogenesis and hormone production.”
As an infertility expert who works daily with couples trying to conceive, Pastuszak points out the interesting complexity of the factors that influence infertility, and that it’s not just sperm count or concentration that matters. I’m pointing it out.
“Total sperm count may not reflect the actual decline in fertility,” he says. “Just because you look in a patient’s eyes and see 100 million sperm per milliliter, 50% motility, and 500 million sperm count doesn’t mean they can get pregnant,” he says. To tell.
“What matters is the quality of the sperm. If you have high-quality sperm, even if you literally only have a handful of sperm, your chances of being able to have a child are very, very good, or very high.”
