That’s how dangerous your sperm is if you have your cell phone in your pocket

When the sperm concentration reaches 40 million per milliliter, it becomes difficult to conceive a child. And Western society is getting closer to this average. Now a broad study from the University of Geneva and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute has proven what many already suspected: cell phone radiation noticeably reduces male fertility.

The study, which examined a total of 2,886 men of recruiting age between 2005 and 2018, concluded: the average sperm concentration was significantly higher in the group of men who rarely use their mobile phone than in those who use their mobile phone. phones often. In figures: 56.5 versus 44.5 million sperm cells per milliliter. This corresponds to a decrease in sperm concentration of 21 percent. According to the study, the two other factors of sperm quality are not affected: sperm morphology and motility.

What the authors also note: the radiation reduction by switching from 2 to 3 to 4G has a positive effect on the measured sperm density. However, they cannot quantify this effect. Also because all men have only been examined once and there is therefore no follow-up data on them. The study can also be criticized for its lengthy data collection process. Cell phone usage has changed significantly with the smartphone. ‘Infrequent use’, as defined by the survey, namely using the mobile phone a maximum of once a week, seems unrealistic today.

Another finding from the study is even more interesting: where the phone is kept does not matter. There was a small difference in the group that did not wear the mobile phone on their body. However, this cohort was too small to provide statistically relevant results. What has been shown, however, is that widespread carrying in the front pocket, in close proximity to the scrotum, had no effect compared to other storage on the body. This is despite the fact that the electric field strength decreases sharply even at a short distance from the source.

A study launched this year, funded by the Federal Office for the Environment, will now investigate in more detail how mobile phone use – texting, streaming, calling – affects exposure to electromagnetic waves. The aim is to determine the effect of the microwave radiation emitted by the mobile phone, that is, to determine whether it is direct or indirect. Specifically: whether it increases testicular temperature, which is harmful to fertility, or whether it affects the hypothalamus, which controls hormone and therefore sperm production.

The cell phone is just one factor in the development of sperm count. On average, this has more than halved over the past fifty years, from 99 to 47 million sperm cells per milliliter. The general explanation for this is the interaction of environmental factors such as pesticides and radiation, but also behavioral factors. Keywords are unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol and stress.

It is unclear whether this fertility recession will continue or whether it is heading to a plateau. The data situation is not optimal and methodological questions also arise. Co-author Rita Rahban from the University of Geneva points to a study on the development of sperm quality over time (Levine, 2017, 2022): “The authors predict that sperm counts could continue to decline, but this is still very controversial.”

It is equally controversial whether wearing boxer shorts has a positive effect on male fertility; there are studies that confirm the effect and studies that deny it. If you want to best preserve sperm count and fertility, the research team recommends an overall healthy lifestyle. (aargauerzeitung.ch)