A Swiss study published in Fertility and Sterility journal reconfirms previous research that identifies a correlation between frequent phone use (more than 20 times a day) and lower sperm concentration, according to iatronet.gr.
The decline in sperm count has been observed globally, dropping from an average of 99 million sperm per milliliter to 47 million, and environmental factors like pollution and electromagnetic fields often considered contributing factors.
The trend has been particularly notable the past 50 years in North America, Europe, and Australia, raising red flags for fertility experts.
Previous research, although not rigorous, showed electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones may have had an impact on sperm quality.
Electromagnetic radiation, both natural and artificial, affects living organisms, potentially leading to oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation in sperm.
The recent study examines 2,886 men aged 18-22 over a period from 2005 to 2018, and found a significant association between frequent phone use and decreased sperm concentration.
While the transition to 3G and 4G networks may have mitigated some effects due to lower transmit power, no relationship was found regarding sperm motility or morphology.
Additionally, the study did not find a correlation between how phones were carried and sperm quality, meaning that it did not matter if the phone was carried in the pocket of ones’ pants, closer to the groin region, or higher up, in ones’ jacket.
Other factors such as lifestyle, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and psychological stress have also been reconfirmed to impact male infertility, but researcher say more work needs to be done on this.
Greek Dr. Livanios commented on the findings noting that there is hope in treatments for males with poor sperm quality like intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), because the method allows for conception even with low sperm counts.
While the above research is not expected to solve the demographics issue in Greece, which is driven by a host of factors beyond that of male sperm counts, it is a global health trend meriting further research, particularly as society’s reliance on their mobile devices grows each year, including by younger generations.
TAG: Fertility Issues, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection, Demographi Potential of Blue Carbon Economy for Environmental Sustainability
