Mobile phones affect multiple sperm quality traits: a meta-analysis

Abstract

As mobile phone usage is growing rapidly, there is a need for a comprehensive analysis of the literature to inform scientific debates about the adverse effects of mobile phone radiation on sperm quality traits. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of the eligible published research studies on human males of reproductive age. Eleven studies were eligible for this analysis. Based on the meta-analysis, mobile phone use was significantly associated with deterioration in semen quality (Hedges’s g = -0.547; 95% CI: -0.713, -0.382; p < 0.001). The traits particularly affected adversely were sperm concentration, sperm morphology, sperm motility, proportion of non-progressive motile sperm (%), proportion of slow progressive motile sperm (%), and sperm viability. Direct exposure of spermatozoa to mobile phone radiation with in vitro study designs also significantly deteriorated the sperm quality (Hedges’s g = -2.233; 95% CI: -2.758, -1.708; p < 0.001), by reducing straight line velocity, fast progressive motility, Hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test score, major axis (µm), minor axis (µm), total sperm motility, perimeter (µm), area (µm 2), average path velocity, curvilinear velocity, motile spermatozoa, and acrosome reacted spermatozoa (%). The strength of evidence for the different outcomes varied from very low to very high. The analysis shows that mobile phone use is possibly associated with a number of deleterious effects on the spermatozoa.

Are men talking their reproductive health away?

“…The analyses were performed on 11 studies (separated into in vitro and in vivo studies) from both the general and subfertile cohorts, and the strength of evidence obtained varied from very low to very high for the different parameters. 11 Despite the results of these analyses and the large number of studies that associate mobile phone usage with a decrease in male fertility, the evidence remains inadequate at this stage. Until proven otherwise, it is recommended that those with subfertility issues or seeking assisted reproduction minimize their exposure to environmental RF-EMW radiation to alleviate its potential negative impact on sperm quality.…”

Assessment and Categorization of Biological Effects and Atypical Symptoms Owing to Exposure to RF Fields from Wireless Energy Devices

“…In general, such use relates to different effects contributing to reducing threats to the establishment of sustainability [94]. The applications related to the different effects of exposure to EMF are numerous; see, e.g., [13,14,17,19,34,[95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113].…”

Rückgang der Spermienqualität: Umweltmedizinische Ursachen

“…Insgesamt liegen 18 Reviews vor [60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77], die zu dem Ergebnis kommen, dass ein erhebliches Schädigungspotenzial für Spermien durch die Nutzung von Handys im Normalbetrieb vorliegt, d.h. auch wenn der zulässige SAR-Wert eingehalten wird. Neue Untersuchungen der französischen Strahlenschutzbehörden zeigen, dass gängige Smartphones die zulässigen Werte um das 3-bis 4-Fache übersteigen.…”