Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro pilot study
Agarwal A, Desai NR, Makker K, Varghese A, Mouradi R, Sabanegh E, Sharma R · 2009
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation significantly reduced sperm motility and viability after just one hour of exposure, suggesting everyday phone habits may impair male fertility.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed human sperm samples to cell phone radiation for one hour and compared them to unexposed samples. The exposed sperm showed decreased movement and survival rates, plus increased oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules). This suggests that carrying an active cell phone near reproductive organs could potentially harm male fertility.
Why This Matters
This pilot study adds to a growing body of evidence linking RF radiation to male reproductive harm. What makes this research particularly relevant is that it simulates a common real-world scenario: men carrying phones in their pants pockets during calls. The one-hour exposure duration mirrors typical daily phone usage patterns, making the findings directly applicable to everyday habits. While the study didn't measure specific absorption rates, the biological effects observed align with dozens of other studies showing sperm damage from cell phone radiation. The reality is that your reproductive cells are among the most vulnerable to EMF exposure, and this research demonstrates measurable harm can occur from routine phone use. The oxidative stress mechanism identified here provides a clear biological pathway explaining how RF radiation damages sperm quality and potentially reduces fertility.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 1h
Study Details
To evaluate effects of cellular phone radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) during talk mode on unprocessed (neat) ejaculated human semen.
After liquefaction, neat semen samples were divided into two aliquots. One aliquot (experimental) fr...
Samples exposed to RF-EMW showed a significant decrease in sperm motility and viability, increase in...
Radiofrequency electromagnetic waves emitted from cell phones may lead to oxidative stress in human semen. We speculate that keeping the cell phone in a trouser pocket in talk mode may negatively affect spermatozoa and impair male fertility.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2009_effects_of_radiofrequency_electromagnetic_1608,
author = {Agarwal A and Desai NR and Makker K and Varghese A and Mouradi R and Sabanegh E and Sharma R},
title = {Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro pilot study},
year = {2009},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028208033566},
}