Influence of electromagnetic Fields on reproductive system of male rats.
Kumar S, Behari J, Sisodia R. · 2012
View Original AbstractMale rats exposed to low-level 10 GHz radiation showed DNA damage and reduced testosterone, raising concerns about wireless technology's impact on fertility.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed male rats to 10 GHz microwave radiation (similar to frequencies used in radar and satellite communications) for 2 hours daily over 45 days. The exposed rats showed significant damage to their reproductive systems, including DNA breaks in sperm, decreased testosterone levels, and physical shrinkage of reproductive tissues. This study demonstrates that even relatively low-level microwave exposure can harm male fertility in laboratory animals.
Why This Matters
This research adds to a growing body of evidence linking radiofrequency radiation to male reproductive harm. The 10 GHz frequency used falls within ranges employed by radar systems, satellite communications, and some wireless technologies. What makes this study particularly concerning is the relatively low exposure level - the specific absorption rate of 0.014 W/kg is well below safety limits set by regulatory agencies, yet still produced measurable biological damage including DNA strand breaks and hormonal disruption. The researchers documented multiple markers of harm: physical tissue damage, genetic damage, and reduced testosterone production. This pattern mirrors findings from other studies examining RF effects on male fertility, suggesting the reproductive system may be especially vulnerable to electromagnetic field exposure. The reality is that current safety standards focus primarily on heating effects, but this study joins dozens of others showing biological impacts occur at much lower, non-thermal exposure levels.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.014 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.21 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 10-GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h per day for 45 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.21 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 21Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 350Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
The aim of the present work was to investigate the effect of 10 GHz exposure on the male Wistar rat's reproductive system and to find out the possible causative factors.
The study was divided into sham-exposed and exposed groups. Seventy day-old rats were exposed to 10 ...
The study of scanning electron microscopic revealed shrinkage of the lumen of the seminiferous tubul...
10 GHz field has an injurious effect on fertility potential of male-exposed animals.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2012_influence_of_electromagnetic_fields_1122,
author = {Kumar S and Behari J and Sisodia R.},
title = {Influence of electromagnetic Fields on reproductive system of male rats.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23078358/},
}