2.45-GHz microwave irradiation adversely affects reproductive function in male mouse, Mus musculus by inducing oxidative and nitrosative stress.
Shahin S, Mishra V, Singh SP, Chaturvedi CM. · 2014
View Original AbstractLow-level 2.45 GHz radiation significantly reduced sperm count and testosterone in mice at exposures 100 times below current safety limits.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed male mice to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (the same frequency used by Wi-Fi routers and microwave ovens) for 2 hours daily over 30 days at very low power levels. The exposed mice showed significant decreases in sperm count and viability, along with damaged sperm-producing tissue and reduced testosterone levels. This suggests that chronic exposure to common wireless frequencies may impair male fertility through oxidative stress mechanisms.
Why This Matters
This study demonstrates concerning reproductive effects from 2.45 GHz radiation at exposure levels far below current safety guidelines. The specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.018 W/kg is roughly 100 times lower than the FCC limit of 1.6 W/kg for cell phones, yet still produced measurable harm to male reproductive function. What makes this research particularly relevant is that 2.45 GHz is the exact frequency used by Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth devices, and microwave ovens that surround us daily. The researchers identified oxidative stress as the likely mechanism, with increased nitric oxide production damaging sperm-producing cells. This adds to a growing body of evidence linking RF radiation to male fertility problems, including human studies showing decreased sperm quality in men with higher cell phone use. The reality is that regulatory agencies have largely ignored reproductive health when setting exposure limits, focusing instead on preventing tissue heating.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.018 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.029812 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h/day for 30 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.029812 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 3Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 49.7Kx 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
In view of the unavoidable use of MW emitting devices (microwaves oven, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, etc.) and their harmful effects on biological system, it was thought worthwhile to investigate the long-term effects of low-level MW irradiation on the reproductive function of male Swiss strain mice and its mechanism of action
Twelve-week-old mice were exposed to non-thermal low-level 2.45-GHz MW radiation (CW for 2 h/day for...
We observed that MW irradiation induced a significant decrease in sperm count and sperm viability al...
Further, these adverse reproductive effects suggest that chronic exposure to nonionizing MW radiation may lead to infertility via free radical species-mediated pathway.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2014_245ghz_microwave_irradiation_adversely_568,
author = {Shahin S and Mishra V and Singh SP and Chaturvedi CM.},
title = {2.45-GHz microwave irradiation adversely affects reproductive function in male mouse, Mus musculus by inducing oxidative and nitrosative stress.},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.3109/10715762.2014.888717},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/10715762.2014.888717},
}