Impact of cell phone use on men's semen parameters.
Gutschi T, Mohamad Al-Ali B, Shamloul R, Pummer K, Trummer H. · 2011
View Original AbstractMen who used cell phones showed 68% abnormal sperm morphology versus 58% in non-users, suggesting everyday phone use may impair fertility.
Plain English Summary
Austrian researchers studied 2,110 men at a fertility clinic, comparing sperm quality between cell phone users and non-users over 14 years. They found that men who used cell phones had significantly worse sperm shape, with 68% showing abnormal morphology compared to 58% in non-users. This suggests that cell phone radiation may impair male reproductive health.
Why This Matters
This large-scale clinical study adds important evidence to growing concerns about cell phone radiation and male fertility. The 10-percentage-point difference in abnormal sperm morphology between users and non-users represents a substantial impact on reproductive health. What makes this research particularly significant is its real-world setting at an infertility clinic, where researchers could examine men already seeking help with conception.
The study's 14-year timeframe spanning from 1993 to 2007 captures the rapid adoption of cell phone technology, providing a natural experiment in EMF exposure effects. While the researchers didn't measure specific radiation levels, typical cell phone use exposes the body to radiofrequency radiation at levels regulators consider 'safe.' This research suggests those safety standards may not adequately protect reproductive health, joining dozens of other studies linking EMF exposure to decreased sperm quality and male fertility problems.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The objective of the present retrospective study was to report our experience concerning the effects of cell phone usage on semen parameters.
We examined 2110 men attending our infertility clinic from 1993 to October 2007. Semen analysis was ...
Significant difference was observed in sperm morphology between the two groups. In the patients of g...
Our results showed that cell phone use negatively affects sperm quality in men. Further studies with a careful design are needed to determine the effect of cell phone use on male fertility.
Show BibTeX
@article{t_2011_impact_of_cell_phone_2134,
author = {Gutschi T and Mohamad Al-Ali B and Shamloul R and Pummer K and Trummer H.},
title = {Impact of cell phone use on men's semen parameters.},
year = {2011},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21951197/},
}