Study reveals that some cell phone use impacts sperm quality

It has entered our daily lives to establish itself as an essential tool for most of our activities. This is the mobile phone or smartphone which now occupies an essential place in our societies. Does it pose a threat to male fertility and to sperm quality in particular? This is the question that researchers from the University of Geneva tried to answer.

After studying for 14 years, between 2005 and 2019, the biological data and habits in terms of mobile phone use of 2,286 people, the researchers publish, this Tuesday, October 31, 2023, their conclusions in the specialized journal Fertility and Sterility. At the end of this analysis period, the Scientists have noted a decline in male fertility which may be correlated with more intensive smartphone use. According to them, the subjects observed were 30% more likely to have sperm concentration below WHO reference values ​​for fertile men.

An unclear causality

The authors of the report thus note that a “higher frequency of cell phone use (more than 20 times per day) was associated with lower sperm concentration”. A correlation link which does not make the level of wave emission the factor identified as being at the origin of this drop in fertility. “A significant decline in sperm count has been reported in recent decades without the possible causes being clearly identified”however, qualify the authors of the study.

According to them, this Reduced fertility can result from a multitude of environmental factorsx or the evolution of the way of life and risk factors such as smoking, alcoholism, obesity or stress. The researchers illustrate the phenomenon with this statistic: of men who used their phone less than once a week were only 16.6% smoking compared to 33% of those who used it more than 20 times a day. According to the study, whether or not you put your cell phone in your pants pocket has no impact on the results recorded. In addition, researchers note an improvement over time in the data analyzed, which would result from the reduction in waves emitted by smartphones.

“3G phones emit levels on average 100 to 500 times lower than those of 2G phones. In the same way, the better network coverage also reduces the emission of waves from current phones”, specifies the study. It is therefore difficult to put the entire responsibility for the drop in sperm concentration on the back of the emission of waves from mobile phones. However, researchers are calling for further study of the issue to ascertain the direct consequences of wave emissions on fertility.

A journalist passionate about social issues and current affairs, Hugo puts his pen at the service of information. Interested in all themes, from the impact of artificial intelligence on…