The report combines a variety of prior studies, concluding some rather disconcerting stuff for those of us with testicles, or for those of you with testicled loved ones:
Altogether the results of these studies show that RF-EMR decreases sperm count and motility, and increases the oxidative stress. In human beings, two different experimental approaches have been followed, one has explored the effects of RF-EMR directly on spermatozoa and the other has evaluated the sperm parameters in men using or not mobile phones. The results show that human spermatozoa exposed to RF-EMR have decreased motility, morphometric abnormalities, and increased oxidative stress, whereas men using mobile phones have decreased sperm concentration, motility (particularly the rapid progressive one), normal morphology, and viability. These abnormalities seem to be directly related with the length of mobile phone use.
Translation: both exposure to a phone’s electromagnetic transmissions and general phone use correlated to sperm that’s slower, weaker, and fewer in numbers. Making you sterile. That’s bad if you have a penis and would like to impregnate someone with it. Also, there is such a thing as “sperm parameters”, proving being a scientist is fun.
If it’s any consolation, the study isn’t definitive — the researchers posit their findings as cause for concern, but not proof positive: “More studies are necessary to provide stronger evidences that mobile phone use disturb sperm and testicular function since the existing literature has several limitation.” These studies should be done. Like, very soon. We don’t want the world to find out bad news the hard way. [Journal of Andrology via CNET via BGR]
Photo: ostill/Shutterstock
Gaf
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 9:32 AMI have no one to put it in anyway.
EckyThump
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 9:40 AMSeems to me mobile phones might be heading down a similar path as cigarettes! Hopefully they will see it and do something about it rather than just ignoring the human cost, like big tobacco!
Mudze
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 12:18 PMUm… You know they never had any evidence for the cancer thing, right? They said they’d look into it and the media hyped it right the hell up. The studies ranged from inconclusive to “Yeah, it’s bullshit”.
EckyThump
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 3:37 PMYeah they said the same thing about cigarettes until someone with balls became a whistle blower!
Mudze
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 7:48 PMNo, you don’t get it. A lot of people studied it. There was no evidence. Proximity to a mobile quite simply does not give you cancer. It does not increase your risks of getting cancer.
EckyThump
Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 9:48 AMI understand what you’re saying, but how many of those studies were sponsored by the phone companies? I’m not really bothered either way, I very seldom talk on mine for more than a few minutes. I just think it’s way too big of a coincidence that so many people get a tumor right near the ear they use for phone calls? #]
Ash
Monday, August 22, 2011 at 10:06 AMThe key here is to keep your mobile as far away from your nut sack as possible. Ie, dont stick it in your jeans/pants pocket.
Mike
Monday, August 22, 2011 at 1:34 PMUnfortunately, mine still work :p
Nath
Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 4:05 PMSo you’re saying I shouldn’t rely on my mobile as a cheap contraceptive?… Damn.