Posted on 10/24/2006 10:54:22 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd
Mobile phones are a serious hazard for sperm, according to a new US study which shows fertility plummets in men who use their mobiles a lot.
The study, released at a medical conference in New Orleans this week, demonstrated a clear connection between hours spent chatting on a mobile and sparse and lazy sperm.
Men who used mobile phones for more than four hours a day were found to have 25 percent lower sperm count than men who never used a mobile.
The sperm quality was also poorer in those who frequently used mobiles, with the sperm swimming ability — a crucial factor in conception — down by a third.
Professor Ashok Agarwal, who led the study that tested 360 men from the US and India, told The Daily Mail that electromagnetic radiation emitted by handsets may be damaging cells vital to fertility.
"These cells in the testes have been shown to be susceptible to electromagnetic waves in previous research in animals," said Professor Ashok Agarwal, director of the Reproductive Research Centre in Ohio.
"Somehow electromagnetic waves may be causing direct damage to these cells and that perhaps causes a decrease in sperm production," he said.
There are also fears that a mobile may increase temperature in the groin if carried in the hip-pocket.
"Sperm is very temperature sensitive as shown by many studies, and a short-term rise in temperature could be responsible," Professor Agarwal said.
However, Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, says he doesn't think the results are proof that mobiles are decreasing fertility rates in men.
He believes there could be other explanations for the findings.
"Maybe people who use a phone for four hours a day spend more time sitting in cars, which could mean there’s a heat issue. It could be they are more stressed, or more sedentary and sit about eating junk food getting fat. Those seem to be better explanations than a phone causing the damage at such a great distance" Pacey said.
Isn't the phone suppose to be used at the other end?
Where are they holding their phones?
Can you hear me now?
"Sorry, I can't take your call right now -- and neither can my sperm -- so at the beep, please leave a message".
First it was my Mountain Dew, now it's my cell phone? My life is completely ruined!!
Dropping the Call vs. Dropping the Ball
This may simply indicate that the type of person willing to use a phone for 4 hours a day is the type of person with a naturally low sperm count.
THAT'S why they're on their phone so much!!!
I was thinking it......you said it.....LOL. I can't stand cell phones, especially in the hands of stupid drivers, it just dangerous.....
LOL...there's probably alot more going on with low sperm count than the cell phone. Today's diet sucks...
ELAINE: You got a comfort problem there?
KRAMER: No, I think these Jockeys shrunk.
ELAINE: I thought you wore silk underwear.
KRAMER: No, no, n--Well, you know, I wore 'em for about a month but I couldn't stick with it. No, I need the secure packaging of Jockeys. My boys need a house!
ELAINE: That's nice. Listen, Kramer, you know, if you ever want to have kids you shouldn't wear briefs. Boxers are much better for your sperm count.
KRAMER: Sperm count? Well how many sperm should I have?
ELAINE: A lot!
My thought exactly. The guys I know who don't have cell phones are also the guys I know who are more physically active.
Makes you think about the saying: "He's got a lot on the ball."
Not if you are talking out your ......
What are they doing to keep active? Breaking rocks at San Quentin? I thought almost everyone has a cell phone anymore.
Next they'll tell us it will make our blackberries drop off.
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