Cell Phone Radiation Linked to Male Infertility: Study

Recently, a cancer center director warned his staff about the risks of cell phone radiation as it relates to cancer. But as early as 2006, I wrote about a study linking cell phones with infertility. You'd think someone else would have run a confirming study before now, but I guess not.

A study (.PDF) run by the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Glickman Urologoical and Kidney Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed a connection between fertility in males and using a hands-free setup with a headset and a cell phone clipped to a belt or in a pocket.

Go figure: that's the way I use my cell phone.

Researchers collected semen samples from 32 men. 23 of the men were healthy; 9 were patients at the clinic. Each sample was divided into two parts. They placed half of the semen samples 2.5 cm away from a 850 MHz frequency cell phone in talk mode for one hour.

They used this frequency and this distance because most cell phones used in the U.S. are in the 850-900 MHz range, and 2.5 cm mimics the typical distance between the testes and pants pockets. Of course, the distance to a cell phone on a belt would be greater.

According to the researchers, the results showed higher levels of free radicals and oxidants and a decrease in antioxidants among the exposed sperm. Also, they found lower sperm motility (movement) and lower sperm viability (percentage of live sperm). However, there was no significant difference in DNA damage between the exposed and unexposed groups.

Besides the fact that the researchers wanted further study (hey guys, this was already done in 2006; what more do you want?), I'd wonder if the fact that there's some flesh between the cell phone the testes would make a difference.

I was thinking, putting on my common sense cap again, that a better study might be taking a group of men who don't typically keep a cell phone in their pockets, check their sperm, then give them cell phones to carry in their pockets.

Additionally, you can try it with phones on belts as well. As I said, that's a much greater distance, and more flesh in the way, as well.

Finally, don't forget in 2007 I wrote about Isobodywear, which made briefs which purportedly protect your "guys" against radiation. If you're really, really, really worried about it, take a look. You might have to email the company, though. They're in Switzerland and I can't find the product on their site; they may no longer make it.