Abstract
Objective To investigate the effect of long duration exposure to electromagnetic field from mobile phones on spermatogenesis in rats using 4G-LTE. Methods Twenty Sprague-Dawley male rats were placed into 4 groups according to the intensity and exposure duration: Group 1 (sham procedure), Group 2 (3 cm distance + 6 h exposure daily), Group 3 (10 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily), and Group 4 (3 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily). After 1 month, we compared sperm parameters and histopathological findings of the testis. Results The mean spermatid count (×106/ml) was 398.6 in Group 1, 365.40 in Group 2, 354.60 in Group 3, and 298.60 in Group 4 (p = 0.041). In the second review, the mean count of spermatogonia in Group 4 (43.00) was significantly lower than in Group 1 (57.00) and Group 2 (53.40) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.010, resp.). The sum of the germ cell counts was decreased in Group 4 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p = 0.032). The mean Leydig cell count was significantly decreased in Group 4 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The longer exposure duration of electromagnetic field decreased the spermatogenesis. Our findings warrant further investigations on the potential effects of EMF from mobile phones on male fertility.
Highlights
The prevalence of male infertility at the reproductive age has been estimated to be up to 7-8%, and there has been a tendency to increase in recent decades
No clinical study has evaluated the effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) on the reproductive function in humans, but some epidemiologic studies have shown that mobile phone use has a negative effect on spermatogenesis [16]
The specific absorption rate (SAR) value is independent of the duration of exposure; we focus on the long duration of exposure in this analysis
Summary
The prevalence of male infertility at the reproductive age has been estimated to be up to 7-8%, and there has been a tendency to increase in recent decades. With the increasing rate of male infertility, we should focus on the use of mobile phones, which have been increasingly used worldwide. The rapid growth of mobile phone use has been accompanied by a parallel increase in the density of the EMF [5]. The analogue cell phone system introduced in the 1980s operated at an electromagnetic resonance of 902.5 MHz. The recently developed DCS (Digital Cellular System), which uses a radiofrequency of 1,800 MHz, has spread rapidly [6]. A 4thgeneration communication long-term evolution (4G-LTE) system has been used in mobile phones, which can provide a very fast Internet speed over the current radiofrequency rate
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