Mobile Phones and Male Fertility: A Mini Review of Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Its Relationship with Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation

Document Type : Review

Authors

1 Allergy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Department of Community Medicine, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

4 Kidney Transplantation Complications Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Concern over male infertility has grown, with over half of infertility cases linked to male causes. The effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from mobile phones on sperm DNA fragmentation has been investigated. This mini-review evaluates literature on the correlation between RF-EMR and sperm DNA fragmentation.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed databases up to July 2020. MeSH terms related to DNA fragmentation, sperm, mobile phones, radiofrequency, and related synonyms identified relevant studies. Nine studies were selected, and their methodologies examined.

Results: The studies reviewed presented diverse findings on the correlation between RF-EMR from mobile phones and sperm DNA fragmentation. Of the nine investigations—five in vitro and four in vivo—all in vivo studies found significant DNA fragmentation in men who used their phones extensively, especially when carried in pants pockets. Three of the five in vitro tests showed a substantial effect, while the other two found no significant change between exposed and unexposed samples.

Conclusion: Although more studies reported decreased sperm quality with prolonged and intense RF-EMR exposure, the evidence regarding DNA fragmentation remains inconclusive. With the widespread use of mobile phones, it is critical to further investigate their potential impact on male fertility and reproductive health. Existing evidence underscores the need for continued research in this area.

Keywords

Reviews in Clinical Medicine
Volume 11, Issue 3
September 2024
Pages 13-20

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