WiFi “Laptops” affect male fertility
July 28, 2010. Researchers prove damage occurs in the mobility and DNA fragmentation of sperm if near the WiFi transmitter. 24/07/2010 | Romina Martoglio. From Lavoz.com
Assumptions are well known that the electromagnetic waves radiated by cell phones, microwave ovens, computers and electrical appliances may cause adverse health effects. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has formed a special division for researchers studying the effect of electromagnetic radiation.
As for the effect of these radiations on the reproduction of human beings, some scientific studies have suggested that electromagnetic waves generated by cell phones may affect sperm quality. On the other hand, it is proposed that the use of laptops (Laptop) could affect sperm production due to increased temperature in the testes to be used on the legs.
A group of researchers from Cordoba, members of Nascentis reproductive medicine center, decided to analyze the effect of laptops on the sperm, and concluded that the use of laptop mobility result in damage and fragment the DNA of these cells, to the point that might affect male reproductive capacity.
“We have found that exposure to the laptops connected to Wi-Fi, mobility decreases and increases the damage to the sperm DNA. Although these studies were performed in vitro, our results suggest it could be a cause of low fertility” says Conrado Avendaño.
While we need further research, our first advice is that people avoid using the laptop on your lap, ESPECIALLY if they are connected to Wi-Fi”, states Sánchez Sarmiento..
The direction of this research was provided by Conrado Avendaño, a biochemist specializing in Andrology. He was accompanied by a team of Ariela Mata, a specialist in Reproductive Biology and Chief of the Laboratory of Embryology, Cesar Sanchez Sarmiento, medical director, Andrew Juarez Villanueva, head of Gynecologic Endoscopy and Valeria Martinez, laboratory specializing in Andrology and Embryology.
For this study, they evaluated semen samples from healthy donors with no history of recent illnesses. Each sample was divided into two portions which were placed in separate rooms at a controlled temperature. One of the fractions was incubated near a laptop connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, thus, to mimic the situation in which men place the machine on their legs.
“After four hours of incubation of sperm under two different conditions, we found that in the group exposed to the laptop, a large percentage of sperm was affected,” said Conrado Avendaño.
Results. There are three factors that were examined to study the sperm quality: if the sperm were alive, if they moved and if the sperm DNA was intact. “The study showed that exposure to these devices did not cause the death of sperm,” said Avendano.
Meanwhile, the analysis of mobility, it was found that in the group exposed to WiFi radiation, there was less sperm that are moving faster and an increase in the amount of stationary sperm.
“This is a sobering if you take into account that the sperm are moving progressively to finally be able to reach the egg and fertilize it, and then form an embryo,” said César Sánchez Sarmiento.
Finally in terms of sperm DNA integrity, was found through a study known as “Tunnel”, which both groups of spermatozoa had a significant difference. “In the fraction exposed to radiation had a significant increase in sperm with fragmented DNA (broken),” said Avendano. Sánchez Sarmiento argues that the importance of this aspect is that reproductive medicine has proven that “one of the causes of changes in fertilization and embryonic development is therefore the break in the DNA molecules of the sperm.”
Photograph of man with laptop computer from London Tech Calendar Collection 2010
For published papers about the effect of cell phones on sperm CLICK HERE