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Oh No! Cell Phones Affect Sperm Quality, Researchers Say

Posted 09/22/08 at 11:15:37 AM |  by Paul Lilly

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The Cleveland Clinic has bad news for amorous males who tote their cell phones in their pants pocket. According to the Clinic's research, mobile phones left on talk mode can reduce the quality of sperm.

"We believe that these devices are used because we consider them very safe, but it could cause harmful effects due to the proximity of the phones and the exposure that they are causing ot the gonads," says lead researcher Ashok Agarwal.

Agarwal and his team studied semen samples from 32 men with each person's sperm placed in small conical tubes, and them separated then into two groups. One group was kept clear of any cell phone emissions, while the other group sat 2.5 centimeters away from an 850MHz cell phone in talk mode, The researchers did this to simulate active cell phones kept in pants pockets while talking on headsets.

"On average, there was an 85 percent increase in the amount of free radicals for all the subjects in the study," noted Agarwal. "Free radicals have been linked to a variety of diseases in humans including cancer."

But don't panic just yet. By Agarwal's own admission, the small sample size can't be viewed as conclusive, nor does it take into account layers of skin, bone, and tissue that might protect precious sperm.

Even still, how long do you give cell phone manufacturers until they start marketing new models as being semen safe? 

Image Credit: Flickr JonJon2k8

COMMENTS:
5
TAGS: 
cell phone, Cellular, consumer electronics
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COMMENTS
avatarim screwed

Submitted by Stephenh1984 on Tue, 2008-09-23 19:01

i got to 2 phones, thats a double wammy

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avatarI'm waiting for new phones

Submitted by Earthsiege on Mon, 2008-09-22 15:20

I'm waiting for new phones to be marketed as "birth control for men!"

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avatarWell I keep my cell phone

Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Mon, 2008-09-22 14:00

Well I keep my cell phone in a puoch on my belt on my side. No where near my nads and I refuse to use those gay BlueTooth headsets. The phone has a microphone and speaker for a reason.

BTW I've been using cell phones since they first started getting popular and I've since had two normal kids and I have a baby boy due on December 8 and all ultra sounds have shown a normal baby. And I'm 36years old.

Besides the average man has sex at least once a week and masturbates everyday of the week or is that just me? Anyhow I'm trying to point out that the sperm don't hang out in the testes long enough to be harmed by cell phones. The balls produce sperm all the time. A man will never run out. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have while men are constantly producing more sperm. I would be more worried about the affects on momens overies and eggs then my nads and my precious bodily fluids. 

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avatarTime to invest

Submitted by yagisencho on Mon, 2008-09-22 12:02

Time to invest in lead-lined boxers...

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avatarwell...

Submitted by Caboose on Mon, 2008-09-22 10:02

 Well, as long as I keep my "little swimmers" in my body, and not in a test tube, they should be ok!

 

-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-

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