4 ms·

Effect of mobile telephones on sperm quality: Review and meta-analysis

66 points by daveytea 12y ago

Daishiman 12y ago
Though I have no qualifications in the field of study, it does explain in detail the methodologies, and the specific parameters are narrow and objective. My only gripe is that the samples are taken from people going to fertility clinics, but it seems to be accounted for as best as possible. It would be interesting if more studies were done explaining the interplay of biological mechanisms that lead to this from exposure to RF, as well as accounting exactly how much of this is due to device heat and how much from RF exposure.
- lmg643 12y ago
  I think this is a very important point - people who go to fertility clinics are already having problems and not representative/random. Further, a "meta analysis" means they are not doing original research, they are just culling together other papers on the subject into a single study. I'm terrified to think this study could be accurate.
  - devindotcom 12y ago
    Well they're taking data from studies already done, but it's not just like they put a bunch of papers in a bucket and stir - if it's a smart meta-analysis (and there are other kinds) they'll be looking for effects suggested by data but not looked for in the original studies. Like if you did a meta-analysis of a hundred experimental cancer treatments that took down detailed demographics and found that people living in certain areas of the country were more likely to develop cervical cancer or something. It's definitely "original research" but it's not experimental research.
daveytea 12y ago
TL;DR: "We conclude that pooled results from in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that mobile phone exposure negatively affects sperm quality." They're not sure if it's due to RF or heat from the device.
- nevinera 12y ago
  No controlled study was done, so any unexpected confounding factors would invalidate the results. This type of study is nearly pointless when trying to demonstrate a causal link.
  - adwf 12y ago
    A study without a control is barely a study at all.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- pygy_ 12y ago
  Heat apparently affects sperm count, whereas oxidative stress affects vitality and motility. This in vitro study controls for temperature: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006446 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourna...
fasteo 12y ago
As the study points out, there are many confounding variables here. Apart from the chosen population (people going to fertility clinics), sperm quality is heavily influenced by lifestyle (physical activity, diet, air pollution, etc). Nevertheless, exposure to RF is for sure one additional factor to consider, much like eating crap or spending too much time lying in a couch.
- sillysaurus3 12y ago
  much like eating crap or spending too much time lying in a couch. Has it been demonstrated that these factors have had any effect on sperm quality? Seems dubious.
  - DanBC 12y ago
    Obesity and sperm quality: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/William_Roudebush/publication/240032787_Men_with_high_body_mass_index_values_present_with_lower_numbers_of_normal-motile_sperm_cells/file/5046351c8b669e7f87.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/profile/William_Roudebush/public.... (Although whether that affects fertility is a different question) The link to exercise was publicised in many newspapers. Science reporting is awful. Here's a trustworthy source that explains the recen research. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/02February/Pages/exercise-activity-tv-viewing-sperm-count.aspx http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/02February/Pages/exercise-activi...
  - fasteo 12y ago
    Why do think it is dubios ? This is a honest question.
kator 12y ago
Time to register faradayunderwear.com and profit! Bummer a quick search shows this stuff apparently is already a "thing". [1] My high school science teacher always said that he felt all the radio stuff we are doing will be the end of humans. This was in the '80's and he was considered a bit of an eccentric but he may have been onto something. [1] http://www.gizmag.com/wireless-armour-underwear/31861/ http://www.gizmag.com/wireless-armour-underwear/31861/
RyanMcGreal 12y ago
Philip K. Dick's Ajax model Mountibank Lead Codpiece doesn't sound so ridiculous any more.
- gshubert17 12y ago
  Right. Robert Heinlein wrote a story (perhaps it is Waldo --1942) in which one character wears a lead coat to protect against the risks of power distributed by radio. What I recall is that this character is still strong and energetic while others are weaker, though carrying around a significant weight would be a form of strength-training, I'd think.
Gnarl 12y ago
The majority of wireless radiation/semen quality studies show oxidative stress as the mechanism behind the observed DNA damage. Sperm cells are a great model for studying the effects because they don't have the same protective measures as other, longer living, cell types. So IMHO its been amply demonstrated that the conventional idea of non-ionizing radiation being unable to do harm apart from increasing temperature, is simply wrong. The damage happens via a secondary effect (free radical overproduction) that is independent of temperature increase. Consider looking at this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7920199 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7920199
- unhammer 12y ago
  Published by http://oamsjournal.com/ http://oamsjournal.com/ – I'm not panicking yet :)
andmarios 12y ago
A bit offtopic but this is one of the best responsive sites I've seen. For example when on mobile, the text makes a nice solid column you can't accidentally pan except for the tables. It seems very light too on my 3 year old android.
NIL8 12y ago
The more pervasive wireless tech becomes, the more we need to know about it's effects. I'd like to see more research on this. I don't know who would fund it, though. Maybe there should be a Kickstarter that is strictly for scientific research. Is there such a thing?
- eli 12y ago
  There have been some massive studies done on cell phones and cancer, especially in Europe. (TL;DR You're probably fine.)
- wes-exp 12y ago
  https://experiment.com https://experiment.com (science crowdfunding)
sjtrny 12y ago
How can they isolate RF as the cause when RF is constantly surrounding us? Did the subjects live in shielded rooms?
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
senator_bix 12y ago
There's a Grindr joke in here somewhere.

66 points by daveytea 12y ago

Though I have no qualifications in the field of study, it does explain in detail the methodologies, and the specific parameters are narrow and objective. My only gripe is that the samples are taken from people going to fertility clinics, but it seems to be accounted for as best as possible. It would be interesting if more studies were done explaining the interplay of biological mechanisms that lead to this from exposure to RF, as well as accounting exactly how much of this is due to device heat and how much from RF exposure.

lmg643 12y ago
I think this is a very important point - people who go to fertility clinics are already having problems and not representative/random. Further, a "meta analysis" means they are not doing original research, they are just culling together other papers on the subject into a single study. I'm terrified to think this study could be accurate.
- devindotcom 12y ago
  Well they're taking data from studies already done, but it's not just like they put a bunch of papers in a bucket and stir - if it's a smart meta-analysis (and there are other kinds) they'll be looking for effects suggested by data but not looked for in the original studies. Like if you did a meta-analysis of a hundred experimental cancer treatments that took down detailed demographics and found that people living in certain areas of the country were more likely to develop cervical cancer or something. It's definitely "original research" but it's not experimental research.

daveytea 12y ago

TL;DR: "We conclude that pooled results from in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that mobile phone exposure negatively affects sperm quality." They're not sure if it's due to RF or heat from the device.

nevinera 12y ago
No controlled study was done, so any unexpected confounding factors would invalidate the results. This type of study is nearly pointless when trying to demonstrate a causal link.
- adwf 12y ago
  A study without a control is barely a study at all.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
pygy_ 12y ago
Heat apparently affects sperm count, whereas oxidative stress affects vitality and motility. This in vitro study controls for temperature: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006446 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourna...

fasteo 12y ago

As the study points out, there are many confounding variables here. Apart from the chosen population (people going to fertility clinics), sperm quality is heavily influenced by lifestyle (physical activity, diet, air pollution, etc). Nevertheless, exposure to RF is for sure one additional factor to consider, much like eating crap or spending too much time lying in a couch.

sillysaurus3 12y ago
much like eating crap or spending too much time lying in a couch. Has it been demonstrated that these factors have had any effect on sperm quality? Seems dubious.
- DanBC 12y ago
  Obesity and sperm quality: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/William_Roudebush/publication/240032787_Men_with_high_body_mass_index_values_present_with_lower_numbers_of_normal-motile_sperm_cells/file/5046351c8b669e7f87.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/profile/William_Roudebush/public.... (Although whether that affects fertility is a different question) The link to exercise was publicised in many newspapers. Science reporting is awful. Here's a trustworthy source that explains the recen research. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/02February/Pages/exercise-activity-tv-viewing-sperm-count.aspx http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/02February/Pages/exercise-activi...
- fasteo 12y ago
  Why do think it is dubios ? This is a honest question.

kator 12y ago

Time to register faradayunderwear.com and profit! Bummer a quick search shows this stuff apparently is already a "thing". [1] My high school science teacher always said that he felt all the radio stuff we are doing will be the end of humans. This was in the '80's and he was considered a bit of an eccentric but he may have been onto something. [1] http://www.gizmag.com/wireless-armour-underwear/31861/ http://www.gizmag.com/wireless-armour-underwear/31861/

RyanMcGreal 12y ago

Philip K. Dick's Ajax model Mountibank Lead Codpiece doesn't sound so ridiculous any more.

gshubert17 12y ago
Right. Robert Heinlein wrote a story (perhaps it is Waldo --1942) in which one character wears a lead coat to protect against the risks of power distributed by radio. What I recall is that this character is still strong and energetic while others are weaker, though carrying around a significant weight would be a form of strength-training, I'd think.

Gnarl 12y ago

The majority of wireless radiation/semen quality studies show oxidative stress as the mechanism behind the observed DNA damage. Sperm cells are a great model for studying the effects because they don't have the same protective measures as other, longer living, cell types. So IMHO its been amply demonstrated that the conventional idea of non-ionizing radiation being unable to do harm apart from increasing temperature, is simply wrong. The damage happens via a secondary effect (free radical overproduction) that is independent of temperature increase. Consider looking at this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7920199 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7920199

unhammer 12y ago
Published by http://oamsjournal.com/ http://oamsjournal.com/ – I'm not panicking yet :)

andmarios 12y ago

A bit offtopic but this is one of the best responsive sites I've seen. For example when on mobile, the text makes a nice solid column you can't accidentally pan except for the tables. It seems very light too on my 3 year old android.

NIL8 12y ago

The more pervasive wireless tech becomes, the more we need to know about it's effects. I'd like to see more research on this. I don't know who would fund it, though. Maybe there should be a Kickstarter that is strictly for scientific research. Is there such a thing?

eli 12y ago
There have been some massive studies done on cell phones and cancer, especially in Europe. (TL;DR You're probably fine.)
wes-exp 12y ago
https://experiment.com https://experiment.com (science crowdfunding)

sjtrny 12y ago

How can they isolate RF as the cause when RF is constantly surrounding us? Did the subjects live in shielded rooms?

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

senator_bix 12y ago

There's a Grindr joke in here somewhere.