Is cell phone use really linked to infertility in men?

Infertility has many different causes. Some are genetic, some are health-related and others have to do with lifestyle, exercise, etc. 

But other potential “causes” of infertility are a bit more surprising. Including… using your cell phone?

Several studies have been completed in recent years showing that high cell phone use could negatively affect a man’s sperm count, increasing the likelihood of him struggling with infertility. 

A 2006 study released by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine showed a 25 percent lower sperm count in men who used their cell phones for over four hours a day as opposed to men who did not use cell phones at all.  

The men who had high cell phone use also showed decreased sperm quality – including reduced ability of the sperm to swim, according to the Daily Mail. 

Experts recommend that men spend as little time on their hand-held phones as possible, particularly being aware of where their phone is located when transmitting text messages. 

Men should also be aware of increased heating due to carrying cell phones in their pockets. In 2008, researchers at the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio found that radiation from cell phones can decrease sperm viability as well. 

This research showed that semen placed close to a cellular phone for one hour had lowered motility (ability to move and swim) as well as viability (ability to survive). 

Reproductive endocrinologist Sami David told WebMD that men should always be aware of how their daily routines may be affecting their fertility – and it’s not just cell phones, either. 

"Men should not place their laptop on their laps due to the heat from the battery," Dr. David tells WebMD. "Jacuzzis, tub baths, toxins, and fumes can all play a role in male infertility and should be discussed.”

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