Decreased sperm fertilization function in men who surf the internet for more than 5 hours a day

Many people know that long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation has health effects. Especially if you prefer to work with your laptop directly on your knee, it is even worse for men's health. However, laboratory research in this area is rarely reported.

Experts have pointed out that the testicle is one of the target organs sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, and long-term exposure to computer radiation does have an impact on the fertilization function of male sperm.

In the rat experiment, 48 rats were placed on a laptop computer, and the sperm appearance was good, but the internal structure was damaged.

Beginning in March 2011, Professor Shang Xuejun, an expert in andrology at the General Hospital of the Nanjing Military Region, conducted a grouping experiment on 48 rats. Each group of 8 rats was divided into 6 groups, and radiation experiments were conducted on rats for 2 hours and 4 hours per day, respectively. Eight rats were kept in transparent cages placed on notebooks, just above the keyboard.

Professor Shang discovered during his experiment that electromagnetic radiation has a potential damaging effect on the reproductive function of male mice. The degree of sperm damage is proportional to the time spent using a laptop. Sperm damage in rats exposed to radiation for 4 hours a day is more severe than in rats exposed to radiation for 2 hours a day.

This is all due to ultrastructural damage, which means that the appearance of the sperm is fine, but the internal structure has already been damaged. Experts have found that electromagnetic radiation can even damage sperm membranes. Lipoprotein and glycoprotein on the surface of sperm membrane are the main substances for realizing sperm function.

In addition, the longer the radiation time of the notebook, the greater the impact on DNA. "It will also directly reflect the impact on the quality and development of the fetus after the sperm and egg are combined and fertilized in the future, increasing the health risk of the fetus after birth.". The occurrence of fetal arrest during pregnancy is not excluded. However, this still needs further confirmation.

Of course, due to the small sample size of this experiment, the research results have certain limitations. Professor Shang said that there are still differences between animals and humans. This study is only an exploratory study of the effects of electromagnetic radiation from laptops placed on the legs on the fertilization ability of male sperm. The results preliminarily show that electromagnetic radiation from laptops can affect the fertilization function of male sperm. This will provide basic research data for the protection of computer electromagnetic radiation.

Is it true that men who have been using computers for a long time have sperm abnormalities in clinical practice? According to experts, from May 2009 to March 2011, a total of 196 adult healthy male semen samples were collected. The subjects were aged from 22 to 40 years and worked with computers for 2 to 14 years. All subjects had no family history of trauma and hereditary diseases, no history of sexual dysfunction, and no history of mumps; Physical examination revealed no significant abnormalities in the testis, epididymis, vas deferens, varicocele, or cryptorchidism.

The experimenters divided these subjects into three groups. Group 1 (52 cases, Group A) consisted of men who used computers for less than 2 hours per week or had never used computers; Group 1: Those who used 2 to 5 hours a day were in the weak exposure group (68 cases, Group B), and group 1: Those who used more than 5 hours a day were in the strong exposure group (76 cases, Group C).

The experiment found that although the sperm fertilization ability of men exposed to computer electromagnetic radiation in the long and medium term is normal, compared to those who use computers for less than 2 hours per week, the sperm fertilization function has decreased.

Experts have analyzed that when computers work, they will emit medium, short, and ultrashort waves that are identical to the operating frequency bands of industrial, technological, medical high-frequency equipment, radio, television, communications, radar, and other RF equipment, generating electromagnetic radiation. The testis is one of the target organs sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, which can cause damage to the structure and function of the testis, affect reproductive hormone levels, and reduce sexual function and fertility.

Electromagnetic radiation causes changes in ROS content in body tissue fluid. Studies have shown that electromagnetic fields can activate ROS production and increase its concentration in tissue cells. ROS is a class of oxygen metabolites that have a more active chemical reactivity than oxygen. Under physiological conditions, a small amount of ROS produced in organisms plays an important role in cell growth regulation, signal transduction, microbial defense, and immune monitoring. However, when too much ROS is produced, it can produce toxic effects on a variety of cells and tissues in the body.

Among them, male germ cell sperm is extremely sensitive to ROS. Excessive ROS can cause changes in sperm structure and function, reduce sperm vitality, increase sperm death, and affect sperm acrosome reaction and fertilization function.