New research has shown that males who talk for hours on cellphones may damage their sperm and thus their chances of fathering a baby.
An experiment on semen revealed evidence of DNA damage after 16 hours of exposure to radiation similar to the output of a mobile phone.
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To reach the conclusion, researchers at the University of Newcastle built a device to irradiate sperm at the same radio frequency as mobile telephone calls.
Professor John Aitken, director of the university's Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development, said they were able to accurately identify high levels of DNA fragmentation in the sperm.
![Artificial Insemination]( "Artificial Insemination")
Artificial Insemination is a medical procedure usually used to treat infertility. In this procedure, sperm is placed into a female''s vagina, uterus or fallopian tubes by artificial means.
"After 16 hours exposure, there was clear evidence of DNA damage," News.com.au quoted Prof Aitken, as saying.
"This is a very early finding from our analysis, but it does raise concerns," the expert added.
DNA damage in spermatozoa has been associated with decreased fertility, increased risk of miscarriage and various kinds of disease in offspring, including childhood cancer, and a number of neurological disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder and spontaneous schizophrenia.
In the study, damage was caused by oxidative stress - when the generation of free radicals exceeds the body's own anti-oxidant defence mechanisms.
Prof Aitken said it was well known that sperm DNA fragmentation was predominantly triggered by oxidative stress which may arise from infection, smoking or older age, but there had been little research about the link with mobile phones.
Unsaturated fatty acids in foods such as margarine were also known to trigger free radicals and potential oxidative stress, he said.
Source: ANI
RAS/SK
Artificial Insemination
Artificial Insemination is a medical procedure usually used to treat infertility. In this procedure, sperm is placed into a female''s vagina, uterus or fallopian tubes by artificial means.
Advertisement
"After 16 hours exposure, there was clear evidence of DNA damage," News.com.au quoted Prof Aitken, as saying.
"This is a very early finding from our analysis, but it does raise concerns," the expert added.
DNA damage in spermatozoa has been associated with decreased fertility, increased risk of miscarriage and various kinds of disease in offspring, including childhood cancer, and a number of neurological disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder and spontaneous schizophrenia.
In the study, damage was caused by oxidative stress - when the generation of free radicals exceeds the body's own anti-oxidant defence mechanisms.
Prof Aitken said it was well known that sperm DNA fragmentation was predominantly triggered by oxidative stress which may arise from infection, smoking or older age, but there had been little research about the link with mobile phones.
Unsaturated fatty acids in foods such as margarine were also known to trigger free radicals and potential oxidative stress, he said.
Source: ANI
RAS/SK
Infertility
Infertility is a condition wherein couples fail to achieve pregnancy or if the woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy that results in a live birth.
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 Journey of the Male Sperm - AnimationInteractive section of Medindia explains the journey of the sperm from testis to the outside world. | Advertisement
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