Friday Poll: Worried about phones zapping sperm?
In the wake of a report citing studies that warn of potential harm to sperm from cell phone radiation, are you taking any special precautions?
As Monty Python reminds us, every sperm is sacred. So why are guys putting potentially hazardous objects so close to the family jewels?
I'm talking about cell phones. This week, we told you about a recent report in the Journal of Andrology that suggested cell phone radiation can reduce sperm count and damage sperm quality.
The report reviewed the existing medical literature about phone radiation on the male reproductive system, and found that men who use cell phones have decreased sperm concentration and motility.
"These abnormalities seem to be directly related with the length of mobile phone use," the authors from Italy's University of Catania noted.
The researchers also considered a study in which rats were put in special Plexiglas cages with cell phones just 0.2 inch underneath the cage bottom. The animals were exposed to to cell phone emissions for six hours per day for more than four months.
The researchers found a 25 percent drop in the rats' live sperm. The cells also tended to adhere to one another, which would reducing their chances of fertilizing an egg.
The issue--like others related to cell phones and health--is complex, and the study's results are not conclusive, but some say men should err on the side of caution.
"These are the parts of our body that are highly sensitive to cell phone radiation," Dr. Joel Moskowitz, from the School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley, told CNET. "This is a wake-up call for those who tend to leave cell phones in their front pocket."
Yes, we know this particular poll is gender-skewed, but guys, what do you think? Are you worried about your iPhone frying your swimmers? Is your Android handset now in the back seat instead of riding shotgun? Vote in our poll and leave your additional comments below.