Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 54 No. 5, 2023.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.54.5.6
Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on male fertility
Ivona Žura Žaja
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Paulina Martinec
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Butković
orcid.org/0000-0003-0615-6500
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Marinko Vilić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Suzana Milinković-Tur
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Silvijo Vince
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Nikolino Žura
; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia
Anamaria Sluganović
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Samardžija
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Jadranka Pejaković Hlede
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Folnožić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Humans and animals are constantly exposed to electromagnetic radiation emitted from the natural environment, and through the use of industrial and everyday devices for wireless communication. In recent years, due to rapid technological progress, electromagnetic radiation from artificial sources has exceeded the values of radiation of natural origin. General concern about the increasing number of devices (mobile phones, laptops, Wi-Fi and microwave ovens) using radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) is justified due to increasing evidence of their harm to the living organism. Modern technology devices emit small frequency radiofrequency electromagnetic waves, which are then absorbed by the human and animal bodies and can potentially cause adverse effects on the brain, heart, endocrine system and reproductive function. It is believed that the male reproductive system is one of the most sensitive tissues to RF-EMR. It is clear from the literature that RF-EMR has harmful effects on ejaculate quality indicators (such as spermatozoa count in ejaculate and spermatozoa morphology and motility), affects cellular metabolism and the endocrine system, and causes genotoxicity, genomic instability and oxidative stress, which in turn may result in infertility. The adverse effects of RF-EMR are divided into thermal and non-thermal. Most negative biological effects are attributed to non-thermal effects, while the thermal effects from cell phone radiation are considered to be less harmful. However, scrotum hyperthermia and increased oxidative stress from the formation of excess reactive oxygen compounds in the male reproductive system can be key mechanisms by which RF-EMR affects male fertility. The negative effects associated with the duration of use of mobile phones are known and listed above. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to describe some of the effects of RF-EMR on the male reproductive system.
Keywords
radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation; male reproductive system; ejaculate quality; endocrine systems; oxidative stress
Hrčak ID:
290631
URI
Publication date:
23.3.2023.
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