Mobiles ‘lower sperm count’

6 July 2004

BRUSSELS – Being a mobile phone addict could affect a man’s fertility, it was reported on Tuesday.

La Dernière Heure newspaper cited research by a team at the University of Szeged in Hungary who recorded the sperm counts of a group of 200 volunteers.

They found that people who walked around with their mobile almost permanently on – even if it was just on standby – and attached to their belt had a third fewer sperm than those who kept their phones relatively far from their bodies.

And they noted that true mobile addicts had sperm that were less active.

The alarming study has already been criticised for not taking into account the lifestyles of the individuals in the study.

It might be the case, for instance, that people who keep their phone permanently on and attached to their body lead far more stressful lifestyles, which could affect their fertility.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news