FERTILITY IS DECLINING SHARPLY. Is your phone the reason?
Did you know that male fertility is declining sharply, with sperm counts dropping over 50% in the last 50 years! In other words, infertility is increasing by 1% per year and Sperm counts are decreasing by 1% per year since 1970s, and this decline becoming even steeper after 2000.
One of the major reason for this is the EMF exposure: ”The testicular barrier, that protects sperm, is the most sensitive of tissues in the body … Besides sperm count and function, the mitochondrial DNA of sperm are damaged three times more if exposed to cellphone radiation.”
EMF exposure can alter reproductive function, including sperm motility, with effects varying according to the frequency, duration of exposure and strength of EMFs.
Here are some alarming studies on the infertility trend in the world:
• A report published in The Lancet predicts that by 2100, the global infertility problem will be so severe that 97% of countries will be unable to sustain their populations.
• Americans are now having difficulty conceiving, with one-third of adults in the U.S. turning to fertility treatments or are acquainted with someone who has. According to the National Institutes of Health, 9% of men and 11% of women in the U.S. are now struggling with fertility problems, and in healthy couples below 30 years old, 40% to 60% fail to conceive in the first three months of having unprotected sex.
• But infertility isn’t just an American dilemma; it’s a worldwide crisis. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 6 people globally are now infertile — and it’s going to get much worse, unless we do something about it.
• According to an article by Euronews Health: "Researchers led by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in the US found that three-quarters of countries will not have fertility rates high enough to sustain population size by 2050.
By 2100, they project that this will be the case in 97% of countries, estimating that the global total fertility rate will drop from 2.23 births per female in her lifetime in 2021 to 1.68 in 2050 and 1.57 in 2100.”
• The United Nations projections state "global fertility is projected to fall from 2.3 children per woman in 2021 to 2.1 in 2050.” This is based on their World Population Prospects report published in 2022.
• Research indicates that sperm production has taken a significant nosedive since the 1900s, putting male fertility and overall health at risk. A meta-analysis conducted by Carlsen et al. in 1992 reported a worldwide decline in sperm counts from 1938 to 1990, based on the semen analyses of nearly 15,000 men from 23 countries.
• More recent studies have reinforced this alarming trend, with a review suggesting that global sperm counts have plummeted by more than 50% over the past 50 years.
• Another study found a staggering 51.6% reduction in average sperm count worldwide between 1973 and 2018, with the decline becoming even steeper after 2000.
Here are the studies linking the decline in infertility to the EMF exposure:
Martin Pall, Ph.D., discovered a previously unknown mechanism of biological harm from microwaves emitted by cellphones and other wireless technologies via voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs) embedded in your cell membranes.
During a 2013 children's health expert panel on cellphone and Wi-Fi exposures, it was noted, "The testicular barrier, that protects sperm, is the most sensitive of tissues in the body … Besides sperm count and function, the mitochondrial DNA of sperm are damaged three times more if exposed to cellphone radiation.”
Writing in Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine, researchers noted that many in vivo and in vitro studies have revealed the EMF exposure can alter reproductive function, including sperm motility, with effects varying according to the frequency, duration of exposure and strength of EMFs.
"Humans in modern society cannot avoid various kinds of EMFs during household and occupational activities, but should be aware of the biological hazard of EMFs. The effort to avoid EMF exposure and techniques to protect or relieve EMF radiation are required to preserve our reproductive potential," they said.
In a separate study, researchers collected sperm samples from 32 men and divided them in half. Both groups were placed in a thermostat for five hours, but one had a cellphone in standby/talk mode placed inside.
Both sperm motility and DNA fragmentation were influenced by the cellphone exposure, with the cellphone group having decreased sperm motility and increased DNA fragmentation.
Besides the semen parameters RF-EMR [radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation] probably could negatively impact on sexual communication, fertility and quality of life by reducing the erectile function. Men with erectile dysfunction (ED) use their cell phones longer those without ED. Men who have ED carry their cell phones switched on much longer than men who do not have ED."
A systematic review and meta-analysis also looked into the impact of low-level electromagnetic radiation (EMR) — the type emitted by cellphones — on sperm quality, both in the lab and among male patients at fertility clinics. The analysis of 10 such studies showed that exposure to EMR from cellphones lowered sperm motility by 8 percent and sperm viability by 9 percent.
Tips for Protecting Your Fertility from Dr. Mercola
Protecting your fertility is complex, but involves leading a healthy lifestyle while minimizing your toxic exposures. Everything from antidepressants and inactivity to your dietary choices can affect your fertility. Diets high in sugar and other carbs lead to men (and women) becoming increasingly overweight, which also leads to decreased sperm counts.
However, it's extremely important to try to reduce your EMF exposure using the following tips:
1. Connect your desktop computer to the internet via a wired connection and be sure to put your desktop in airplane mode. Also avoid wireless keyboards, trackballs, mice, game systems, printers and house phones. Opt for the wired versions.
2. If you must use Wi-Fi, shut it off when not in use, especially at night when you are sleeping. Ideally it is best to work toward hardwiring your house so you can turn off the Wi-Fi at all times. If you have a notebook without any Ethernet ports it is easy to purchase a USB Ethernet adapter that will allow you to connect to the internet without a wireless connection.
3. Shut off the electricity to your bedroom at night. This typically works to reduce electrical fields from the wires in your wall unless there is an adjoining room next to your bedroom. If that is the case you will need to use a meter to determine if you also need to turn off power in the adjacent room.
4. Use a battery-powered clock, ideally one without any light.
5. If you still use a microwave oven, consider replacing it with a steam convection oven, which will heat your food as quickly and far more safely. Next to induction stovetop burners, microwave ovens are likely the largest EMF polluters in your home.
6. Avoid using "smart" appliances and thermostats that depend on wireless signaling. This would include all new "smart" TVs. They are called smart because they emit a Wi-Fi signal, and unlike your computer, you are unable to shut the Wi-Fi signal off. Consider using a large computer monitor as your TV, as they don't emit Wi-Fi.
7. Refuse smart meters as long as you can or add a shield to an existing smart meter, some of which have been shown to reduce radiation by 98-99%.
8. Considering moving your baby's bed into your room instead of using a baby monitor, or use a hard-wired monitor. In any case avoid any baby monitor that is wireless. There are some wired options available.
9. Replace CFL bulbs with incandescent bulbs. Ideally remove all fluorescent lights from your house. Not only do they emit unhealthy light, but more importantly they will actually transfer current to your body just being close to the bulbs.
10. Avoid carrying your cellphone on your body unless it is in airplane mode and never sleep with it in your bedroom unless it is in airplane mode (and especially not under your pillow). Even in airplane mode it can emit signals, which is why I put my phone in a Faraday bag or the Kria pouch.
11. When using your cellphone, use the speaker phone and hold the phone at least 3 feet away from you. Seek to radically decrease your time on the cellphone.
Remember, eliminating the source of radiation should always be the first choice.
