Electromagnetic radiation and oxidative stress in the male germ line

Abstract

The beneficial impacts of mobile-based communications on society are considerable. Health concerns over the broadcast of radio frequency electromagnetic waves, which carry the information for this medium, are now gaining momentum but are not without its controversies. Studies in the past that aim to determine whether concerns are warranted are sometimes lacking in impact because of poor understanding of radiation science. Nevertheless, the studies completed to date are important in developing the field toward the goal of confirming or disproving claims that radio frequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) is a serious health issue. We focus on what has been achieved to date, toward determining the effects of RF-EMR on the male reproductive system and information presented which may underpin the potential mechanisms at play. We suggest that oxidative stress may have a key role in the detrimental effects observed in the human spermatozoon and that this cell type may be a unique model to determine the potential mechanism of action given its sensitivities to such stressors.