A Chemical Pathologist, Prof. Ganiyu Arinola, has advised men against putting cellphone in their trouser pockets, saying it may cause male infertility. Arinola, who is the Head, Department of Chemical Pathology, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan. 

According to him, public attention has been drawn to the issue of safety of radiations from laptops and putting cellphone in the pockets. “This calls for special focus, considering the fact that infertility has affected certain percentages of couples of reproductive age.

“It is worthy of note that nearly half of these percentages have been linked to male infertility. “Other factors include exposure to certain environmental pollutants, lifestyle, occupation and infections of the urinary genital tract which have been linked to male infertility.

“Putting cellphone in the pockets or hang on a belt is recently proposed to be the cause of infertility, especially in the males,’’ he said. Arinola, who is also a senior lecturer of Immunology at the University of Ibadan, said that studies carried out, using various methodologies, linked cellphones radiation to male infertility.

According to him, opinions differ as to the possible mechanism by which cellphones radiation may produce these changes within the short-time of putting it in the male pockets.

“Radiation from cellphones is said to affect sperm structure, mobility/movement, vitality or being alive for expected length of time. “But, it is known that millions of sperm cells are released during mating and only one sperm is needed to fertilise the female egg.

“The likelihood is that all the sperms may not be damaged at the same time, but within the short-time of putting cell-phones in the pocket.

“Based on the health risks from cellphone radiation, it is advisable that simple precautionary safe method of handling cellphone should be practiced in order to protect health and fertility.

“Men should put their cell phones in the pockets of their shirts or suits, car safe, or hold it by hands, which are not in direct contact with testis sac. “This is a wake-up call to the men of reproductive age,’’ he said.

Arinola also advised that cellphone users should be cautious of the duration of phone possession, frequency of daily use, length of use and where they are kept.

He said: “Human body, such as layers of the skin, bone and tissue offer protection from the direct radiation of cellphone.

“Sperm damage was suggested to be the production of `toxic’ or reactive oxygen species by radiation from cellphones.” Arinola further explained that the reactive oxygen species were particularly harmful to living cells and proteinous substances, which according to him, our body sperm cells and supporting materials are made-up of.

“The production of oxygen species by cellphone radiation raises the possibility that cellphone radiation, as a result of careless placements and long term use, can contribute to sperm damage.

“Based on the health risks from cellphone radiation, it is advisable that simple precautionary safe method of handling cellphone should be practiced in order to protect health and fertility.