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Maarten van Meeuwen

The Impact of Laptops on Male Fertility: Unveiling the Connection

Updated: Nov 16, 2023


a man using his laptop

With the rise of technology, our lives have changed drastically. For better or worse, we're now living in a world where laptops, cell phones, and other devices are as essential as our wallets when we leave the house. While these modern gadgets bring convenience, they also come with their fair share of concerns, notably their potential impact on our health. One concern is their possible effect on men's fertility, a topic we at Zijn Health are always studying (given our focus on male fertility) and today, we are diving deep into this issue.


Devices and Your Swimmers: What's The Connection?

When we talk about laptops and male fertility, what mainly comes to mind is heat. Keeping a laptop on your lap (or a phone in your trouser pocket) for extended periods may affect sperm quality due to the scrotum's heat sensitivity. Devices like laptops and cell phones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR), for example WiFi. This type of radiation might have thermal effects and heat up the scrotum. As we know, that's bad for sperm.

Research has suggested that these electromagnetic waves could potentially impair male fertility (Kim, 2023), but it is not known whether EMWs themselves cause damage or whether the damage is because of the thermal effects of radiation.


Laptops and Male Fertility: An Observational Study

A recent observational study (Chu, 2023) specifically relevant to fertility looked at the impact of EMWs on semen samples - the seminal verdict was not encouraging. The study found that samples exposed to smartphones with WiFi connectivity had a significant decrease in sperm motility (their ability to move) and viability. Exposure to 4G and 5G radiation did not seem to have an effect on sperm. They also found that increasing the distance between the smartphone and the sperm sample and using a case lessened the effects.


Other studies looked at the effects of the use of devices that emit RF-EMF in vivo (that means not in a sample but in real life) (Kim, 2021). They found a relatively strong effect of exposure to smartphones relative to no exposure on sperm health. Interestingly, they found no significant effect for the difference between more exposure versus less exposure. This suggests that keeping your phone on you (or your laptop) is bad for your sperm regardless of how long you keep your device on you.


Basically, your little swimmers might be getting sluggish and their genetic material could be taking a hit - two factors that don't play well with optimal male fertility.


electronical gadgets

So, What Should You Do?

For men with concerns about fertility, it might be worth considering some changes in digital habits. We are not suggesting that you ditch your laptop entirely but being mindful of your usage might be a practical step. Placing your laptop on a desk more often instead of on your lap, or limiting time spent with your laptop on your lap could be a move in the right direction. While there’s no doubt that more rigorous scientific research is needed to fully establish and understand this link, protecting your fertility in light of these early observations can’t do any harm.


Zijn Health Can Help

At Zijn Health, we understand that the path to parenthood can seem fraught with complications and challenges, and sorting through all the advice out there can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve designed our mobile app as your go-to resource for understanding and enhancing male fertility. Combining advanced technology with the latest research findings, the Zijn Health app offers personalized, scientifically-backed lifestyle guidance to boost your fertility health, covering everything from nutrition to exercise, stress management to sleep quality. No need to navigate the fertility journey alone – download the Zijn Health app today and take a proactive step towards becoming a father! In a digital world where our devices may challenge male fertility, let's use that same technology to protect it, optimize it, and realize our dreams of parenthood. One download, one day at a time.


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References

Chu, Kevin Y., et al. "Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study." European urology focus 9.1 (2023): 69-74.


Kim, Sungjoon, et al. "Effects of mobile phone usage on sperm quality–No time-dependent relationship on usage: A systematic review and updated meta-analysis." Environmental Research 202 (2021): 111784.


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