The Healthy Way

Monday, January 18, 2010

Maintaining a Healthy Pair Down There

Q: Dear Elena: I am a 41-year-old male and I do not have any children yet. I have read that cell phones and other devices can reduce sperm counts or harm the testes. Is this true? How can I maintain a healthy pair down there?

A: It has been recently reported that keeping a cell phone on talk mode in a pocket can decrease sperm quality and could cause harmful effects due to the exposure to the gonads. Researchers have found an increase in free radicals and oxidants and a decrease in antioxidants among a test group of men who kept their phones on talk mode in their pocket for 1 hour. This equals a decrease in sperms quality, including motility and viability.

Another study concluded that men who used their cell phones more than four hours a day had significantly lower sperm quality than those who used their cell phones for less time. The findings suggest millions of men may encounter difficulties in fathering a child due to the widespread use of mobile phones and offers another possible explanation for plummeting fertility levels among males.

Sperm counts among Canadian men have fallen by 29 per cent over the past decade, a drop which has also been blamed on increasing obesity, smoking, stress, pollution and 'gender-bending' chemicals which disrupt the hormone system.

To counteract effects of modern day stressors on our general health including reproductive health for both men and women I put my patients on a basic health program.  First, I inform them not to keep their cell phones in their pant pocket while talking using an earpiece.

I help them to do a tissue detoxification to get rid of heavy metal toxicity. They take anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C, E and Selenium and berry extracts such as those of Chokeberry, Acai, Pomegranate are also important elements in the program.

Testicular health is no different then general health. Good diet and exercise is imperative.

All The Healthy Way articles:

Dr. Elena Krasnov is a registered Naturopathic Doctor and Clinic Director of the Toronto Naturopathic Clinic. Submit your questions online here