Oxidative stress and testicular damage induced by chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz millimeter wave radiation in male Wistar rats

PAPER manual Andrology 2025 Randomized trial Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1111/andr.70107 Evidence Lab

Abstract

Category: Reproductive Toxicology Tags: millimeter waves, 5G, oxidative stress, testicular damage, DNA damage, male fertility, EMF health risk DOI: 10.1111/andr.70107 URL: onlinelibrary.wiley.com Overview The widespread adoption of millimeter waves (MMW), especially with the rollout of 5G technology, has raised concerns regarding their health impacts. This study investigates the effects of chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz millimeter wave radiation on reproductive health in male Wistar rats. Methods - Randomized controlled design with three groups: control, sham-exposed, and exposed (n=6 each). - Exposure: 2 hours/day of 35.5 GHz radiation for 60 days. - Parameters assessed included sperm count, morphology, viability, mitochondrial activity, oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, total sulfhydryl, antioxidant capacity), and DNA damage through comet assay. Findings - Significant reduction in sperm viability and count in the exposed group. - Histopathological alterations in testicular tissue morphology. - Marked increase in lipid peroxidation; significant decrease in SOD, total sulfhydryl, and antioxidant capacity. - Comet assay showed a significant increase in DNA damage in the exposed group, indicating genotoxicity. Discussion The results reveal that chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz millimeter wave radiation can induce oxidative stress and cause structural and genetic damage to testicular tissue, suggesting a direct connection between EMF exposure and adverse reproductive outcomes. Conclusion - Chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz frequency may negatively impact male reproductive function through oxidative stress mechanisms. - EMF exposure presents a significant health risk to biological systems, particularly male fertility, underscoring the need for further safety research in this area.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Randomized trial

Effect direction

harm

Population

Male Wistar rats

Sample size

Exposure

mmWave · 35500 MHz · 2 hours/day for 60 days

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a randomized controlled design (control, sham, exposed; n=6/group), chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz millimeter-wave radiation for 2 hours/day over 60 days was associated with reduced sperm viability and sperm count, histopathological alterations in testicular tissue, increased lipid peroxidation with decreased antioxidant/oxidative defense markers (SOD, total sulfhydryl, antioxidant capacity), and increased DNA damage on comet assay in exposed rats.

Outcomes measured

Sperm count
Sperm morphology
Sperm viability
Mitochondrial activity
Oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, total sulfhydryl, antioxidant capacity)
Testicular histopathology
DNA damage (comet assay)

Limitations

Small group sizes (n=6 per group)

Suggested hubs

5g-policy (0.55)
Study explicitly frames 35.5 GHz millimeter waves in the context of 5G rollout and health impacts.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "randomized_trial",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "mmWave",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": 35500,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "2 hours/day for 60 days"
    },
    "population": "Male Wistar rats",
    "sample_size": 18,
    "outcomes": [
        "Sperm count",
        "Sperm morphology",
        "Sperm viability",
        "Mitochondrial activity",
        "Oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, total sulfhydryl, antioxidant capacity)",
        "Testicular histopathology",
        "DNA damage (comet assay)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In a randomized controlled design (control, sham, exposed; n=6/group), chronic exposure to 35.5 GHz millimeter-wave radiation for 2 hours/day over 60 days was associated with reduced sperm viability and sperm count, histopathological alterations in testicular tissue, increased lipid peroxidation with decreased antioxidant/oxidative defense markers (SOD, total sulfhydryl, antioxidant capacity), and increased DNA damage on comet assay in exposed rats.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Small group sizes (n=6 per group)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "millimeter waves",
        "mmWave",
        "35.5 GHz",
        "5G",
        "oxidative stress",
        "testicular damage",
        "DNA damage",
        "genotoxicity",
        "male fertility",
        "Wistar rats",
        "reproductive toxicology"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "5g-policy",
            "weight": 0.5500000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125,
            "reason": "Study explicitly frames 35.5 GHz millimeter waves in the context of 5G rollout and health impacts."
        }
    ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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