[01] Azab Elsayed Azab, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabratha University, Sabratha, Libya. [02] Abdurazag Mohamed Khalat, Faculty of Engineering, Sabratha University, Sabratha, Libya. [03] Shaban Ali Ebrahim, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Alejelat, Zawia University, Alejelat, Libya. [04] Mohamed Omer Albasha, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alejelat, Zawia University, Alejelat, Libya.

The progress of science will provide the world with new electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitting technologies and subsequently with new problems. Cell phones have become a vital part of everyday life. It creates an EMF around them when in use, thus increasing the electromagnetic contamination. Male individuals generally carry their cell phones in their pockets close to their testes in standby mode increases the importance of study the effects of EMF on the male reproductive system. This review aimed to highlight the effects of exposure to EMFs on the male reproductive system in humans and experimental animals. Telecommunications technology has advanced rapidly and explosively in recent years. Exposure to EMFs has shown that serious patho-physiological changes on the male reproductive system. It induced decreases in serum levels of testosterone, sperm count, motility, morphometric abnormalities, and significant increases in serum luteinizing hormone level, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage in sperm cells. Histologically, EMFs caused degeneration in the seminiferous tubules, spermatogonia apoptosis, decreases in the height of the germinal epithelium, and the number of Leydig cells. Also, exposure to EMFs induced a significant increase in catalase, and a significant decreases in glutathione peroxidase, histone kinase, and superoxide dismutase. It can be concluded that exposure of human and experimental animals to EMFs have been a negative effect on the male reproductive system by causing histopathological changes and disturbances in the functions of the male reproductive system. The main cause of infertility in man is oxidative stress. The potential male reproductive health effects of EMF should be continually reassessed as new research results become available. Additional studies might increase our understanding of the sensitivity of male reproductive to EMF.

EMF, Male Reproductive System, Pathophysiological Changes, Testis Histopathology, Oxidative Stress

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