Oxidative stress and energy metabolism in male reproductive damage from single and combined high-power microwave exposure at 1.5 and 4.3GHz

Abstract

Overview

Recent interests in the medical community revolve around the impact of multi-frequency electromagnetic environments on male reproductive health. While prior studies focused on single-frequency microwave impacts, this research expands into comparative analysis of combined high-power microwave exposures.

Methodology

The study utilized male Wistar rats subjected to both 1.5 GHz (L-band) and 4.3 GHz (C-band) electromagnetic radiation for 15 minutes across various groups: a control with no exposure, groups exposed separately to L-band and C-band, and a group with combined exposure.

Findings

• Individual 1.5 GHz and 4.3 GHz microwave exposures were found to damage testicular tissues and reduce sperm quality.
• Exposures led to histological and ultrastructural changes, reduced sperm viability and motility, and altered serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and inhibin-B with partial recovery by day 14 post-exposure.
• Both forms of exposure resulted in changes in adenosine triphosphate content, and activities of lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase in testicular tissues, aligning with oxidative stress indicators like decreased superoxide dismutase activity and increased malondialdehyde content.

Conclusion

Results indicate that both single and combined exposures to microwave radiation result in comparable levels of reproductive damage, underlining oxidative stress and energy metabolism disturbances as central mechanisms.