Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis responses of the male rats to short and long time alternative magnetic fields (50 Hz) exposure

BACKGROUND: Electromagnetic fields are associated with production, transmission and use of electricity. In this study we have investigated the effects of short and long time alternative magnetic fields’ (AMF, 50 Hz) exposure on the secretion of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in the male rats. METHODS: Forty eight Wistar male rats, same range of age and weight were divided into four groups and each group contained 12 rats. After one-week adaptation each group were exposed to AMF (0, 25, 50 and 100 μT respectively) for 17 days, 5 hours a day. In the second protocol the time of exposure extended to 34 days. After experiments rats’ blood serums were removed from their blood samples and kept frozen for usage. The results were analyzed by one way-ANOVA statistical method (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Chronic exposures (5h/day for 34 days) to AMFs had no effect on serum's testosterone and LH. But, AMF at 100 μT induced an increase of serum's FSH level in comparison with 25 μT, 50 μT and control groups. In contrast, sub-chronic AMFs (5 h/day for 17 days) induced a decrease of serum's testosterone in control group in comparison with 25, 50 and 100 μT groups. But these AMFs had no effect on serum's LH and FSH levels. CONCLUSIONS: Increased level of FSH suggests damage to the seminiferous tubules. Our results suggest that AMFs probably causes dysfunction in gonadal axis at the hypothalamic-pituitary level in male rats in different protocols.