Is your PC killing you?

Posted on 7 May 2009 at 16:33

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Laptop lottery

Male readers who are reading this feature using a laptop may want to reconsider where they're sitting at this point. According to medical experts, actually using one on your lap can lead to reduced sperm count, not to mention temporary or even long-term infertility.

Researchers at State University of New York believe that elevated scrotal temperatures could have a significant effect on fertility, and they have tested what happens when men use laptops on their laps. In tests, testicle temperature increased by around 2.6?C after just one hour of laptop use. Although most heat comes from the laptop, the closed-knee posture also increases the risk, so the usual male posture of sitting legs akimbo is actually healthier. Unfortunately, an increase in scrotal temperature of just one degree can reduce sperm count by as much as 40 per cent.

"Long-term exposure to scrotal hyperthermia (abnormally high body temperature) is a modern lifestyle feature that may have a negative impact on sperm production, specifically in teenage boys and young men," says lead researcher Yefim Sheynkin. In other words, if you do use a laptop, don't use it on your lap - or, at least, place a laptop tray between the machine and your lap.

Creature discomforts

The average desk in the workplace also poses a serious threat to your health. Scientists believe that computer keyboards in workplaces are one of the most biologically hazardous environments on the planet, harbouring all manner of bacteria and viruses. People assume that just because the keyboard and mouse look clean, they must be OK. The truth is that poor hygiene, eating at the desk, and unfettered sneezing and coughing all increase the likelihood of your keyboard being covered in a cocktail of unpleasant substances.

Research by Dr Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, showed that keyboards can carry 3,295 microbes per square inch, compared with 49 per square inch on the average lavatory seat. So if you're a computer user who sometimes forgets to wash your hands after you've been to the toilet, you should consider changing your habits.

Toxic shock

Although computers release most of the toxic material wrapped up in their component parts when they're dismantled, minute traces of hazardous chemicals can leach into the dust that accumulates in and around them.

"Even just breathing contaminated dust can build up to significant levels in the body," says Carys Mitchelmore, an associate professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. "Any dust in the house can contain contaminants and people have found really high rates of exposure. Flame retardants are in everything from bedding to sofas, but computers are a main contributor." Although the intake of toxic substances emitted by computers is minuscule, some substances have no minimum safe level and any amount can have detrimental effects on health. The 'Chemical bothers' box (right) outlines the various chemicals and compounds that could be putting you at risk.

"Everyone who works with computers could be at risk - especially people using air spray canisters for cleaning the insides of computers. They are blowing contaminants into the air and breathing them in," says Mitchelmore.

Internet addiction

While detrimental physical effects of computing can be measured to a certain extent, it's difficult to assess the damage caused through the various compulsive disorders generally referred to as 'internet addiction'. Although clinicians question the validity of internet addiction, increasing numbers of people are finding it harder to tear themselves away from online activities, be it gaming, gambling, porn or even online shopping.