17-β-estradiol counteracts the effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields on trophoblastic connexins and integrins.
Cervellati F et al. · 2013
At a Glance
Of the 412 peer-reviewed studies in this collection on radiofrequency exposure, 298 — 72.3% — reported biological effects. Millimeter waves are represented, but as cell-culture work at 60 GHz rather than at the 24–47 GHz bands high-band 5G deploys on, and not in people — so the distinctive part of 5G is studied at one remove rather than directly. Lower-band 5G uses frequencies already covered by decades of research, where effects are documented but dose matters: one careful study found no DNA damage in human cells until average absorption reached at least 5.0 W/kg.
Based on analysis of 415 peer-reviewed studies
5G technology has generated significant public concern about health effects. The topic has also attracted misinformation, making it difficult for people to understand what scientific research actually shows about 5G safety.
5G operates across different frequency bands—some similar to existing 4G networks, others using higher frequencies (millimeter waves) that are relatively new for widespread consumer exposure. This page focuses on what peer-reviewed research says about radiofrequency radiation at 5G frequencies.
We present the scientific evidence objectively, including both studies that raise concerns and those that find no effects, so you can make informed judgments based on actual research.
Key Findings
- -298 of 412 studies (72.3%) in this collection found biological effects from radiofrequency exposure
- -Millimeter-wave research here is laboratory work at 60 GHz — exposure changed keratinocyte gene expression only when it raised temperature, leaving a small residual effect the heat control did not reproduce (Habauzit 2014); nothing covers the 24–47 GHz bands 5G deploys on, and nothing is in people
- -Dose determines the result — exposure of human lymphocytes for 3 or 24 hours produced no significant DNA damage, while 24-hour exposure at an average absorption of at least 5.0 W/kg did induce chromosomal damage (Tice 2002)
- -DNA strand breaks in rat brain cells rose with dose rate across 0.6 and 1.2 W/kg after two hours of 2450 MHz exposure (Lai and Singh 1995)
- -The mechanism appears to be free radicals — melatonin and a spin-trap compound, both free radical scavengers, blocked radiofrequency-induced DNA strand breaks (Lai and Singh 1997)
What the Research Shows
What 5G Actually Is, for Research Purposes
5G is not one thing. Low-band and mid-band 5G operate at frequencies overlapping what 4G, WiFi and cordless phones have used for years, and those frequencies carry decades of study. High-band 5G uses millimeter waves, which is genuinely new for consumer deployment. Of the 412 peer-reviewed studies indexed here on radiofrequency exposure, of which 298 (72.3%) reported biological effects, millimeter waves are represented — but the work sits at 60 GHz, above the 24–47 GHz range high-band 5G actually deploys on, and it is done in cell cultures rather than people.
Habauzit and colleagues (2014) exposed human keratinocytes to 60 GHz and found 665 genes differentially expressed. When the temperature rise was held constant, that change disappeared. A heat-shock control did not reproduce the exposure exactly, leaving 34 genes that suggest a small specific electromagnetic effect on top of the heating. Le Quément and colleagues (2014) exposed the same cell type at 20 mW/cm² and found no change in endoplasmic-reticulum stress markers at baseline; where exposure did alter the stress response, the controls tied it to heat.
That is the shape of the millimeter-wave evidence here: mostly thermal, with a small residual effect, in cells. For the part of 5G that resembles existing technology, there is direct evidence. For the part that is new, there is adjacent evidence at the wrong frequency and the wrong scale.
What the Existing Research Found, and at What Dose
Tice and colleagues (2002) exposed cultured human blood cells to four different cellular signal technologies at 837 and 1909 MHz, including analog, TDMA, CDMA and GSM formats. Exposure for 3 or 24 hours did not produce a significant increase in DNA damage in leukocytes, and 3 hours did not increase micronucleated lymphocytes. Extended exposure at an average specific absorption rate of at least 5.0 W/kg did induce chromosomal damage. The conclusion is specific: these signals can damage chromosomes under extended exposure at that dose.
Lai and Singh (1995) exposed rats for two hours to 2450 MHz and found a dose-rate-dependent increase in DNA single-strand breaks in brain cells at whole-body absorption rates of 0.6 and 1.2 W/kg. Notably, immediately after pulsed exposure no significant effect appeared — the effect emerged with continuous-wave exposure and at four hours after pulsed exposure. Their 1996 follow-up found both single- and double-strand breaks at 1.2 W/kg.
The Mechanism
Lai and Singh (1997) tested whether free radicals explain the damage by treating rats with melatonin or the spin-trap compound PBN before and after exposure. Both blocked the DNA strand breaks. Since both are efficient free radical scavengers, the result points at oxidative stress as the pathway rather than heating.
Leszczynski and colleagues (2002) showed a separate non-thermal response: one hour of mobile phone exposure changed the phosphorylation status of numerous proteins in human endothelial cells, including heat shock protein-27, at intensities that did not heat the cells.
Putting Dose in Context
The exposures producing these effects — 0.6 to 5.0 W/kg — are far above what a person absorbs from a distant 5G antenna, and in the range of a phone held against the head. Ambient exposure from network infrastructure is typically thousands of times lower than the levels in these experiments. A guide that reports the effects without the doses leaves out the part that determines whether they apply to you.
What the Evidence Does Not Show
No study here demonstrates harm from 5G. The millimeter-wave work in this collection is cell-culture research at 60 GHz, not at 5G's own bands and not in people, which means claims that high-band 5G is dangerous and claims that it is proven safe are both running ahead of the evidence. The lower-band research shows real non-thermal biological effects, at doses generally above ambient network exposure and comparable to handset use.
Reducing Exposure If You Choose To
The dominant source for almost everyone is their own handset, not the network. Speaker mode or wired headphones remove most head exposure. Texting over calling reduces transmit time. Keeping the phone out of the bedroom overnight removes hours of close proximity. Using WiFi rather than cellular in weak-signal areas matters because a phone reaching for a distant tower transmits at higher power — which is also why more, closer antennas can lower handset output rather than raise total exposure.
Related Studies (415)
Effects of olive leave extract on metabolic disorders and oxidative stress induced by 2.45 GHz WIFI signals.
Salah MB, Abdelmelek H, Abderraba M. · 2013
Researchers exposed rats to 2.45 GHz RF for 1 hour daily over 21 consecutive days, which induced a diabetes-like status. RF exposure decreased glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and thiol group activities in liver and kidneys, while increasing malondialdehyde concentration in both organs. Olive leaf extract at 100 mg/kg prevented glucose metabolism disruption, restored antioxidant enzyme activities and thiol groups in liver and kidneys, and reduced elevated malondialdehyde in liver but not in kidneys.
Effects of Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to GSM-Like Radiofrequency on Blood Chemistry and Oxidative Stress in Infant Rabbits, an Experimental Study.
Ozgur E et al. · 2013
The prophylactic effect of vitamin C on induced oxidative stress in rat testis following exposure to 900 MHz radio frequency wave generated by a BTS antenna model.
Jelodar G, Nazifi S, Akbari A. · 2013
Researchers exposed adult male Sprague–Dawley rats to 900 MHz radiofrequency waves for 45 days. RFW exposure decreased antioxidant enzyme activity and increased malondialdehyde levels in testis tissue. Vitamin C improved antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced malondialdehyde compared with RFW-only rats.
The prophylactic effect of vitamin C on oxidative stress indexes in rat eyes following exposure to radiofrequency wave generated by a BTS antenna model.
Jelodar G, Akbari A, Nazifi S. · 2013
Researchers exposed adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to 900 MHz radiofrequency waves daily for 45 days and measured antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde in eye tissue. Radiofrequency wave exposure decreased glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity and increased malondialdehyde compared with controls. Vitamin C supplementation at 200 mg/kg per day improved antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced malondialdehyde compared with the test group.
p25/CDK5 is partially involved in neuronal injury induced by radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure
Zhang Y, She F, Li L, Chen C, Xu S, Luo X, Li M, He M, Yu Z. · 2013
Researchers exposed primary cultured cortical neurons from newborn Sprague-Dawley rats to pulsed 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields for 10 minutes. Exposure significantly decreased cellular viability and increased apoptotic nuclei, CDK5 activity, the p25 to p35 ratio, and tau phosphorylation at Ser404. CDK5 expression did not change significantly after exposure. A CDK5 inhibitor blocked the exposure-induced decrease in cellular viability and tau hyperphosphorylation but did not significantly block apoptosis.
Studying the protein expression in human B lymphoblastoid cells exposed to 1.8-GHz (GSM) radiofrequency radiation (RFR) with protein microarray.
Zhijian C et al. · 2013
The study used protein microarray to examine protein expression in human B lymphoblastoid cells intermittently exposed to 1.8-GHz GSM radiofrequency radiation at a specific absorption rate of 2.0 W/kg for 24 hours. The analysis identified 27 differentially expressed proteins associated with DNA damage repair, apoptosis, oncogenesis, cell cycle, and proliferation, with a fold change greater than 1.5 and P<0.05. Western blot validation confirmed that RPA32 expression was significantly down-regulated and p73 expression was significantly up-regulated in the exposed group (P<0.05).
Cell Type-Dependent Induction of DNA Damage by 1800 MHz Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Does Not Result in Significant Cellular Dysfunctions.
Xu S et al. · 2013
Superposition of an incoherent magnetic field inhibited EGF receptor clustering and phosphorylation induced by a 1.8 GHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation.
Sun W, Shen X, Lu D, Lu D, Chiang H · 2013
The radiofrequency radiation induced EGF receptor clustering and enhanced phosphorylation on tyrosine-1173 at the higher absorption rates but not at 0.1 W/kg. A 2 μT incoherent magnetic field alone did not significantly affect receptor clustering or phosphorylation. When applied together, the incoherent magnetic field completely inhibited the radiofrequency radiation effects at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 W/kg but not at 4.0 W/kg.
Induction of adaptive response in mice exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency fields: Application of micronucleus assay
Jiang B, Zong C, Zhao H, Ji Y, Tong J, Cao Y · 2013
Adult male ICR mice were pre-exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency fields for 4 hours per day for 7 days, then given an acute whole-body dose of 3 Gy gamma radiation. The micronucleus assay was used to measure genotoxicity in immature erythrocytes in peripheral blood and bone marrow. Mice exposed to the radiofrequency fields alone showed micronucleus indices similar to unexposed controls, while mice given gamma radiation alone showed a significantly increased micronucleus frequency. Mice pre-exposed to the radiofrequency fields before gamma radiation showed a significant decrease in micronucleus indices compared to those given gamma radiation alone.
Exposure of tumor-bearing mice to extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation modifies the composition of fatty acids in thymocytes and tumor tissue.
Gapeyev AB, Kulagina TP, Aripovsky AV. · 2013
Researchers studied how extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) affected fatty acid composition in the thymus, liver, blood plasma, muscle tissue, and tumor tissue of mice carrying Ehrlich solid carcinoma. Mice were exposed to EHF EMR at 42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, for 20 minutes daily over five consecutive days starting the day after tumor cells were introduced. In tumor-bearing mice, EHF EMR exposure led to recovery of fatty acid composition in thymocytes to the state typical for normal animals, and in tumor tissue it significantly decreased monounsaturated fatty acids and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Evaluation of the cytogenotoxic damage in immature and mature rats exposed to 900 MHz radio frequency electromagnetic fields.
Atlı Şekeroğlu Z, Akar A, Sekeroğlu V. · 2013
Researchers investigated the cytogenotoxic effects of 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on bone marrow cells of immature and mature rats. Rats in the treatment groups were exposed to RF-EMF for 2 hours per day for 45 days. Significant differences were observed in chromosome aberrations, micronucleus frequency, mitotic index, and ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes in all treatment and recovery groups. A 15-day recovery period after exposure did not reduce the damage to the same extent as the corresponding control groups.
Oxidative and genotoxic effects of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields in the earthworm Eisenia fetida.
Tkalec M, Stambuk A, Srut M, Malarić K, Klobučar GI. · 2013
Researchers exposed earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in vivo to 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at field levels of 10, 23, 41 and 120 V m(-1) for 2 hours using a Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic (GTEM) cell. All exposure treatments induced significant genotoxic effects in earthworm coelomocytes, as detected by the Comet assay. The results also indicated enhanced catalase and glutathione reductase activity, as well as lipid and protein oxidative damage. Antioxidant responses and the potential for damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA differed depending on field level, field modulation, and duration of exposure.
Exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation induces oxidative DNA base damage in a mouse spermatocyte-derived cell line.
Liu C, Duan W, Xu S, Chen C, He M, Zhang L, Yu Z, Zhou Z. · 2013
Researchers exposed a mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2 cell line to 1800 MHz GSM signals for 24 hours using an intermittent schedule of 5 minutes on and 10 minutes off, at SAR levels of 1 W/kg, 2 W/kg, or 4 W/kg. At a SAR of 4 W/kg, DNA migration in a modified comet assay was significantly increased, and levels of the DNA adduct 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) were also increased. No detectable DNA strand breakage was observed by the alkaline comet assay. The increases in DNA damage were accompanied by increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS), and these effects were mitigated by co-treatment with the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol.
Overproduction of free radical species in embryonal cells exposed to low intensity radiofrequency radiation
Burlaka A et al. · 2013
Researchers exposed Japanese quail embryos in ovo to GSM 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation at 0.25 µW/cm2 for 158 to 360 hours on a discontinuous schedule. The exposure produced a significant persistent overproduction of superoxide and nitrogen oxide in embryo cells throughout the analysis period. Exposed embryo cells also showed significantly increased levels of TBARS and 8-oxo-dG alongside significantly decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities.
Effect of 900 MHz radıofrequency radıatıon on oxıdatıve stress in rat brain and serum
Bilgici B, Akar A, Avci B, Tuncel OK · 2013
Researchers exposed rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field at a whole body average specific absorption rate of 1.08 W/kg for 1 hour per day for 3 weeks. Malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein product levels increased in rat brain tissue after electromagnetic field exposure. Nitric oxide levels in the brain showed no significant difference, but serum nitric oxide increased significantly after exposure, and garlic did not reduce that increase. The researchers also tested orally administered garlic powder at 500 mg/kg/day and found it had a protective effect against the oxidative stress seen in brain tissue.
Immunohistopathologic demonstration of deleterious effects on growing rat testes of radiofrequency waves emitted from conventional Wi-Fi devices
Atasoy HI, Gunal MY, Atasoy P, Elgun S, Bugdayci G · 2013
Researchers exposed male rats to radiofrequency radiation from Wi-Fi devices operating at 2.437 GHz for 24 hours a day for 20 weeks, then examined their testes. The exposed rats showed significant increases in markers indicating DNA damage in the testes compared to controls. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity were decreased in the exposed group, which the researchers suggested may have been due to radiofrequency effects on enzyme activity. The researchers said these findings raise questions about the safety of radiofrequency exposure from Wi-Fi Internet access devices for growing organisms of reproductive age, with a potential effect on both fertility and the integrity of germ cells.
DNA & Genetic DamageNo Effects Found
Effect of mobile phones on micronucleus frequency in human exfoliated oral mucosal cells.
Ros-Llor I et al. · 2012
Researchers conducted a cohort study of 50 Caucasian mobile phone users, collecting two cheek mucosa cell samples from each participant. No statistically significant changes were recorded for age, gender, body mass index, or smoking status, and comparisons by phone side and exposure duration showed no significant differences. The authors reported no genotoxic effects from RF exposure for any study parameter.
Oxidative StressNo Effects Found
Biological indicators in response to radiofrequency/microwave exposure
Marjanović AM, Pavičić I, Trošić I · 2012
Radiation from man-made sources has exceeded natural radiation due to rapid technological progress. There is general concern about appliances using radiofrequency and microwave radiation, especially mobile communication systems. The authors identify reactive oxygen species generation as a plausible mechanism for radiofrequency and microwave radiation effects. Excessive reactive oxygen species production can overload antioxidant defenses and lead to cellular damage with potential for disease development. Further research is needed to understand the exact mechanism and consequences.
Immune SystemNo Effects Found
Prenatal exposure to radiofrequencies: Effects of WiFi signals on thymocyte development and peripheral T cell compartment in an animal model.
Laudisi F et al. · 2012
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to WiFi signals at 2450 MHz with a specific absorption rate of 4 W/kg for two hours daily during gestation. Thymocyte count, phenotype, and proliferation were unchanged in exposed offspring. These null effects were consistent in both sexes at 5 and 26 weeks of age.
DNA & Genetic DamageNo Effects Found
Study of p53 expression and post-transcriptional modifications after GSM-900 radiofrequency exposure of human amniotic cells.
Bourthoumieu S et al. · 2012
Researchers exposed human amniotic cells to GSM-900 radiofrequency fields for 24 hours at SARs of 0.25, 1, 2, and 4 W/kg. They measured p53 protein expression and phosphorylation at serine 15 and 37 using Western blot after three independent exposures from three donors. No significant changes in p53 expression or activation were found at any of the tested SARs up to 4 W/kg in human embryonic cells. Bleomycin-exposed cells served as a positive control.
Reproductive HealthNo Effects Found
The influence of 1800 MHz GSM-like signals on blood chemistry and oxidative stress in non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits.
Kismali G, Ozgur E, Guler G, Akcay A, Sel T, Seyhan N. · 2012
Researchers exposed 13-month-old New Zealand White rabbits to whole-body 1800 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency radiation for 15 minutes per day for seven days. The study used four groups: non-pregnant controls, non-pregnant exposed, pregnant controls, and pregnant exposed. Lipid peroxidation measured as malondialdehyde levels did not change after exposure. Several blood chemistry parameters including cholesterol, total protein, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, creatine kinase, and CK-MB changed due to both pregnancy and RFR exposure. No indication of oxidative stress was detected in pregnant rabbits, though CK-MB and CK increases were described as remarkable.
Oxidative StressNo Effects Found
Effects of 837 and 1950 MHz radiofrequency radiation exposure alone or combined on oxidative stress in MCF10A cells.
Hong MN et al. · 2012
Researchers exposed human MCF10A mammary epithelial cells to single frequencies of 837 MHz or 1950 MHz, or both frequencies together, at a SAR of 4 W/kg for 2 hours while maintaining isothermal temperature. They measured intracellular ROS, SOD enzyme activity, and GSH/GSSG ratio and found no statistically significant alterations from either single or multiple RF radiation exposures. Ionizing radiation used as a positive control showed evident changes in all measured endpoints. The results indicate that single or multiple RF radiation exposure did not elicit oxidative stress in MCF10A cells under these conditions.
Microwave electromagnetic field regulates gene expression in T-lymphoblastoid leukemia CCRF-CEM cell line exposed to 900 MHz.
Trivino Pardo JC, Grimaldi S, Taranta M, Naldi I, Cinti C. · 2012
Researchers cultured acute T-lymphoblastoid leukemia cells (CCRF-CEM) and exposed them to 900 MHz microwave EMF from a TEM cell at short and long exposure times. They evaluated the effect of high-frequency EMF on gene expression and identified functional pathways influenced by the exposure.
Differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells is induced by high-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields.
Teven CM et al. · 2012
What This Means for You
- Minimize the time your phone is directly against your body.
- Use speakerphone or air tube headphones for calls to keep the phone away from your head.
- When not in use, keep your phone at a distance rather than in your pocket.
- Consider a phone shield to deflect radiation away from your body. SYB Phone Shield
Further Reading:
Reduce Your Exposure:
Reduce your 5G exposure with shielding that deflects up to 99% of EMFFrequently Asked Questions
No study in this collection demonstrates harm from 5G. The frequencies 5G shares with 4G are well studied and show real non-thermal effects — DNA strand breaks in rat brain cells at 0.6 to 1.2 W/kg (Lai and Singh 1995), chromosomal damage in human cells under extended exposure at 5.0 W/kg or above (Tice 2002) — at doses generally well above ambient exposure from network infrastructure. The millimeter-wave research here is cell-culture work at 60 GHz, above the 24–47 GHz bands high-band 5G deploys on, and none of it is in people.
Partly. Low-band and mid-band 5G use frequency ranges already shared with 4G and WiFi, which carry decades of research. High-band 5G uses millimeter waves, which penetrate tissue less deeply. Millimeter-wave health research does exist here, but at 60 GHz in cell cultures rather than at the bands 5G deploys on or in people (Habauzit 2014, Le Quément 2014). Treating 5G as one uniform thing is what makes both the alarm and the reassurance imprecise.
For nearly everyone, the handset dominates. A phone held to the head delivers absorption in the range where experimental effects have been observed; a distant antenna delivers a small fraction of that. This is also why denser networks can reduce personal exposure — a phone with a strong signal transmits at lower power than one straining to reach a far-off tower.
Target the handset, since that is the dominant source. Use speaker mode or wired headphones for calls, text rather than call where it makes no difference, keep the phone out of the bedroom overnight, and prefer WiFi over cellular where the cellular signal is weak. These steps address absorbed dose directly and cost nothing.
Further Reading
For a comprehensive exploration of EMF health effects and practical protection strategies, explore these books by R Blank and Dr. Martin Blank.
