Oxidative stress-mediated skin damage in an experimental mobile phone model can be prevented by melatonin.
Ayata A, Mollaoglu H, Yilmaz HR, Akturk O, Ozguner F, Altuntas I. · 2004
View Original AbstractMobile phone radiation caused skin damage and scarring in rats, but melatonin supplementation prevented most of the harmful effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to 900 MHz mobile phone radiation for 30 minutes daily over 10 days and found significant skin damage, including increased fibrosis (tissue scarring) and oxidative stress markers. When rats were pre-treated with melatonin, a natural antioxidant hormone, most of the radiation-induced skin damage was prevented. This suggests that mobile phone radiation can harm skin tissue through oxidative stress, but protective measures may help reduce this damage.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to our understanding of how mobile phone radiation affects our largest organ - the skin. The 900 MHz frequency used matches older 2G mobile networks, and the 2-watt exposure level is actually higher than typical phone emissions during calls (which range from 0.6 to 2 watts). What makes this research particularly significant is that it demonstrates both the biological mechanism behind EMF skin damage (oxidative stress and fibrosis) and shows that protective interventions can work. The fact that melatonin prevented most of the radiation-induced damage suggests that the body's natural antioxidant systems play a crucial role in defending against EMF effects. While this was an animal study, it builds on a growing body of evidence showing that EMF exposure can cause measurable biological changes in skin tissue through oxidative pathways.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 10 days (30 min/day)
Study Details
The effects of 900 MHz of radiation on fibrosis, lipid peroxidation, and anti-oxidant enzymes and the ameliorating effects of melatonin (Mel) were evaluated in rat skin.
Thirty Wistar-Albino rats were used in the study. The experimental groups were the control group, th...
MDA and hydroxyproline levels and activities of CAT and GSH-Px were increased significantly in the I...
These results suggest that rats irradiated with 900 MHz suffer from increased fibrosis and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Mel treatment can reduce the fibrosis and LPO caused by radiation.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2004_oxidative_stressmediated_skin_damage_1856,
author = {Ayata A and Mollaoglu H and Yilmaz HR and Akturk O and Ozguner F and Altuntas I.},
title = {Oxidative stress-mediated skin damage in an experimental mobile phone model can be prevented by melatonin.},
year = {2004},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15729859/},
}