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Symptoms & Sensitivity

Exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields and subjective symptoms: a double-blind study

No Effects Found

Cinel C, Russo R, Boldini A, Fox E · 2008

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This rigorous study of 496 people found no consistent evidence that 40-minute mobile phone exposures cause subjective symptoms.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether 40-minute exposures to mobile phone radiation caused symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or fatigue in 496 volunteers using a double-blind design where neither participants nor researchers knew when real versus fake signals were used. They found no consistent evidence that phone radiation caused subjective symptoms, with only one isolated finding of increased dizziness in one group that wasn't replicated in the other test groups. The study suggests that acute mobile phone exposure doesn't reliably produce the symptoms some people report.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 888 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 888 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 888 MHz mobile phones Duration: continuous for 40 min

Study Details

The objective of this study was to examine whether acute exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (REFs) emitted by mobile phone may affect subjective symptoms

Three large groups of volunteers (total 496) were exposed to REFs emitted by mobile phones in one se...

For one group of participants (N = 160), it was found that dizziness was affected by GSM exposure, b...

We did not find consistent evidence suggesting that exposure to mobile phone REFs affect subjective symptoms. Even though we acknowledge that more research is needed, we believe that our results give an important contribution to the research on mobile phone use and subjective symptoms

Cite This Study
Cinel C, Russo R, Boldini A, Fox E (2008). Exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields and subjective symptoms: a double-blind study Psychosom Med. 70(3):345-348, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2008_exposure_to_mobile_phone_2741,
  author = {Cinel C and Russo R and Boldini A and Fox E},
  title = {Exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields and subjective symptoms: a double-blind study},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Abstract/2008/04000/Exposure_to_Mobile_Phone_Electromagnetic_Fields.11.aspx},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2008 double-blind study of 496 volunteers found no consistent evidence that 40-minute exposures to 888 MHz mobile phone radiation caused symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or fatigue. Only one isolated finding of increased dizziness occurred in one group but wasn't replicated in other test groups.
Research using double-blind testing shows people cannot reliably detect when mobile phone radiation is present. The 2008 Cinel study found no consistent symptom patterns when participants were exposed to real versus fake 888 MHz GSM signals during controlled 40-minute sessions.
The largest double-blind study on acute mobile phone symptoms tested 496 volunteers across three separate groups. Researchers exposed participants to 40 minutes of 888 MHz radiation while neither subjects nor scientists knew when real signals were active, finding no consistent symptom effects.
One group of 160 participants showed increased dizziness from GSM 888 MHz exposure, but this effect wasn't found in the other two test groups in the same study. Researchers concluded the isolated finding doesn't provide consistent evidence of radiation-induced dizziness symptoms.
Double-blind research suggests reported symptoms may not be caused by actual radiation exposure. The 2008 study found no consistent effects when 496 people couldn't tell whether they were receiving real or fake 888 MHz mobile phone signals during testing sessions.