Mobile phone signal exposure triggers a hormesis-like effect in Atm+/+ and Atm-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts.
Sun C, Wei X, Fei Y, Su L, Zhao X, Chen G, Xu Z. · 2016
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation initially damages DNA but triggers repair mechanisms that leave cells stronger than before, a never-before-seen hormesis effect.
Plain English Summary
Scientists exposed mouse cells to cell phone radiation and discovered it initially damaged DNA but then activated repair systems that left cells healthier than unexposed ones. This "hormesis" effect had never been seen with phone radiation before, suggesting potential protective cellular responses.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a fascinating paradox in how our cells respond to radiofrequency radiation. While the initial DNA damage confirms that cell phone radiation does affect our genetic material, the subsequent protective response suggests our cellular repair systems may be more adaptive than previously understood. The 4.0 W/kg exposure level used here is twice the FCC's SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg for cell phones, meaning this hormesis effect occurred at levels higher than what your phone is supposed to emit during normal use. What this means for you is complex: while the study suggests cellular adaptation mechanisms exist, it doesn't mean higher radiation exposure is beneficial. The reality is that we still don't fully understand the long-term implications of repeatedly triggering these stress responses in our cells, and the precautionary principle still applies to your daily EMF exposure choices.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 4 W/kg
- Exposure Duration
- 1 hour
Exposure Context
This study used 4 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 10x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
To address the debate on whether RF-EMFs are genotoxic, we compared the effects of 1,800 MHz RF-EMF exposure on genomic DNA in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with proficient (Atm+/+) or deficient (Atm−/−) ATM.
In Atm+/+ MEFs, RF-EMF exposure for 1 h at an average special absorption rate of 4.0 W/kg induced si...
This effect reduced the DNA damage to less than that of the background level after 36 hours of expos...
To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report a hormesis-like effect of an RF-EMF.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2016_mobile_phone_signal_exposure_772,
author = {Sun C and Wei X and Fei Y and Su L and Zhao X and Chen G and Xu Z.},
title = {Mobile phone signal exposure triggers a hormesis-like effect in Atm+/+ and Atm-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts.},
year = {2016},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/srep37423},
}