Melatonin reduces oxidative stress induced by chronic exposure of microwave radiation from mobile phones in rat brain
Sokolovic D, Djindjic B, Nikolic J, Bjelakovic G, Pavlovic D, Kocic G, Krstic D, Cvetkovic T, Pavlovic V · 2008
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation caused measurable brain damage in rats at typical phone exposure levels, but melatonin partially prevented this oxidative stress.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation for 60 days and found it damaged brain cells through oxidative stress (harmful free radicals). Melatonin, a natural hormone, partially protected against this brain damage, suggesting phone radiation may harm brain tissue but antioxidants could help.
Why This Matters
This study provides important evidence that cell phone radiation can damage brain tissue through oxidative stress, even at relatively low exposure levels. The SAR values used (0.043-0.135 W/kg) are well within the range of typical cell phone emissions, making these findings directly relevant to everyday phone use. What makes this research particularly significant is that it demonstrates measurable biochemical changes in brain tissue after chronic exposure periods similar to how people actually use their phones. The fact that melatonin provided partial protection suggests the damage occurs through oxidative pathways that we understand well from other environmental toxins. While this is animal research, the biological mechanisms of oxidative stress are highly conserved across species, and the brain's vulnerability to free radical damage is well-established in human studies.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.00869 mG
- SAR
- 0.043-0.135 W/kg
- Electric Field
- 18.356 V/m
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 4 h/day, for 20, 40, and 60 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.00869 mG for magnetic fields:
- 434.5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 86.9x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
This study used 18.356 V/m for electric fields:
- 61.2x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m
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
The aim of the study was to evaluate the intensity of oxidative stress in the brain of animals chronically exposed to mobile phones and potential protective effects of melatonin in reducing oxidative stress and brain injury.
Experiments were performed on Wistar rats exposed to microwave radiation during 20, 40 and 60 days....
A significant increase in the brain tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl group concentration wa...
We demonstrated two important findings; that mobile phones caused oxidative damage biochemically by increasing the levels of MDA, carbonyl groups, XO activity and decreasing CAT activity; and that treatment with the melatonin significantly prevented oxidative damage in the brain.
Show BibTeX
@article{d_2008_melatonin_reduces_oxidative_stress_188,
author = {Sokolovic D and Djindjic B and Nikolic J and Bjelakovic G and Pavlovic D and Kocic G and Krstic D and Cvetkovic T and Pavlovic V},
title = {Melatonin reduces oxidative stress induced by chronic exposure of microwave radiation from mobile phones in rat brain},
year = {2008},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18827438/#:~:text=Conclusion%3A%20We%20demonstrated%20two%20important,oxidative%20damage%20in%20the%20brain.},
}