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 AbstractMobile phone radiation caused brain oxidative damage at levels below current safety limits, but melatonin provided significant protection.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to mobile phone radiation for 20 to 60 days and found it caused oxidative damage in brain tissue, measured by increased levels of harmful molecules and decreased protective enzyme activity. When the rats were also given melatonin (a natural hormone), it significantly prevented some of this brain damage. This suggests that mobile phone radiation can harm brain cells through oxidative stress, but melatonin may offer some protection.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to the growing body of research showing that mobile phone radiation can cause biological harm at levels well below current safety limits. The SAR levels used (0.043-0.135 W/kg) are actually lower than the maximum allowed for phones sold in the US (1.6 W/kg), yet still produced measurable oxidative damage in brain tissue after just 20 days of exposure. What makes this research particularly significant is that it demonstrates a clear biological mechanism - oxidative stress - by which RF radiation damages cells. The fact that melatonin provided partial protection suggests the damage is real and preventable, not just a measurement artifact. While this was an animal study, the biological processes involved are fundamentally similar in humans. The science demonstrates that chronic exposure to mobile phone radiation, even at supposedly 'safe' levels, can accumulate cellular damage over time.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.043-0.135 W/kg
- Exposure Duration
- 20, 40 and 60 days
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_572,
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/},
}