Effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field on glutathione in rat muscles.
Ciejka E, Jakubowska E, Zelechowska P, Huk-Kolega H, Kowalczyk A, Goraca A · 2014
View Original AbstractMagnetic field exposure at 7 mT triggered significant increases in muscle antioxidant levels, showing cells actively respond to EMF as a biological stressor.
Plain English Summary
Polish researchers exposed rats to 40 Hz magnetic fields at 7 mT (similar to some therapeutic magnetic devices) for either 30 or 60 minutes daily over two weeks. They found that both exposure durations significantly increased glutathione levels in skeletal muscle tissue compared to unexposed controls. Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant, so this suggests the magnetic fields triggered the muscles' natural defense systems against cellular damage.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something fascinating about how our bodies respond to magnetic field exposure. The science demonstrates that even relatively brief daily exposures to ELF magnetic fields can trigger measurable changes in our cellular defense mechanisms. What this means for you is that magnetic fields aren't just passing through your body without effect - they're actively influencing fundamental biological processes like antioxidant production. The 7 mT exposure level used here is significantly higher than typical household magnetic field exposures (which are usually measured in microtesla), but it's comparable to therapeutic magnetic devices marketed for pain relief. The reality is that while increased glutathione might sound beneficial, any forced change to your body's antioxidant systems indicates your cells are responding to what they perceive as a stressor. This adds to the growing body of evidence showing that magnetic fields can influence cellular function in ways we're only beginning to understand.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 7 mG
- Source/Device
- 40 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 0.5 h/day for 14 days & 1 h/day for 14 days
Exposure Context
This study used 7 mG for magnetic fields:
- 350Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 70Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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 presented study was to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field used in the magnetotherapy on the level of total glutathione, oxidized and reduced, and the redox state of the skeletal muscle cells, depending on the duration of exposure to magnetic field.
The male rats, weight of 280-300 g, were randomly devided into 3 experimental groups: controls (grou...
Exposure to low magnetic field: 40 Hz, 7 mT for 30 min/day and 60 min/day for 2 weeks significantly ...
Exposure to magnetic fields used in the magnetic therapy plays an important role in the development of adaptive mechanisms responsible for maintaining the oxidation-reduction balance in the body and depends on exposure duration.
Show BibTeX
@article{e_2014_effect_of_extremely_low_338,
author = {Ciejka E and Jakubowska E and Zelechowska P and Huk-Kolega H and Kowalczyk A and Goraca A},
title = {Effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field on glutathione in rat muscles.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/med/25230563},
}