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The Effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on Liver Tissue Protein Oxidation and Antioxidant Enzyme Levels After the Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.

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Ozgur E, Sahin D, Tomruk A, Guler G, Sepici-Dinçel A, Altan N, Seyhan N. · 2014

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Cell phone radiation at everyday exposure levels reduced liver antioxidant defenses in just one week of exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed guinea pigs to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 7 days and measured damage to liver tissue. The radiation significantly reduced the activity of an important antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase) that protects cells from damage. Surprisingly, two antioxidant supplements that were meant to provide protection actually caused additional cellular damage when combined with radiation exposure.

Why This Matters

This study reveals concerning effects on liver function from cell phone radiation at levels similar to what people experience during phone calls. The SAR level of 0.4 W/kg is within the range of everyday mobile phone use, making these findings directly relevant to human exposure. What's particularly striking is that the radiation compromised the liver's natural antioxidant defenses, reducing superoxide dismutase activity that normally protects cells from oxidative damage. The unexpected finding that antioxidant supplements actually increased cellular damage when combined with RF exposure challenges common assumptions about protective strategies. This suggests the biological effects of EMF are more complex than simply overwhelming the body's antioxidant systems. The research adds to growing evidence that RF radiation can disrupt normal cellular function in organs throughout the body, not just the brain where phones are typically held.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.4 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
10 or 20 min daily for consecutive 7 days

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.4 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 4x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of 900 MHz Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)-modulated RFR (average whole body Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of 0.4 W/kg, 10 or 20 min daily for consecutive 7 days) to the liver tissue of guinea pigs and the protective effects of antioxidant treatments.

Adult male guinea pigs were randomly divided into nine groups as: Group I (sham/saline), Group II (s...

Significant decreases in the activities of SOD were observed in the liver of guinea pigs after RFR e...

Due to antioxidants having pro-oxidant behavior, the well decided doses and treatment timetables of NAC and ECGC are needed.

Cite This Study
Ozgur E, Sahin D, Tomruk A, Guler G, Sepici-Dinçel A, Altan N, Seyhan N. (2014). The Effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on Liver Tissue Protein Oxidation and Antioxidant Enzyme Levels After the Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation. Int J Radiat Biol. 2014 Sep 24:1-19.
Show BibTeX
@article{e_2014_the_effects_of_nacetyllcysteine_563,
  author = {Ozgur E and Sahin D and Tomruk A and Guler G and Sepici-Dinçel A and Altan N and Seyhan N.},
  title = {The Effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on Liver Tissue Protein Oxidation and Antioxidant Enzyme Levels After the Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.},
  year = {2014},
  doi = {10.3109/09553002.2015.966210},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553002.2015.966210},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed guinea pigs to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 7 days and measured damage to liver tissue. The radiation significantly reduced the activity of an important antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase) that protects cells from damage. Surprisingly, two antioxidant supplements that were meant to provide protection actually caused additional cellular damage when combined with radiation exposure.