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Exposure to an 890-MHz mobile phone-like signal and serum levels of S100B and transthyretin in volunteers.

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Söderqvist F, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K, Hardell L · 2009

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Cell phone radiation compromised blood-brain barrier markers in humans after just 30 minutes at typical phone exposure levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 41 volunteers to cell phone radiation for 30 minutes and measured blood markers that indicate whether the blood-brain barrier (the protective shield around your brain) had been compromised. They found that one marker called transthyretin increased significantly after exposure, suggesting the radiation may have affected this critical barrier. This is concerning because a compromised blood-brain barrier could allow harmful substances to enter the brain more easily.

Why This Matters

This study represents groundbreaking research because it's the first to directly test whether cell phone radiation affects the human blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier is your brain's security system, preventing toxins and other harmful substances from entering brain tissue. The fact that researchers found measurable changes in barrier integrity markers after just 30 minutes of exposure at 1.0 W/kg SAR (similar to what your phone produces during a call) should raise serious questions about long-term effects. While the researchers acknowledge they don't know the clinical significance of this finding, the reality is that any compromise to the blood-brain barrier represents a potential pathway for neurological harm. The science demonstrates that even short-term EMF exposure can produce measurable biological changes in one of your body's most critical protective systems.

Exposure Details

SAR
1 W/kg
Source/Device
890-MHz mobile phone
Exposure Duration
30 min

Exposure Context

This study used 1 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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 Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 1 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The aim of this study was to test, using peripheral markers, whether exposure to a mobile phone-like signal alters the integrity of the human blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers.

A provocation study was carried out that exposed 41 volunteers to a 30 min GSM 890 MHz signal with a...

Repeated blood sampling before and after the provocation showed no statistically significant increas...

Cite This Study
Söderqvist F, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K, Hardell L (2009). Exposure to an 890-MHz mobile phone-like signal and serum levels of S100B and transthyretin in volunteers. Toxicol Lett. 189(1):63-66, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2009_exposure_to_an_890mhz_1331,
  author = {Söderqvist F and Carlberg M and Hansson Mild K and Hardell L},
  title = {Exposure to an 890-MHz mobile phone-like signal and serum levels of S100B and transthyretin in volunteers.},
  year = {2009},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19427372/},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed 41 volunteers to cell phone radiation for 30 minutes and measured blood markers that indicate whether the blood-brain barrier (the protective shield around your brain) had been compromised. They found that one marker called transthyretin increased significantly after exposure, suggesting the radiation may have affected this critical barrier. This is concerning because a compromised blood-brain barrier could allow harmful substances to enter the brain more easily.