Effects of 1800-MHz radiofrequency fields on circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin and testosterone in male rats.
Qin F, Zhang J, Cao H, Yi C, Li JX, Nie J, Chen LL, Wang J, Tong J · 2012
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation disrupted natural hormone cycles in rats at exposure levels similar to extended phone use.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed male rats to cell phone frequency radiation (1800 MHz) for 2 hours daily over 32 days and measured how this affected their natural daily cycles of melatonin and testosterone production. The radiation disrupted both hormones' normal rhythms, with melatonin being more severely affected than testosterone. This suggests that radiofrequency exposure can interfere with the body's internal biological clock that regulates crucial hormones.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning connection between radiofrequency exposure and hormonal disruption that goes beyond simple hormone level changes. The researchers found that 1800 MHz radiation - the same frequency used by many cell phones - actually disrupted the natural circadian rhythms of melatonin and testosterone production in male rats. What makes this particularly significant is that the exposure level (SAR of 0.58 W/kg) falls well within current safety limits and is comparable to what you might experience during extended cell phone use near your body. The disruption of melatonin's circadian rhythm is especially troubling because this hormone doesn't just regulate sleep - it's a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against cellular damage and supports immune function. When your body's natural hormone cycles are thrown off, it can cascade into broader health problems affecting everything from sleep quality to reproductive health to cancer risk.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.5762 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.208 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 1800 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h/d for 32 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.208 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 20.8Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 346.7Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 0.5762 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 1.4x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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
Radiofrequency fields (RF) at 1800 MHz are known to affect melatonin (MEL) and testosterone in male rats, but it remains to be determined whether RF affected circadian rhythm of these plasma hormones.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 1800-MHz RF at 208 μw/cm² power density (SAR: 0.5762 W/kg) ...
The results confirmed the existence of circadian rhythms in the synthesis of MEL and testosterone, b...
Data suggest that regulation of testosterone is controlled by MEL and that MEL is more sensitive to RF exposure.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2012_effects_of_1800mhz_radiofrequency_1280,
author = {Qin F and Zhang J and Cao H and Yi C and Li JX and Nie J and Chen LL and Wang J and Tong J},
title = {Effects of 1800-MHz radiofrequency fields on circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin and testosterone in male rats.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22891885/},
}