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Sleep & Circadian Rhythm

Use of wireless phones and serum β-trace protein in randomly recruited persons aged 18-65 years: a cross-sectional study

No Effects Found

Söderqvist F, Carlberg M, Zetterberg H, Hardell L · 2012

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Wireless phone use showed no overall effect on sleep hormone production, but younger adults may experience subtle disruptions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swedish researchers measured β-trace protein levels (an enzyme involved in producing a natural sleep hormone) in 314 randomly selected adults to see if wireless phone use affected sleep biochemistry. Overall, they found no significant association between phone use and protein levels, though younger adults (18-30 years) showed some indication of lower protein levels with heavier long-term phone use. The study suggests wireless phones may not substantially disrupt the body's natural sleep-promoting chemical pathways.

Study Details

There are studies suggesting effects on sleep from pulse-modulated radiofrequency fields used in mobile and cordless phones. So far, reports of adverse effects in observational studies are of limited value for risk assessment while effects from experimental studies seem to be more consistent but unclear as to their importance for health. The aim of this study was to investigate whether use of wireless phones is associated with lower concentrations of β-trace protein (lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase), a key enzyme in the synthesis of prostaglandin D(2), an endogenous sleep-promoting neurohormone.

Three hundred and fourteen people, aged 18-65 years and living in the municipality of Örebro, Sweden...

Overall, no statistically significant association between use of wireless phones and the serum conce...

This study provided no overall evidence of an association between wireless phone use and serum concentrations of β-trace protein. While the findings in the 18-30 year age group indicating lower concentrations with more cumulative hours of use should be further investigated, no causal inferences can be made from the results of the present study.

Cite This Study
Söderqvist F, Carlberg M, Zetterberg H, Hardell L (2012). Use of wireless phones and serum β-trace protein in randomly recruited persons aged 18-65 years: a cross-sectional study Electromagn Biol Med.31(4):416-424, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2012_use_of_wireless_phones_3408,
  author = {Söderqvist F and Carlberg M and Zetterberg H and Hardell L},
  title = {Use of wireless phones and serum β-trace protein in randomly recruited persons aged 18-65 years: a cross-sectional study},
  year = {2012},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22989106/},
}
PubMed: 22989106

Cited By (9 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2012 Swedish study of 314 adults found no significant association between wireless phone use and β-trace protein, an enzyme that helps produce natural sleep hormones. Overall, phone use didn't substantially disrupt the body's sleep-promoting chemical pathways.
Research suggests wireless phones may not substantially disrupt natural sleep biochemistry. A study measuring β-trace protein (involved in sleep hormone production) in 314 adults found no overall significant effects from phone use on these important sleep-regulating chemicals.
One study found younger adults (18-30 years) showed some indication of lower sleep-related protein levels with heavier long-term phone use, but researchers noted no causal relationship could be established and called for further investigation of these preliminary findings.
Swedish researchers found no significant association between mobile phone use and β-trace protein levels, an enzyme involved in producing natural sleep hormones. The study of 314 randomly selected adults suggests phones don't substantially impact sleep biochemistry overall.
A 2012 study found no overall evidence that cell phone use affects β-trace protein, which helps produce natural sleep hormones. While younger users showed some indication of lower protein levels, researchers couldn't establish any causal relationship.