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DNA & Genetic Damage

Increased γ-H2AX by exposure to a 60-Hz magnetic fields combined with ionizing radiation, but not hydrogen peroxide, in non-tumorigenic human cell lines.

No Effects Found

Yoon HE, Lee JS, Myung SH, Lee YS · 2014

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Strong 60-Hz magnetic fields (2,000x household levels) directly damaged DNA and amplified radiation-induced genetic damage in human cells.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed human lung cells to 60-Hz magnetic fields at different strengths and measured DNA damage markers. They found that stronger magnetic fields (2 mT) caused DNA damage on their own and made cells more vulnerable to radiation damage, while weaker fields (1 mT) had no effect. This suggests that power-frequency magnetic fields can damage DNA at high enough levels.

Why This Matters

This study provides important evidence that extremely low frequency magnetic fields can directly damage DNA in human cells, but only at relatively high exposure levels. The 2 mT field strength that caused DNA damage is roughly 2,000 times stronger than typical household exposures (which range from 0.5-4 μT), making this finding less immediately concerning for everyday EMF exposure. However, the study's most significant finding may be that magnetic fields enhanced DNA damage when combined with ionizing radiation. This suggests that EMF exposure could potentially amplify the harmful effects of other environmental toxins or medical procedures involving radiation. What this means for you is that while your daily EMF exposures are unlikely to cause direct DNA damage, the possibility of synergistic effects with other environmental stressors deserves attention as research continues to evolve.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
2 mT
Source/Device
60-Hz
Exposure Duration
6h

Exposure Context

This study used 2 mT for magnetic fields:

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 ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 2 mTExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 10 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

Genotoxic effects have been considered the gold standard to determine if an environmental factor is a carcinogen, but the currently available data for extremely low frequency time-varying magnetic fields (ELF-MF) remain controversial. As an environmental stimulus, the effect of ELF-MF on cellular DNA may be subtle. Therefore, a more sensitive method and systematic research strategy are warranted to evaluate genotoxicity.

We investigated the effect of ELF-MF in combination with ionizing radiation (IR) or H2O2 on the DNA ...

Exposure to a 60-Hz, 2 mT ELF-MF for 6 h produced increased γ-H2AX expression, as well as γ-H2AX foc...

ELF-MF could affect the DNA damage response and, in combination with different stimuli, provide different effects on γ-H2AX.

Cite This Study
Yoon HE, Lee JS, Myung SH, Lee YS (2014). Increased γ-H2AX by exposure to a 60-Hz magnetic fields combined with ionizing radiation, but not hydrogen peroxide, in non-tumorigenic human cell lines. Int J Radiat Biol. 90(4):291-298, 2014.
Show BibTeX
@article{he_2014_increased_h2ax_by_exposure_2862,
  author = {Yoon HE and Lee JS and Myung SH and Lee YS},
  title = {Increased γ-H2AX by exposure to a 60-Hz magnetic fields combined with ionizing radiation, but not hydrogen peroxide, in non-tumorigenic human cell lines.},
  year = {2014},
  doi = {10.3109/09553002.2014.887866},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553002.2014.887866},
}
DOI: 10.3109/09553002.2014.887866

Cited By (17 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2014 study found that 2 mT 60-Hz magnetic fields caused DNA damage in human lung cells after 6 hours of exposure. However, weaker 1 mT fields showed no DNA damage effects, suggesting power line magnetic fields only damage DNA at very high exposure levels.
Yes, research shows that 2 mT 60-Hz magnetic fields increase DNA damage when combined with ionizing radiation. The magnetic field exposure made cells more vulnerable to radiation-induced DNA breaks, but this effect didn't occur with hydrogen peroxide exposure.
DNA damage begins at 2 mT (millitesla) for 60-Hz magnetic fields, according to 2014 research on human lung cells. Fields at 1 mT showed no DNA damage effects, indicating there's a threshold between 1-2 mT where DNA damage starts occurring.
Six hours of exposure to 2 mT 60-Hz magnetic fields caused measurable DNA damage in human lung cells. The study measured gamma-H2AX markers, which indicate DNA double-strand breaks, showing that DNA damage can occur within hours of strong magnetic field exposure.
Typical household 60-Hz magnetic fields are much weaker than the 2 mT level that caused DNA damage in this study. Most home exposures range from 0.01-0.2 mT, which is below the threshold where researchers observed genetic damage in laboratory cells.