Protective effect of melatonin against in vitro iron ions and 7 mT 50 Hz magnetic field-induced DNA damage in rat lymphocytes.
Jajte J, Zmyślony M, Palus J, Dziubałtowska E, Rajkowska E. · 2001
View Original AbstractMagnetic fields combined with iron ions damaged DNA in blood cells, but melatonin completely prevented this damage.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rat blood cells to power-line magnetic fields plus iron, finding DNA damage only when both were present together. Melatonin (a natural hormone) reduced this damage by 50-100% depending on dose, suggesting magnetic fields may harm DNA through oxidative stress mechanisms.
Why This Matters
This research provides compelling evidence that power-frequency magnetic fields can interact with metal ions in our bodies to damage DNA through oxidative stress mechanisms. The 7 mT exposure level used is extremely high compared to typical household exposures (usually under 0.1 mT), but the finding that melatonin completely prevented the damage points to free radical involvement in EMF-induced cellular harm. What makes this study particularly significant is that it demonstrates EMF effects aren't just about the magnetic field alone, but how these fields interact with other factors in our biological environment. The protective effect of melatonin suggests that maintaining healthy antioxidant levels may be one practical approach to reducing potential EMF-related cellular damage, though more research is needed to understand these mechanisms at everyday exposure levels.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 7 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
Exposure Context
This study used 7 mG for magnetic fields:
- 350Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 70Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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
In the present study, to confirm our hypothesis, we have examined the effect of melatonin, an established free radicals scavenger, on DNA damage in rat peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed in vitro to iron ions and 50 Hz MF.
The alkaline comet assay was chosen for the assessment of DNA damage. During pre-incubation, part of...
A significant increase in the number of cells with DNA damage was found only after simultaneous expo...
The future experimental studies, in vitro and in vivo, should provide an answer to the question concerning the role of melatonin in the free radical processes in the power frequency magnetic field.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2001_protective_effect_of_melatonin_388,
author = {Jajte J and Zmyślony M and Palus J and Dziubałtowska E and Rajkowska E.},
title = {Protective effect of melatonin against in vitro iron ions and 7 mT 50 Hz magnetic field-induced DNA damage in rat lymphocytes.},
year = {2001},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0027510701002305},
}