Subjective symptoms among mobile phone users-A consequence of absorption of radiofrequency fields?
Wilen J, Sandstrom M, Hansson Mild K. · 2003
View Original AbstractMobile phones with SAR levels above 0.5 W/kg combined with heavy daily use increase symptom prevalence.
Plain English Summary
Swedish researchers studied 2,402 mobile phone users and found that phones with higher radiation levels (above 0.5 watts per kilogram) combined with longer daily calling times increased symptoms like headaches and fatigue, suggesting both radiation output and usage duration affect health symptoms.
Why This Matters
This study represents important early evidence linking quantifiable EMF exposure to real-world health symptoms. The researchers didn't just ask people about their symptoms - they measured the actual SAR levels of different phone models and calculated cumulative daily exposure based on usage patterns. The 0.5 W/kg threshold they identified is particularly significant because many phones on the market exceed this level, with some reaching the regulatory limit of 2.0 W/kg. What makes this research compelling is its practical approach: it shows that both the phone you choose and how much you use it matter for your health. The combination of higher SAR phones with longer calling times created the strongest association with symptoms, suggesting a dose-response relationship that regulatory agencies have long claimed doesn't exist at these exposure levels.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- >0.5 W/kg
Exposure Context
This study used >0.5 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 1.3x 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
In this extrapolative study, we have selected 2402 people from the epidemiological study who used any of the four most common GSM MP
We used the information about the prevalence of symptoms, calling time per day, and number of calls ...
The results indicates that SAR values >0.5 W/kg may be an important factor for the prevalence of som...
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2003_subjective_symptoms_among_mobile_1431,
author = {Wilen J and Sandstrom M and Hansson Mild K.},
title = {Subjective symptoms among mobile phone users-A consequence of absorption of radiofrequency fields?},
year = {2003},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12669297/},
}