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Fifty-gigahertz Microwave exposure effect of radiations on rat brain.

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Kesari KK, Behari J. · 2009

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Even extremely low 5G-frequency radiation caused DNA damage and brain cell stress in this 45-day study.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to 50-gigahertz microwave radiation (similar to 5G frequencies) for 2 hours daily over 45 days at very low power levels. The study found significant DNA damage in brain cells, along with disrupted antioxidant defenses and decreased protein kinase C activity. These cellular changes suggest that even low-level millimeter wave exposure may affect brain function and cellular health.

Why This Matters

This research provides important evidence that millimeter wave frequencies used in 5G networks can cause biological effects at power levels well below current safety standards. The study used 50 GHz radiation at an extremely low SAR of 0.0008 W/kg - roughly 2,000 times lower than the FCC limit of 1.6 W/kg for cell phones. Yet even at these minimal exposure levels, researchers documented DNA strand breaks and oxidative stress in brain tissue. What makes this particularly significant is that the exposure duration mimicked realistic usage patterns rather than acute high-dose scenarios. The combination of DNA damage and disrupted cellular defenses suggests these frequencies may pose cumulative health risks that current regulations don't account for. This adds to growing evidence that our safety standards, based primarily on heating effects, may be inadequate for protecting against the biological impacts of chronic low-level exposure.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.0008 W/kg
Power Density
0.00086 µW/m²
Source/Device
50-GHz
Exposure Duration
2 h a day for 45 days

Exposure Context

This study used 0.00086 µW/m² for radio frequency:

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: 0.00086 µW/m²Extreme Concern - 1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit - 10M uW/m2Effects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 11,627,906,977x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The object of this study is to investigate the effects of 50-GHz microwave radiation on the brain of Wistar rats.

Male rats of the Wistar strain were used in the study. Animals of 60-day age were divided into two g...

Result shows that the chronic exposure to these radiations causes DNA double-strand break (head and ...

We conclude that these radiations can have a significant effect on the whole brain.

Cite This Study
Kesari KK, Behari J. (2009). Fifty-gigahertz Microwave exposure effect of radiations on rat brain. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 158:126-39, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{kk_2009_fiftygigahertz_microwave_exposure_effect_15,
  author = {Kesari KK and Behari J.},
  title = {Fifty-gigahertz Microwave exposure effect of radiations on rat brain.},
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1007/s12010-008-8469-8},
  url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12010-008-8469-8},
}
DOI: 10.1007/s12010-008-8469-8

Cited By (63 papers)

View all 63 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Research suggests yes. A 2009 study found that 50-gigahertz microwave radiation (similar to 5G frequencies) caused significant DNA double-strand breaks in rat brain cells after 45 days of exposure. The study also showed disrupted antioxidant defenses and decreased brain protein activity.
Studies indicate potential harm. Researchers exposed rats to 50-gigahertz millimeter waves for two hours daily and found DNA damage in brain cells, along with decreased antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced protein kinase C levels throughout the brain and hippocampus.
Research suggests it may. A study using 50-gigahertz microwave exposure found significant changes in brain cells, including DNA breaks, altered antioxidant defenses, and decreased protein kinase C activity, which plays important roles in brain cell communication and memory formation.
Studies show potential risks. Research using 50-gigahertz radiation (similar to some 5G bands) found DNA double-strand breaks in rat brain cells after 45 days of exposure, even at low power levels, suggesting cellular damage may occur with chronic exposure.
Research shows significant disruption. A 2009 study found that 50-gigahertz microwave exposure decreased important antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) in rat brains while increasing catalase activity, indicating oxidative stress and cellular damage in brain tissue.