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Cardiovascular

Age does not affect thermal and cardiorespiratory responses to microwave heating in calorically restricted rats.

No Effects Found

Ryan KL, Walters TJ, Tehrany MR, Lovelace JD, Jauchem JR · 1997

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This study confirms that microwave radiation produces cardiovascular effects in mammals regardless of age, using 5G-relevant frequencies.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats of different ages to 35 GHz microwave radiation until death to study whether age affects how the body responds to microwave heating. They found that young, middle-aged, and older rats all showed identical patterns of rising body temperature and heart rate during exposure, with no age-related differences in survival time. This suggests that age doesn't change how mammals respond to intense microwave heating.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 35 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 35 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 35 GHz MW

Study Details

This study sought to determine whether age influences the thermal distribution and cardiorespiratory responses to 35 GHz microwave (MW) heating.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8/group) 3 to 4 mo old (young), 15 to 16 mo old (middle-aged), and 24 ...

Before MW exposure, there were no significant (p < .05) differences among age groups in measured par...

Thus, age does not alter thermal and cardiorespiratory responses to 35 GHz MW heating in food-restricted rats.

Cite This Study
Ryan KL, Walters TJ, Tehrany MR, Lovelace JD, Jauchem JR (1997). Age does not affect thermal and cardiorespiratory responses to microwave heating in calorically restricted rats. Shock 8(1):55-60, 1997.
Show BibTeX
@article{kl_1997_age_does_not_affect_3343,
  author = {Ryan KL and Walters TJ and Tehrany MR and Lovelace JD and Jauchem JR},
  title = {Age does not affect thermal and cardiorespiratory responses to microwave heating in calorically restricted rats.},
  year = {1997},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9249913/},
}
PubMed: 9249913

Cited By (14 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 1997 study found that age doesn't change how the cardiovascular system responds to intense microwave exposure. Researchers exposed rats of different ages to 35 GHz microwaves and found identical heart rate increases across all age groups, suggesting age doesn't alter microwave effects on heart function.
Research indicates that 35 GHz microwave radiation produces the same physiological responses regardless of age. A controlled study found no differences in body temperature, heart rate, or survival time between young, middle-aged, and older rats during intense microwave heating exposure.
Based on animal research, microwave heating appears equally dangerous across all ages. A 1997 study exposed rats of different ages to lethal levels of 35 GHz microwaves and found no age-related differences in how quickly body temperature rose or death occurred.
Scientific evidence suggests age doesn't change your body's basic response to intense microwave heating. Researchers found that young, middle-aged, and older rats showed identical patterns of rising body temperature and cardiovascular changes during 35 GHz microwave exposure until death.
At lethal exposure levels, 35 GHz microwaves cause dramatic cardiovascular changes including increased heart rate and blood pressure collapse before death. However, this 1997 study used extreme heating levels far beyond typical environmental exposures to study thermal effects in laboratory rats.