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Oxidative Stress

Evaluation of selected biochemical parameters in the saliva of young males using mobile phones.

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Abu Khadra KM, Khalil AM, Abu Samak M, Aljaberi A. · 2014

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Fifteen minutes of mobile phone use at normal levels triggered measurable oxidative stress responses in human saliva.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers measured biochemical changes in saliva from 12 young men before and after using mobile phones at typical exposure levels (1.09 W/kg SAR). They found that just 15 minutes of phone use triggered a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (an enzyme that fights cellular damage), indicating the body was responding to oxidative stress from the radiation.

Why This Matters

This study provides direct evidence that mobile phone radiation triggers measurable biological responses in humans at everyday exposure levels. The 1.09 W/kg SAR used here falls within the range of typical smartphones, making these findings highly relevant to regular phone users. What's particularly striking is that the researchers detected these changes in saliva after just 15 minutes of exposure, suggesting our bodies are constantly responding to RF radiation during normal phone use. The increase in superoxide dismutase represents the cellular equivalent of your body's alarm system going off, deploying antioxidant defenses against potential damage. While the body's protective mechanisms kicked in initially, the fact that this enzyme activity dropped with longer exposure raises questions about whether our natural defenses can keep up with prolonged RF exposure.

Exposure Details

SAR
1.09 W/kg
Source/Device
1800 MHz modulated at 217 Hz
Exposure Duration
15 and 30 min

Exposure Context

This study used 1.09 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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: 1.09 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 1x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 217 Hz - 1.80 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 217 Hz - 1.80 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The biochemical status in the saliva of 12 males before/after using mobile phone has been evaluated

Radio frequency signals of 1800 MHz (continuous wave transmission, 217 Hz modulate and Global System...

Cell phone radiation induced a significant increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD); there was a stati...

Results suggest that exposure to electromagnetic radiation may exert an oxidative stress on human cells as evidenced by the increase in the concentration of the superoxide radical anion released in the saliva of cell phone users.

Cite This Study
Abu Khadra KM, Khalil AM, Abu Samak M, Aljaberi A. (2014). Evaluation of selected biochemical parameters in the saliva of young males using mobile phones. Electromagn Biol Med. 2014 Feb 5.
Show BibTeX
@article{km_2014_evaluation_of_selected_biochemical_788,
  author = {Abu Khadra KM and Khalil AM and Abu Samak M and Aljaberi A.},
  title = {Evaluation of selected biochemical parameters in the saliva of young males using mobile phones.},
  year = {2014},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24499288/},
}
PubMed: 24499288

Cited By (18 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2014 study found that just 15 minutes of cell phone use significantly increased superoxide dismutase levels in saliva from 12 young men. This enzyme increase indicates the body was responding to oxidative stress from 1800 MHz radiation at typical exposure levels (1.09 W/kg SAR).
Yes, researchers successfully detected biochemical changes in saliva after cell phone exposure. The 2014 study measured superoxide dismutase enzyme levels in saliva samples before and after phone use, finding significant increases that indicated cellular stress responses to 1800 MHz radiation.
Superoxide dismutase (an antioxidant enzyme) increases significantly during mobile phone calls, then drops as talking time extends beyond 15 minutes. This pattern suggests the body initially responds to radiation-induced oxidative stress, but the protective response may weaken with prolonged 1800 MHz exposure.
Research on 12 young men showed that 1.09 W/kg SAR exposure from 1800 MHz phones triggered measurable oxidative stress responses in just 15 minutes. The study specifically focused on this demographic, finding significant increases in protective enzymes that fight cellular damage from radiation exposure.
Superoxide dismutase showed the most significant changes from 1800 MHz phone radiation, while albumin, cytochrome c, catalase, and uric acid levels remained unchanged. This suggests that specific antioxidant pathways respond to mobile phone radiation while other salivary proteins remain unaffected by typical exposure levels.