Effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposures on the peroxidation status in Wistar rats.
Aweda MA, Gbenebitse S, Meidinyo RO. · 2003
View Original AbstractWiFi-frequency radiation caused 56% more cellular damage in rats within 24 hours, but antioxidants provided significant protection.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (WiFi frequency) and found it increased cellular damage by 56% within 24 hours. Vitamins C and E provided significant protection when given beforehand, suggesting antioxidants may help reduce microwave-induced oxidative stress in living tissue.
Why This Matters
This study provides clear evidence that microwave radiation at 2.45 GHz creates oxidative stress in living tissue. The power density used (6 mW/cm²) is actually lower than what you might experience from a cell phone held against your head, yet it still produced measurable cellular damage. What's particularly significant is that the damage peaked within 24 hours and that common antioxidants offered substantial protection. This research adds to a growing body of evidence showing that RF radiation doesn't just heat tissue - it triggers biological processes that can harm cells. The protective effect of antioxidants suggests that oxidative stress is a key mechanism by which EMF exposure affects our health, supporting the need for both exposure reduction and nutritional strategies to support our body's natural defenses.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 6 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz
Exposure Context
This study used 6 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 600Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 10Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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
The effects on the lipid peroxidation status (LPS) of whole body irradiation of 120 Wistar rats with 2.45 GHz MW at a power density of 6mWcm(-2) have been studied using the MW generator model ER6660E from Toshiba UK Ltd.
The LPS in the rats was monitored for a period of 8 weeks post irradiation using thiobarbituric acid...
The MW exposures caused an increase in the LPS from the mean control value of 4.18 x 10(-6)g 1(-1)to...
The results obtained from this study demonstrate that MW exposures cause significant increase in the LPS and there are protective effects of the anti-oxidants ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol.
Show BibTeX
@article{ma_2003_effects_of_245_ghz_829,
author = {Aweda MA and Gbenebitse S and Meidinyo RO.},
title = {Effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposures on the peroxidation status in Wistar rats.},
year = {2003},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/med/15045019},
}