Biomonitoring of estrogen and melatonin metabolites among women residing near radio and television broadcasting transmitters.
Clark ML, Burch JB, Yost MG, Zhai Y, Bachand AM, Fitzpatrick CT, Ramaprasad J, Cragin LA, Reif JS. · 2007
View Original AbstractEMF exposure from broadcasting towers disrupted hormone levels in postmenopausal women, especially those with low melatonin.
Plain English Summary
Researchers measured hormone levels in women living near radio and TV broadcasting towers to see if electromagnetic field exposure affected their bodies' natural chemical processes. They found that postmenopausal women with higher exposure to radiofrequency radiation and power line magnetic fields showed increased levels of estrogen metabolites in their urine, particularly those women who also had low melatonin levels. This suggests that EMF exposure may disrupt normal hormone regulation in older women.
Why This Matters
This study provides important evidence that EMF exposure can disrupt fundamental biological processes, specifically hormone metabolism in postmenopausal women. The finding that women with both higher EMF exposure and lower melatonin levels showed the strongest hormonal disruption is particularly significant, as melatonin plays a crucial role in protecting against cancer and regulating sleep cycles. What makes this research especially relevant is that it examined real-world exposure scenarios - women living near broadcasting transmitters experience the kind of chronic, low-level EMF exposure that millions face daily from cell towers, WiFi networks, and other wireless infrastructure. The fact that only postmenopausal women showed these effects suggests that hormonal status may determine vulnerability to EMF exposure, pointing to the need for age-specific protection guidelines that currently don't exist.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 60-Hz
Study Details
Metabolites of estrogen (estrone-3-glucuronide [E1G]) and melatonin (6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate [6-OHMS]) were characterized among women living in a community with increased radiofrequency (RF) exposure from radio and television transmitters.
RF spot measurements, and personal 60-Hz magnetic field and residential parameters were collected. O...
Among premenopausal women, there were no associations between RF or 60-Hz nonionizing radiation and ...
RF and temporally stable 60-Hz exposures were associated with increased E1G excretion among postmenopausal women. Women with reduced nocturnal 6-OHMS excretion may represent a sensitive subgroup.
Show BibTeX
@article{ml_2007_biomonitoring_of_estrogen_and_1987,
author = {Clark ML and Burch JB and Yost MG and Zhai Y and Bachand AM and Fitzpatrick CT and Ramaprasad J and Cragin LA and Reif JS.},
title = {Biomonitoring of estrogen and melatonin metabolites among women residing near radio and television broadcasting transmitters.},
year = {2007},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18000420/},
}