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Blood laboratory findings in patients suffering from self-perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS).

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Dahmen N, Ghezel-Ahmadi D, Engel A. · 2009

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EHS patients showed significantly higher rates of thyroid dysfunction and liver problems, suggesting treatable medical conditions may underlie some EMF-attributed symptoms.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers examined blood test results from 132 people who report electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) symptoms and compared them to 101 healthy controls. They found that EHS patients were significantly more likely to have thyroid dysfunction, liver problems, and signs of chronic inflammation in their blood work. The study suggests that some people attributing symptoms to EMF exposure may actually have undiagnosed medical conditions that could be treated.

Why This Matters

This research highlights a critical gap in how we approach electromagnetic hypersensitivity. While the study doesn't dismiss EHS symptoms, it reveals that a meaningful portion of people experiencing these symptoms may have underlying medical conditions that standard blood tests can detect. The science demonstrates significant differences in thyroid function (TSH levels) and liver enzymes (ALT/AST) between EHS patients and controls. What this means for you is that if you're experiencing symptoms you attribute to EMF exposure, getting comprehensive blood work could identify treatable conditions. The reality is that EMF effects and other health issues aren't mutually exclusive - someone could have both thyroid dysfunction and genuine EMF sensitivity. This underscores why a thorough medical evaluation should be part of any approach to addressing unexplained symptoms, regardless of their suspected cause.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

We hypothesized that some electrosensitive individuals are suffering from common somatic health problems. Toward this end we analysed clinical laboratory parameters including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, hemoglobine, hematocrit and c-reactive protein (CRP) in subjects suffering from EHS and in controls that are routinely used in clinical medicine to identify or screen for common somatic disorders.

One hundred thirty-two patients (n = 42 males and n = 90 females) and 101 controls (n = 34 males and...

Our results identified laboratory signs of thyroid dysfunction, liver dysfunction and chronic inflam...

Cite This Study
Dahmen N, Ghezel-Ahmadi D, Engel A. (2009). Blood laboratory findings in patients suffering from self-perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Bioelectromagnetics. 30(4):299-306, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{n_2009_blood_laboratory_findings_in_2009,
  author = {Dahmen N and Ghezel-Ahmadi D and Engel A.},
  title = {Blood laboratory findings in patients suffering from self-perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS).},
  year = {2009},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19259984/},
}
PubMed: 19259984

Cited By (21 papers)

View all 21 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

German researchers found that people reporting electromagnetic hypersensitivity were significantly more likely to have thyroid dysfunction in their blood tests compared to healthy controls. The 2009 study of 132 EHS patients suggests some symptoms attributed to EMF exposure may actually stem from undiagnosed thyroid conditions.
A 2009 study found that people with self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity had significantly higher rates of liver problems in their blood work. Researchers suggest that liver dysfunction, rather than EMF exposure itself, may be causing some symptoms that people attribute to electromagnetic fields.
Blood tests from 132 people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity revealed higher rates of thyroid dysfunction, liver problems, and chronic inflammation markers compared to healthy controls. The German study suggests these medical conditions may explain symptoms people attribute to EMF exposure.
Yes, German researchers recommend that doctors check electromagnetic hypersensitivity patients for treatable medical conditions. Their 2009 study found significantly higher rates of thyroid dysfunction and liver problems in EHS patients, suggesting some symptoms may have medical rather than EMF-related causes.
Research found signs of chronic inflammatory processes in blood work from people reporting electromagnetic hypersensitivity symptoms. The 2009 German study suggests that underlying inflammation, rather than EMF exposure, may contribute to symptoms that some people attribute to electromagnetic fields.