The antioxidant effect of Green Tea Mega EGCG against electromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum of rats.
Ahmed NA, Radwan NM, Aboul Ezz HS, Salama NA. · 2017
View Original AbstractCell phone-level radiation caused brain oxidative stress in rats, but green tea extract provided significant protection when taken preventively.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to cell phone-level radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz) for 2-3 months and found it caused oxidative stress damage in brain regions critical for memory and movement. However, when rats were given green tea extract (EGCG) before or during radiation exposure, it significantly protected against this brain damage. The study suggests that antioxidants may help shield the brain from wireless radiation effects.
Why This Matters
This study adds to growing evidence that chronic radiofrequency exposure at levels similar to cell phone use can trigger oxidative stress in the brain. The SAR level used (1.245 W/kg) is within the range of typical mobile phone emissions during calls, making these findings directly relevant to human exposure. What makes this research particularly noteworthy is the protective effect of EGCG, a natural antioxidant found in green tea. The fact that preventive treatment worked better than post-exposure treatment suggests that oxidative damage from RF radiation may be cumulative and harder to reverse once established. While we shouldn't view any single supplement as a silver bullet, this research supports the broader principle that supporting your body's antioxidant defenses may help mitigate some EMF-related health risks.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.245 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.02 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz modulated at 217 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 and 3 months
Exposure Context
This study used 0.02 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 2Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 33.3Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 1.245 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 3.1x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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 aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of EMR (frequency 900 MHz modulated at 217 Hz, power density 0.02 mW/cm2, SAR 1.245 W/kg) on different oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus and striatum of adult rats.
This study also extends to evaluate the therapeutic effect of green tea mega EGCG on the previous pa...
EMR exposure resulted in oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum as evident from the distur...
This recommends the use of green tea before any stressor to attenuate the state of oxidative stress and stimulate the antioxidant mechanism of the brain.
Show BibTeX
@article{na_2017_the_antioxidant_effect_of_797,
author = {Ahmed NA and Radwan NM and Aboul Ezz HS and Salama NA.},
title = {The antioxidant effect of Green Tea Mega EGCG against electromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum of rats.},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1080/15368378.2016.1194292},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15368378.2016.1194292},
}