Microwaves and cellular immunity. II. Immunostimulating effects of microwaves and naturally occurring antioxidant nutrients
Novoselova, EG, Fesenko, EE, Makar, VR, Sadovnikov, VB · 1999
View Original AbstractEven extremely weak microwave radiation can activate immune responses, suggesting our bodies recognize EMF as a biological stressor.
Plain English Summary
Russian researchers exposed mice to very low-level microwave radiation (similar to what cell towers emit) for 5 hours and found it significantly boosted immune system activity. The microwaves increased production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a key immune signaling molecule, in immune cells called macrophages and T-cells. This immune activation lasted for at least 3 days after exposure and was enhanced when mice were given antioxidant nutrients.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something fascinating about how our immune systems respond to microwave radiation at power levels we encounter daily. The exposure level of 1 microW/cm2 is extremely low - about 1,000 times weaker than what your cell phone produces during a call, yet it still triggered measurable biological changes. What makes this research particularly significant is that it challenges the assumption that 'non-thermal' EMF exposures are biologically inert. The science demonstrates that our immune systems can detect and respond to RF radiation at levels far below current safety standards. The fact that antioxidant nutrients enhanced these effects suggests our bodies may be mounting a protective response to EMF exposure, potentially depleting our natural antioxidant reserves over time. While immune stimulation might sound beneficial, chronic activation of immune pathways can lead to inflammation and other health issues.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0.001 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 8.15-18 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 5h
Exposure Context
This study used 0.001 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 100Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 1.7Kx 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 effect of 8.15-18 GHz (1 Hz within) microwave radiation at a power density of 1 microW/cm2 on the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production and immune response was tested.
A single 5 h whole-body exposure induced a significant increase in TNF production in peritoneal macr...
These results demonstrate that irradiation with low-power density microwaves stimulates the immune potential of macrophages and T cells, and the antioxidant treatment enhances the effect of microwaves, in particular at later terms, when the effect of irradiation is reduced.
Show BibTeX
@article{novoselova_1999_microwaves_and_cellular_immunity_1234,
author = {Novoselova and EG and Fesenko and EE and Makar and VR and Sadovnikov and VB},
title = {Microwaves and cellular immunity. II. Immunostimulating effects of microwaves and naturally occurring antioxidant nutrients},
year = {1999},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10619446/},
}