Change of nitric oxide concentration in men exposed to a 1.5 T constant magnetic field
Sirmatel O, Sert C, Tümer C, Oztürk A, Bilgin M, Ziylan Z · 2007
View Original AbstractBrief exposure to strong magnetic fields from MRI machines measurably alters nitric oxide levels in healthy men.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 33 healthy young men to the strong magnetic field from an MRI machine (1.5 Tesla) for 30 minutes and measured changes in nitric oxide, a molecule that helps regulate blood flow and cellular function. They found that nitric oxide levels increased significantly after the magnetic field exposure compared to before. This suggests that even brief exposure to strong magnetic fields can trigger measurable biological changes in the body.
Why This Matters
This study provides clear evidence that magnetic field exposure creates immediate biological effects in humans, even from medical devices we consider safe. The 1.5 Tesla field strength used here is thousands of times stronger than typical household magnetic field exposures, which rarely exceed a few milligauss. However, the fact that a 30-minute exposure produced measurable changes in nitric oxide levels demonstrates that our bodies do respond to magnetic fields in quantifiable ways. What makes this research particularly significant is that it measured direct biological changes in healthy volunteers, not just laboratory cells or animals. The increase in nitric oxide could indicate the body's attempt to counteract stress from the magnetic field exposure, though the long-term implications remain unclear. While MRI scans are generally considered medically necessary when prescribed, this study reminds us that no electromagnetic exposure is truly without biological effect.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 1500 mG
- Exposure Duration
- 30 min
Exposure Context
This study used 1500 mG for magnetic fields:
- 75Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 15Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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
To study the change of nitric oxide concentration in men exposed to a 1.5 T constant magnetic field.
This study was carried out in order to determine nitric oxide (NO) production immediately after a 1....
Total nitrite concentration in post-magnetic field samples was found to be higher than in pre-magnet...
Show BibTeX
@article{o_2007_change_of_nitric_oxide_465,
author = {Sirmatel O and Sert C and Tümer C and Oztürk A and Bilgin M and Ziylan Z},
title = {Change of nitric oxide concentration in men exposed to a 1.5 T constant magnetic field},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1002/bem.20281},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20281},
}