Physiological changes in rats after exposure to low levels of microwaves.
Ray S, Behari J · 1990
View Original AbstractLow-level microwave exposure triggered stress responses in rats, causing reduced appetite and altered organ function at power levels comparable to some wireless devices.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to low-level microwave radiation (7.5 GHz) for 3 hours daily over 60 days and found significant physiological changes. The exposed animals ate and drank less, gained less weight, and showed altered blood parameters and organ weights compared to unexposed controls. The scientists concluded these changes represented a stress response triggered by microwave exposure affecting the central nervous system.
Why This Matters
This 1990 study demonstrates that even relatively low-level microwave exposure can trigger measurable physiological stress responses in living organisms. The power density used (0.6 mW/cm2) is within the range of some everyday wireless devices, though the specific frequency and modulation pattern differ from typical consumer electronics. What makes this research particularly significant is that it shows systemic effects throughout the body - not just localized heating - suggesting that EMF exposure can influence fundamental biological processes through the nervous system. The study's finding of reduced food and water intake, along with altered organ weights and blood parameters, points to EMF acting as a biological stressor that the body must work to compensate for over time.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0.6 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 7.5-GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 3 h daily for 60 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.6 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 60Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 1Mx 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 effects of exposure to sublethal levels of microwaves were studied.
Young albino rats of both sexes were exposed for 60 days to 7.5-GHz microwaves (1.0-KHz square wave ...
It was found that the animals exposed to microwaves tended to eat and drink less and thus showed a s...
Show BibTeX
@article{s_1990_physiological_changes_in_rats_1290,
author = {Ray S and Behari J},
title = {Physiological changes in rats after exposure to low levels of microwaves.},
year = {1990},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2389006/},
}