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Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats

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Kumar S, Jain S, Behari J, Avelev VD, Mathur R. · 2010

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Specific magnetic field therapy restored normal eating and weight in paralyzed rats, showing EMFs can have therapeutic effects under controlled conditions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed paralyzed rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields for two hours daily over eight weeks. The treatment restored normal eating, drinking, and weight gain that had been disrupted by spinal cord injuries, suggesting magnetic field therapy might help certain neurological conditions.

Why This Matters

This study presents an intriguing finding that challenges the typical narrative around EMF health effects. While most EMF research focuses on potential harm from everyday exposures, this work demonstrates that specific magnetic field parameters may actually provide therapeutic benefits for serious neurological injuries. The 50 Hz frequency used matches standard electrical grid frequency, though the field strength of 17.9 Tesla is extraordinarily high - far beyond anything you'd encounter in daily life. What makes this research particularly noteworthy is that it shows EMFs can influence fundamental biological processes like appetite and metabolism through the nervous system. The science demonstrates that electromagnetic fields are not inherently good or bad - their biological effects depend entirely on the specific parameters of exposure, including frequency, intensity, duration, and timing.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.0179 mG
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
2h/d × 8 weeks

Exposure Context

This study used 0.0179 mG for magnetic fields:

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 Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.0179 mGExtreme Concern5 mGFCC Limit2,000 mGEffects observed in the No Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 111,732x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

To study the effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats

Chronic (2h/d × 8 weeks) exposure to magnetic field (MF; 50 Hz, 17.9 T) in complete spinal cord (T13...

The results suggest a significant beneficial effect of chronic exposure to magnetic field of paraplegic rats.

Cite This Study
Kumar S, Jain S, Behari J, Avelev VD, Mathur R. (2010). Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats Indian J Exp Biol. 48(10):982-986, 2010.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2010_effect_of_magnetic_field_269,
  author = {Kumar S and Jain S and Behari J and Avelev VD and Mathur R. },
  title = {Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats},
  year = {2010},
  
  url = {http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/10342},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed paralyzed rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields for two hours daily over eight weeks. The treatment restored normal eating, drinking, and weight gain that had been disrupted by spinal cord injuries, suggesting magnetic field therapy might help certain neurological conditions.