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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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Controlled magnetic field exposure restored eating, drinking, and weight gain in paralyzed rats, showing EMFs can have beneficial biological effects under specific conditions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats with spinal cord injuries to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (50 Hz, 17.9 microT) for 2 hours daily over 8 weeks. The magnetic field exposure restored normal food intake, water consumption, and body weight in the paralyzed rats, all of which had decreased after their spinal cord injuries. This suggests that specific magnetic field frequencies might help support basic physiological functions in spinal cord injury patients.

Why This Matters

This study presents an intriguing finding that controlled magnetic field exposure appears to restore fundamental biological functions disrupted by spinal cord injury. The exposure level of 17.9 microT is relatively low - comparable to what you might encounter near some household appliances or power lines, though the controlled frequency and duration matter significantly. What makes this research particularly noteworthy is that it demonstrates measurable physiological benefits from EMF exposure under specific conditions, contrasting with the vast majority of EMF research that focuses on potential harms. The science demonstrates that electromagnetic fields can have biological effects at relatively low intensities, whether beneficial or harmful, depending on frequency, duration, and biological context. This reinforces the reality that our bodies do respond to electromagnetic environments in measurable ways.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.0179 mG
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
2 h/d x 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 ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.0179 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 111,732x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats.

Chronic (2 h/d x 8 weeks) exposure to magnetic field (MF; 50 Hz, 17.9 microT) in complete spinal cor...

water intake (WI) and body weight (BW) which were decreased in the spinal cord injured rats.

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_667,
  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 = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21299040/},
}
PubMed: 21299040

Cited By (14 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2010 study found that exposing spinal cord injured rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields (17.9 microT) for 2 hours daily over 8 weeks restored their normal food intake, water consumption, and body weight, all of which had decreased after paralysis.
Researchers used 50 Hz magnetic fields at 17.9 microT intensity. This extremely low frequency exposure for 2 hours daily over 8 weeks successfully restored normal physiological functions in paralyzed rats, including appetite and weight maintenance.
The magnetic field treatment required 8 weeks of daily exposure. Rats received 2-hour sessions of 50 Hz magnetic field therapy each day, which gradually restored their normal food intake, water consumption, and body weight patterns.
Yes, 50 Hz magnetic field exposure at 17.9 microT restored normal body weight in spinal cord injured rats. The treatment also normalized their food and water intake, suggesting magnetic fields may support basic metabolic functions after paralysis.
Research suggests it might help. A study on paralyzed rats showed that daily 50 Hz magnetic field exposure restored normal eating and drinking behaviors that had declined after spinal cord injury, indicating potential therapeutic benefits for maintaining nutrition.