Exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation induces oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA in primary cultured neurons.
Xu S, Zhou Z, Zhang L, Yu Z, Zhang W, Wang Y, Wang X, Li M, Chen Y, Chen C, He M, Zhang G, Zhong M. · 2010
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation at legal exposure limits damaged brain cell DNA within 24 hours, potentially explaining how wireless devices affect neurological function.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed brain neurons to cell phone radiation (1800 MHz) for 24 hours and found it damaged mitochondrial DNA-the genetic material in cells' energy centers. The radiation created harmful molecules that reduced neurons' ability to produce energy, suggesting potential cellular harm from prolonged exposure.
Why This Matters
This study provides direct evidence that cell phone radiation can damage the genetic material inside neurons at exposure levels comparable to what your brain experiences during phone calls. The 2 W/kg SAR level used here is the legal limit for cell phones in many countries, making these findings immediately relevant to everyday exposure. What makes this research particularly significant is that it identifies a specific biological mechanism - oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA - that could explain how RF radiation affects brain function. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, and when their DNA is damaged, cells struggle to produce energy efficiently. The fact that melatonin prevented this damage confirms that antioxidants can offer some protection, but the real takeaway is that we shouldn't need to rely on supplements to protect ourselves from technology we use daily.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 2 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 1800 MHz modulated by 217 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 24 h
Exposure Context
This study used 2 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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 purpose of this study was to determine whether radiofrequency radiation can cause oxidative damage to mtDNA
In this study, we exposed primary cultured cortical neurons to pulsed RF electromagnetic fields at a...
At 24 h after exposure, we found that RF radiation induced a significant increase in the levels of 8...
Together, these results suggested that 1800 MHz RF radiation could cause oxidative damage to mtDNA in primary cultured neurons. Oxidative damage to mtDNA may account for the neurotoxicity of RF radiation in the brain.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2010_exposure_to_1800_mhz_579,
author = {Xu S and Zhou Z and Zhang L and Yu Z and Zhang W and Wang Y and Wang X and Li M and Chen Y and Chen C and He M and Zhang G and Zhong M.},
title = {Exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation induces oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA in primary cultured neurons.},
year = {2010},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19879861/},
}