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Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system

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Spichtig S, Scholkmann F, Chin L, Lehmann H, Wolf M · 2012

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3G radiation caused measurable brain blood flow changes within 80 seconds at levels typical of cell phone use.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swiss researchers measured brain blood flow in 16 people exposed to 3G cell phone radiation. Even low-level exposure increased blood oxygen levels within 80 seconds, while higher levels also raised heart rate. The changes were small but measurable, showing cell phones can alter brain circulation.

Why This Matters

This study stands out because it captured EMF effects in real-time during actual exposure, eliminating the guesswork that plagues much EMF research. The researchers used SAR levels of 0.18 and 1.8 W/kg, which bracket typical cell phone exposures (the FCC limit is 1.6 W/kg). What's particularly noteworthy is that effects occurred at the lower exposure level, well below regulatory limits. The fact that researchers detected measurable changes in brain blood flow within 80 seconds demonstrates how quickly our biology responds to radiofrequency radiation. While the study authors characterized these as 'small' effects, any measurable biological change from EMF exposure challenges the prevailing assumption that non-thermal effects don't exist. The reality is that your brain's blood circulation responds immediately when you hold a phone to your head, and this Swiss research provides the real-time evidence to prove it.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.18, 1.8 W/kg
Source/Device
UMTS-EMF

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.18, 1.8 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 9x higher than this level

Study Details

The aim of the present study was to assess the potential effects of intermittent Universal Mobile Telecommunications System electromagnetic fields (UMTS‐EMF) on blood circulation in the human head (auditory region) using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on two different timescales: short‐term (effects occurring within 80 s) and medium‐term (effects occurring within 80 s to 30 min).

For the first time, we measured potential immediate effects of UMTS‐EMF in real‐time without any int...

During exposure to 0.18 W/kg, we found a significant short‐term increase in Δ[O2Hb] and Δ[tHb], whic...

Our results suggest that intermittent exposure to UMTS‐EMF has small short‐ and medium‐term effects on cerebral blood circulation and HR

Cite This Study
Spichtig S, Scholkmann F, Chin L, Lehmann H, Wolf M (2012). Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system Bioelectromagnetics. 33(1):40-54, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2012_assessment_of_intermittent_umts_191,
  author = {Spichtig S and Scholkmann F and Chin L and Lehmann H and Wolf M},
  title = {Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system},
  year = {2012},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20682},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20682},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20682

Cited By (18 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, Swiss researchers found that 3G UMTS radiation at 0.18 W/kg increased brain blood oxygen levels within 80 seconds in 16 participants. The changes were small but measurable, demonstrating that cell phone radiation can alter cerebral blood circulation even at low exposure levels.
Brain blood flow changes occur within 80 seconds of UMTS exposure according to a 2012 study. Researchers detected increased blood oxygen levels in the auditory brain region almost immediately after 3G radiation exposure began, showing rapid biological responses to electromagnetic fields.
Yes, exposure to 1.8 W/kg UMTS radiation significantly increased heart rate by 1.84 beats per minute compared to sham exposure. This finding from Swiss researchers shows that higher levels of 3G radiation can affect cardiovascular function beyond just brain circulation.
UMTS radiation at 0.18 W/kg caused measurable increases in brain blood oxygen and total hemoglobin levels. This low SAR level is well below safety limits, yet still produced detectable changes in cerebral blood circulation within the auditory brain region.
The study found short and medium-term effects on brain blood circulation from UMTS exposure, but didn't assess long-term or permanent changes. The observed alterations in blood oxygen levels were small and within the range of normal physiological fluctuations.