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Neuroprotective effects of dietary supplement Kang-fu-ling against high-power microwave through antioxidant action.

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Hu S, Peng R, Wang C, Wang S, Gao Y, Dong J, Zhou H, Su Z, Qiao S, Zhang S, Wang L, Wen X. · 2014

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High-power microwave radiation damaged rat brains and memory, but antioxidant supplementation provided significant protection against this EMF-induced harm.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to high-power microwave radiation for 15 minutes daily over two weeks and found it caused memory problems and brain damage. However, when they gave the rats a dietary supplement called Kang-fu-ling (KFL), it protected their brains by reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules). This suggests that certain antioxidant compounds might help shield the brain from microwave radiation damage.

Why This Matters

This study provides compelling evidence that microwave radiation can cause measurable brain damage through oxidative stress pathways. The 30 mW/cm² exposure level used here is significantly higher than typical consumer devices but within ranges that military personnel or industrial workers might encounter. What makes this research particularly significant is that it demonstrates both the biological mechanism of EMF brain damage and a potential protective intervention. The fact that a natural antioxidant supplement could reverse memory loss and brain tissue damage suggests that EMF-induced oxidative stress is a key pathway of harm. This adds to the growing body of evidence showing that EMF exposure creates cellular stress that our bodies' natural defenses may not adequately handle, particularly with repeated exposure.

Exposure Details

Power Density
30 µW/m²
Exposure Duration
15 minutes for 14 days

Exposure Context

This study used 30 µW/m² for radio frequency:

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: 30 µW/m²Extreme Concern1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit10M uW/m2Effects observed in the Severe Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 333,333x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

This study aimed to evaluate the potential protective effects of KFL on cognitive deficit induced by high-power microwave (HPM) and the underlying mechanism for this neuroprotection.

The electron spin resonance technique was employed to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity ...

KFL reversed HPM-induced memory loss and the histopathological changes in hippocampus of rats. In ad...

In summary, the dietary supplement KFL is a promising natural complex, which ameliorates oxidative stress, with neuroprotective effects against HPM.

Cite This Study
Hu S, Peng R, Wang C, Wang S, Gao Y, Dong J, Zhou H, Su Z, Qiao S, Zhang S, Wang L, Wen X. (2014). Neuroprotective effects of dietary supplement Kang-fu-ling against high-power microwave through antioxidant action. Food Funct. 2014 Jul 24.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2014_neuroprotective_effects_of_dietary_1035,
  author = {Hu S and Peng R and Wang C and Wang S and Gao Y and Dong J and Zhou H and Su Z and Qiao S and Zhang S and Wang L and Wen X.},
  title = {Neuroprotective effects of dietary supplement Kang-fu-ling against high-power microwave through antioxidant action.},
  year = {2014},
  
  url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/fo/c4fo00257a},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed rats to high-power microwave radiation for 15 minutes daily over two weeks and found it caused memory problems and brain damage. However, when they gave the rats a dietary supplement called Kang-fu-ling (KFL), it protected their brains by reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules). This suggests that certain antioxidant compounds might help shield the brain from microwave radiation damage.