Neuroprotective effects of dietary supplement Kang-fu-ling against high-power microwave through antioxidant action
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
View Original AbstractMicrowave radiation caused brain damage and memory loss in rats within 15 minutes, but antioxidant supplementation provided protection.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to high-power microwave radiation for 15 minutes and found it caused memory problems and brain damage. However, when rats were given a dietary supplement called Kang-fu-ling for two weeks, it protected their brains from this microwave-induced damage by reducing harmful oxidative stress (cellular damage from free radicals). This suggests certain antioxidant compounds might help protect the brain from microwave radiation effects.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something significant: microwave radiation at 30 mW/cm² can cause measurable cognitive deficits and brain damage in just 15 minutes of exposure. While this power density is higher than typical cell phone emissions (which range from 0.1-2 mW/cm²), it's within the range of some wireless devices and occupational exposures. What's particularly noteworthy is that the damage occurred through oxidative stress - the same mechanism linked to EMF effects in hundreds of other studies. The protective effect of antioxidants reinforces what the science has been telling us: EMF exposure creates cellular stress that our bodies struggle to handle. You don't have to wait for regulators to act on this evidence. The reality is that while we can't always avoid EMF exposure, understanding how it damages our cells through oxidative stress gives us insight into potential protective strategies.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 21 W/kg
- Power Density
- 30 µW/m²
- Exposure Duration
- 15 minutes
Exposure Context
This study used 30 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 3,000Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 50Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 21 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 52.5x 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
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.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2014_neuroprotective_effects_of_dietary_108,
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/unauth#!divAbstract},
}