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An old issue and a new look: Electromagnetic hypersensitivity caused by radiations emitted by GSM mobile phones.

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Mortazavi SM, Mahbudi A, Atefi M, Bagheri Sh, Bahaedini N, Besharati A · 2011

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People claiming electromagnetic hypersensitivity cannot reliably detect cell phone radiation exposure, suggesting psychological rather than physiological causes for their symptoms.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether people who claim to be sensitive to cell phone radiation can actually detect when they're being exposed to it. They studied 20 university students who reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity, exposing them to real and fake cell phone radiation while monitoring their vital signs. Only 25% could tell the difference between real and fake exposure (no better than random chance), and their heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure showed no changes during actual radiation exposure.

Why This Matters

This study adds important evidence to the ongoing debate about electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). The reality is that while some people genuinely experience symptoms they attribute to EMF exposure, the science consistently shows they cannot reliably detect when they're actually being exposed to radiation. What this means for you is that EHS symptoms, while real and distressing for those who experience them, likely have psychological rather than physiological origins. The researchers found that where people held their phones during calls correlated with symptom severity, suggesting that proximity awareness may influence symptom reporting. This doesn't diminish the genuine distress people with EHS experience, but it does suggest that EMF reduction alone may not be the complete solution to their symptoms.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: GSM mobile phones

Study Details

As our previous study was based only on self-reported symptoms this double-blind study was designed to answer two basic questions. Firstly, are self-reported hypersensitive individuals capable of sensing whether there is a real/sham microwave exposure? Secondly, do hypersensitive patients show alterations in their biological parameters such as heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure during microwave exposure?

The study consisted of a preliminary screening phase and two subsequent complementary phases. In the...

Among self-reported symptoms reported in our previous study, in this study only problem in concentra...

Our findings clearly confirm the results obtained inother provocative studies. These data also indicate the possible role of psychological factors in electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Cite This Study
Mortazavi SM, Mahbudi A, Atefi M, Bagheri Sh, Bahaedini N, Besharati A (2011). An old issue and a new look: Electromagnetic hypersensitivity caused by radiations emitted by GSM mobile phones. Technol Health Care. 19(6):435-443, 2011.
Show BibTeX
@article{sm_2011_an_old_issue_and_2431,
  author = {Mortazavi SM and Mahbudi A and Atefi M and Bagheri Sh and Bahaedini N and Besharati A},
  title = {An old issue and a new look: Electromagnetic hypersensitivity caused by radiations emitted by GSM mobile phones.},
  year = {2011},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22129944/},
}
PubMed: 22129944

Cited By (37 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Only 25% of university students claiming electromagnetic hypersensitivity could distinguish between real and fake GSM phone radiation exposure in a 2011 study. This detection rate is no better than random chance, suggesting people cannot reliably sense when they're being exposed to cell phone radiation.
No, GSM mobile phone radiation does not change heart rate, breathing, or blood pressure in people claiming electromagnetic sensitivity. A 2011 study using intensive care monitors found no statistically significant differences in vital signs during real versus fake radiation exposure.
Concentration problems and lower back pain showed significant associations with mobile phone use in electromagnetically sensitive students. The study found a strong correlation between where people hold their phone during calls and their overall symptom severity scores.
Research suggests psychological factors play a significant role in electromagnetic hypersensitivity symptoms. A 2011 GSM study found that people claiming sensitivity couldn't detect actual radiation exposure and showed no physiological changes during real exposure, supporting psychological explanations.
Provocative studies consistently show that people claiming electromagnetic sensitivity cannot reliably detect EMF exposure. The 2011 GSM phone study confirmed previous research findings, with only 25% detection accuracy among self-reported sensitive individuals, matching random chance expectations.