Mobile phone use, blood lead levels, and attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms in children: a longitudinal study.
Byun YH, Ha M, Kwon HJ, Hong YC, Leem JH, Sakong J, Kim SY, Lee CG, Kang D, Choi HD, Kim N. · 2013
View Original AbstractMobile phone use combined with lead exposure significantly increases ADHD symptoms in children, suggesting multiple toxins amplify brain development risks.
Plain English Summary
Researchers followed 2,422 Korean children for two years to study whether mobile phone use affects ADHD symptoms. They found that children who used mobile phones for voice calls showed increased ADHD symptoms, but only when they also had high levels of lead in their blood. This suggests that exposure to both lead and phone radiation together may worsen attention problems in children.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning interaction between two common childhood exposures: radiofrequency radiation from mobile phones and environmental lead. While neither exposure alone showed strong effects, the combination significantly increased ADHD symptom risk. This finding matters because it demonstrates how multiple environmental toxins can work together to harm developing brains. The research adds to growing evidence that children's developing nervous systems are particularly vulnerable to RF radiation exposure. What this means for you: children with any lead exposure (which remains common despite regulations) may face amplified risks from mobile phone use. The study's longitudinal design strengthens its credibility, following the same children over time rather than taking a single snapshot.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) considering the modifying effect of lead exposure.
A total of 2,422 children at 27 elementary schools in 10 Korean cities were examined and followed up...
The ADHD symptom risk associated with mobile phone use for voice calls but the association was limit...
The results suggest that simultaneous exposure to lead and RF from mobile phone use was associated with increased ADHD symptom risk, although possible reverse causality could not be ruled out.
Show BibTeX
@article{yh_2013_mobile_phone_use_blood_1939,
author = {Byun YH and Ha M and Kwon HJ and Hong YC and Leem JH and Sakong J and Kim SY and Lee CG and Kang D and Choi HD and Kim N.},
title = {Mobile phone use, blood lead levels, and attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms in children: a longitudinal study.},
year = {2013},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059742},
}