EMF Research Studies

Is the effect of mobile phone radiofrequency waves on human skin perfusion non-thermal?

Loos N et al. · 2013

The relationship between cell phone use, physical and sedentary activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of U.S. college students.

Lepp A, Barkley JE, Sanders GJ, Rebold M, Gates P. · 2013

Participants were interviewed about physical activity and cell phone use, had body composition and self-efficacy assessed, and completed a progressive treadmill test to measure peak oxygen consumption. Hierarchical regression was used to assess the relationship between cell phone use and cardiorespiratory fitness after controlling for sex, self-efficacy, and percent body fat. Cell phone use was significantly and negatively related to cardiorespiratory fitness independent of sex, self-efficacy, and percent body fat.

Replication of heart rate variability provocation study with 2.4-GHz cordless phone confirms original findings.

Havas M, Marrongelle J · 2013

This study replicated earlier research by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) responses in 69 subjects between the ages of 26 and 80 in both Canada and the USA. Subjects were exposed for 3-minute intervals to radiation generated by a 2.4-GHz cordless phone base station at 3-8 μW/cm². Based on HRV analyses, 7% of subjects were classified as "moderately to very" sensitive, 29% as "little to moderately" sensitive, and 30% as "not to little" sensitive.

Increased vascular permeability in the circumventricular organs of adult rat brain due to stimulation by extremely low frequency magnetic fields

Gutiérrez-Mercado YK et al. · 2013

Researchers used 96 Wistar male rats divided into three groups of 32 rats each: a control group, a sham group, and an experimental group exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields at 120 Hz and 0.66 mT. All animals received colloidal carbon intravenously, and capillary permeability was studied using optical and transmission electron microscopy. In the exposed group, researchers detected an increase in capillary permeability and a significant increase in vascular area, effects not seen in the control or sham groups.

Long-term (up to 20years) effects of 50-Hz magnetic field exposure on blood chemistry parameters in healthy men

Unknown authors · 2012

Researchers examined nocturnal profiles of blood parameters including electrolytes, nonprotein nitrogenous compounds, and glucose in 15 men exposed chronically to 50-Hz magnetic fields for 1 to 20 years. The exposed group had weekly geometric mean exposures ranging from 0.1 to 2.6 μT. Results were compared to 15 unexposed men of similar age with exposures ranging from 0.004 to 0.092 μT. Exposed men showed significant changes in serum sodium, chloride, phosphorus, and glucose for exposures greater than 0.3 μT. The authors concluded that long-term exposure above 0.3 μT could induce biological modifications of certain blood parameters, though clinical relevance needs further investigation.

Age-dependent magnetosensitivity of heart muscle hydration

Narinyan L et al · 2012

Researchers studied the effect of a 0.2 T static magnetic field on heart muscle hydration in young, adult, and older rats with and without ouabain poisoning. SMF exposure dehydrated heart muscle in young rats by 21% and in adult rats by 6.2%, but had no effect on older rats. In young rats without ouabain, SMF caused dehydration, while in ouabain-poisoned young rats it caused hydration of 29.6%. Providing distilled water for seven days increased hydration in older rats by 5.7% and enhanced the SMF-induced hydration effect by 12%. The authors suggest that age-related differences in magnetosensitivity are due to initial tissue hydration levels and Na+/K+ pump dysfunction.

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation on cardiovascular system of workers

Unknown authors · 2012

Researchers measured electromagnetic field intensity in two workplaces and collected health data from 188 control workers and 642 occupationally exposed workers. Electric and magnetic field intensities were significantly higher in the exposure workplaces than in the control workplace. Noise levels did not differ significantly between the two workplaces. The exposed workers showed significantly higher abnormal rates of HCY, ALT, AST, GGT, and ECG findings compared to controls. The groups did not differ in sex, age, height, or weight.

Effects of radiation emitted by WCDMA mobile phones on electromagnetic hypersensitive subjects.

Kwon MK, Choi JY, Kim SK, Yoo TK, Kim DW. · 2012

In this double-blind study, two volunteer groups of 17 EHS and 20 non-EHS subjects were simultaneously investigated for physiological changes (heart rate, heart rate variability, and respiration rate), eight subjective symptoms, and perception of RF-EMFs during real and sham exposure sessions. Experiments were conducted using a dummy phone containing a WCDMA module (average power, 24 dBm at 1950 MHz; specific absorption rate, 1.57 W/kg) within a headset placed on the head for 32 min. WCDMA RF-EMFs generated no physiological changes or subjective symptoms in either group, and there was no evidence that EHS subjects perceived RF-EMFs better than non-EHS subjects.

Effects of GSM 900 MHz on Middle Cerebral Artery Blood Flow Assessed by Transcranial Doppler Sonography.

Ghosn R et al. · 2012

Volunteers participated in a double-blind, crossover study with sham and real GSM 900 MHz mobile phone exposure sessions lasting 20 minutes each. Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity, pulsatility index, and resistance index were measured noninvasively with transcranial Doppler sonography before, during, and after exposure. No significant changes were detected in studied variables in middle cerebral arteries during sham or real exposure.

Effects of electromagnetic radiation from 3G mobile phone on heart rate, blood pressure and ECG parameters in rats.

Colak C et al. · 2012

Researchers exposed rats to 3G MP electromagnetic radiation for 20 days, 40 minutes per day, with 20 minutes in active speech position and 20 minutes in passive listening position. The results did not show significant differences in blood pressure, heart rate, or ECG parameters among the groups before or after the experiment. Melatonin did not exhibit any additional effects, neither beneficial nor hazardous, on the heart hemodynamics of rats.

Acute effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM mobile phones on subjective well-being and physiological reactions: a meta-analysis.

Augner C, Gnambs T, Winker R, Barth A. · 2012

The meta-analysis aimed to clarify whether RF-EMF influence well-being in self-reported sensitive persons and non-sensitive people. It included 17 studies with 1174 participants and combined the single effects of subjective and objective outcomes into a single population parameter. No significant impact of short-term RF-EMF exposure was found on any parameter.

The influence of 1800 MHz GSM-like signals on blood chemistry and oxidative stress in non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits.

Kismali G, Ozgur E, Guler G, Akcay A, Sel T, Seyhan N. · 2012

Researchers exposed 13-month-old New Zealand White rabbits to whole-body 1800 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency radiation for 15 minutes per day for seven days. The study used four groups: non-pregnant controls, non-pregnant exposed, pregnant controls, and pregnant exposed. Lipid peroxidation measured as malondialdehyde levels did not change after exposure. Several blood chemistry parameters including cholesterol, total protein, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, creatine kinase, and CK-MB changed due to both pregnancy and RFR exposure. No indication of oxidative stress was detected in pregnant rabbits, though CK-MB and CK increases were described as remarkable.

No effects of short‐term GSM mobile phone radiation on cerebral blood flow measured using positron emission tomography

Kwon MS et al. · 2012

Researchers investigated effects of 902.4 MHz GSM radiation on cerebral blood flow using PET with 15O-water tracer. Fifteen young healthy men were exposed to radiation at three head locations and sham exposure while performing a visual task. Exposure caused slight ear canal temperature rise but did not affect brain hemodynamics or task performance. Results showed no evidence of acute effects on cerebral blood flow.

Occupational exposure of dentists to electromagnetic fields produced by magnetostrictive cavitrons alters the serum cortisol level

Mortazavi SM et al. · 2012

Researchers conducted a case–control study with 41 dentists and dentistry students, 21 exposed to EMFs from cavitrons and 20 unexposed, collecting blood samples before work at 8:30–9:30 a.m. and after work at 11:30–12:30 a.m. and measuring serum cortisol by ELISA. Morning cortisol levels did not differ significantly between the exposed and control groups. At noon, the exposed group had significantly lower cortisol than the control group. In the exposed group, cortisol decreased significantly from morning to noon. The authors state that EMFs from magnetostrictive cavitrons can decrease serum cortisol in dentists.

Influence of Electromagnetic Radiation Produced by Mobile Phone on Some Biophysical Blood Properties in Rats.

El-Bediwi AB, Saad M, El-Kott AF, Eid E. · 2012

Researchers investigated the effects of mobile phone electromagnetic radiation on blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, hemolysis, osmotic fragility, and blood components in rats. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets were broken after exposure. Blood viscosity and plasma viscosity values increased while osmotic fragility value decreased after exposure.

Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis in radio and TV broadcasting stations workers.

Bortkiewicz A, Gadzicka E, Szymczak W, Zmyślony M. · 2012

Heart rate was higher in exposed groups than in controls. Both exposed groups showed significantly higher VLF and LF values than controls and exhibited sympathetic dominance with LF/HF ratio of 1.3 ± 0.35. The authors concluded that radiofrequency EMF exposure may affect neurovegetative regulation.

Electromagnetic energy radiated from mobile phone alters electrocardiographic records of patients with ischemic heart disease.

Alhusseiny A, Al-Nimer M, Majeed A. · 2012

Researchers studied 356 participants (129 males, 227 females) grouped into healthy subjects, patients with ischemic heart disease, and patients with other cardiac diseases. ECGs were recorded with the phone off and then on for 40 seconds of ringing at belt level and over the precordium. These changes were not observed in female patients with ischemic heart disease.

Monitoring dynamic reactions of red blood cells to UHF electromagnetic waves radiation using a novel micro-imaging technology.

Ruan P, Yong J, Shen H, Zheng X · 2012

At ultra-low power densities of 15 μW/cm(2) and 31 μW/cm(2) with exposure up to 30 minutes, the cells showed no obvious real-time responses. At higher power densities of 1 mW/cm(2) and 5 mW/cm(2), the cells exhibited significant changes in shape, size, and hemoglobin absorption spectrum parameters.

ECG changes in factory workers exposed to 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation.

Chen Q et al. · 2012

Researchers studied electrocardiogram (ECG) outcomes in 225 female workers exposed to 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation at a shoe factory, comparing them with 100 unexposed female workers from the same factory. The electric field strength the workers were exposed to averaged 64.0 ± 25.2 V/m, which exceeded the 61 V/m International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection reference level for occupational exposure. A statistical difference between the exposed and control groups was observed in the rate of sinus bradycardia, but after known cardiovascular risk factors were considered, exposure duration was not found to be an effective factor for ECG changes.

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

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

Researchers used near-infrared spectroscopy to assess potential effects of UMTS electromagnetic fields on blood circulation in the auditory region of the human head. Three different exposures (sham, 0.18 W/kg, and 1.8 W/kg) were applied in a controlled, randomized, crossover, and double-blind paradigm on 16 healthy volunteers. During exposure to 0.18 W/kg, a significant short-term increase in oxyhaemoglobin and total haemoglobin was found, described as small compared to a functional brain activation. Medium-term heart rate was significantly higher (+1.84 bpm) at 1.8 W/kg than for sham exposure, while the other parameters showed no significant effects.

Intracellular Ca(2+) levels in rat ventricle cells exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic field

Unknown authors · 2011

Trends in Wound Repair: Cellular and Molecular Basis of Regenerative Therapy Using Electromagnetic Fields

Unknown authors · 2011

The authors review cellular and molecular mechanisms of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields in tissue repair with focus on chronic wounds. The data analysis supports three main effects: anti-inflammatory via cytokine modulation, neo-angiogenic via endothelial cell proliferation and FGF-2 production, and reepithelialization via collagen formation stimulation.

A 1-uT extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field vs. sham control for mild-to-moderate hypertension: a double-blind, randomized study

Unknown authors · 2011

Evaluation of hematopoietic system effects after in vitro radiofrequency radiation exposure in rats

Unknown authors · 2011

The study found no effect on the hematopoietic system in rats exposed to 900 MHz CW RF at 2 W/kg SAR. The exposure level was the ICNIRP public exposure limit for localized SAR.

Thermal effects of mobile phone RF fields on children: a provocation study.

Lindholm H et al. · 2011

Each exposure and sham period lasted 15 minutes and took place in a climatic chamber under controlled thermoneutral conditions. They measured ear canal temperature, skin temperature at multiple sites, local cerebral blood flow via near-infrared spectroscopy, and autonomic nervous system function via ECG and continuous blood pressure. During the short-term RF exposure, local cerebral blood flow did not change, ear canal temperature did not increase significantly, and autonomic nervous system function was not interfered with.