Browse 3,138 peer-reviewed studies on electromagnetic field health effects from the BioInitiative Report database.
Showing 1,359 studies (Human Studies)
Szyjkowska A et al. · 2005
Polish researchers surveyed 117 university students about their health symptoms and mobile phone use habits. They found that 70% reported headaches and 56% had concentration problems, though most students didn't connect these symptoms to their phone use. The most commonly recognized phone-related symptom was a warming sensation in and around the ear, reported by 28% of participants.
Wallin MK, Marve T, Hakansson PK. · 2005
Researchers tested whether modern wireless technologies (GPRS, UMTS/3G, and WiFi) interfere with critical medical equipment in hospitals. They found that GPRS signals caused an older infusion pump to stop working at 50 centimeters distance and interfered with 10 device displays, while UMTS and WiFi caused minimal problems. The study suggests these wireless technologies can be used safely in hospitals with proper distance precautions.
van Wyk MJ, Bingle M, Meyer FJ. · 2005
Researchers studied how to accurately calculate SAR (specific absorption rate, a measure of energy absorbed by the body) when people work very close to cell tower antennas. They found that when a person is within 300 millimeters (about 12 inches) of a base station antenna, the human body actually changes how the antenna behaves, requiring more detailed modeling to get accurate safety calculations. This research helps establish proper safety zones for workers who maintain cell towers.
Meo SA, Al-Drees AM · 2005
Saudi researchers surveyed 873 mobile phone users to investigate whether phone use was linked to hearing and vision problems. They found that over one-third (34.59%) of users reported hearing-related issues like impaired hearing, ear pain, or warmth in the ear, while 5% experienced vision problems like blurred or decreased vision. The study suggests that mobile phone use may be a health risk factor that requires greater public awareness.
Martinez-Burdalo M, Martin A, Anguiano M, Villar R · 2005
Spanish researchers tested whether current safety guidelines adequately protect people near cell tower antennas at three common frequencies (900, 1800, and 2170 MHz). Using computer models of human bodies placed at various distances from antennas, they found that meeting field strength limits doesn't always guarantee that radiation absorption (SAR) stays within safety limits. This means people could be exposed to higher-than-intended radiation levels even when towers appear to comply with regulations.
Maby E, Jeannes RL, Faucon G, Liegeois-Chauvel C, De Seze R. · 2005
French researchers studied how cell phone signals affect brain activity by measuring auditory evoked potentials (electrical brain responses to sounds) in both healthy volunteers and epileptic patients. They found measurable changes in brain response patterns when participants were exposed to GSM mobile phone radiation compared to no exposure. However, the researchers noted it was difficult to determine what these brain changes mean for human health.
Markova E, Hillert L, Malmgren L, Persson BR, Belyaev IY · 2005
Researchers exposed human immune cells (lymphocytes) to microwave radiation from GSM mobile phones and found that the radiation caused DNA damage markers similar to heat shock stress. The study compared cells from both healthy people and those who report electromagnetic sensitivity, finding similar responses in both groups. This suggests that mobile phone radiation can trigger cellular stress responses that indicate potential DNA damage, regardless of whether someone feels sensitive to electromagnetic fields.
Loughran SP et al. · 2005
Researchers exposed 50 people to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones for 30 minutes before bedtime and monitored their sleep patterns. They found that phone exposure shortened the time it took to enter REM (dream) sleep and altered brain wave activity during the first part of sleep. This suggests that using your phone before bed can directly change how your brain functions during sleep.
Leena K, Tomi L, Arja RR. · 2005
Finnish researchers surveyed 3,485 teenagers to examine whether heavy mobile phone use was linked to risky behaviors like smoking, drinking, and using tobacco products. They found that teens who used phones for at least one hour daily were significantly more likely to engage in these health-damaging behaviors. This suggests that intensive phone use may be part of a broader pattern of risky lifestyle choices among adolescents.
Lee S et al. · 2005
Researchers exposed human immune cells to 2.45 GHz radiofrequency radiation (the same frequency used in WiFi and microwave ovens) for 2-6 hours and found it altered the activity of hundreds of genes. After just 2 hours, 221 genes changed their expression patterns, increasing to 759 genes after 6 hours. Importantly, genes related to cell death increased their activity while genes controlling normal cell division decreased, and this happened without any heating effects.
Langer P, Holzner B, Magnet W, Kopp M. · 2005
Researchers tested how hands-free mobile phone conversations affect drivers' peripheral vision by comparing 60 people's reaction times to visual stimuli at the edge of their field of view. They found that talking on a hands-free phone while driving impaired peripheral vision to the same degree as having a blood alcohol level of 4-5 grams per 100ml (roughly equivalent to 1-2 drinks). This suggests that even hands-free phone use creates significant cognitive distraction that compromises visual awareness while driving.
Lahkola A, Salminen T, Auvinen A. · 2005
Finnish researchers examined whether people who use mobile phones are more likely to participate in brain tumor studies than non-users, which could skew results. They found that mobile phone users were indeed more likely to fully participate in the study (83% of healthy controls vs 73% of partial participants), and this participation bias made mobile phones appear less risky than they actually might be. When researchers included both full and partial participants, the association between mobile phone use and brain tumors moved closer to showing no effect.
Kilgallon SJ, Simmons LW. · 2005
Researchers studied how different visual stimuli affect sperm quality in men, while also examining lifestyle factors that influence semen. They found that men who viewed certain images had higher percentages of motile (moving) sperm in their samples. The study also confirmed that storing mobile phones close to the testicles can decrease semen quality, adding to growing evidence about EMF effects on male fertility.
Keshvari J, Lang S. · 2005
Researchers used computer models to compare how much radiofrequency energy is absorbed in children's heads versus adults' heads when exposed to cell phone frequencies. They found that differences in energy absorption depend more on individual head shape and anatomy rather than age itself. This challenges the common assumption that children automatically absorb more RF energy than adults.
Kerekhanjanarong V et al. · 2005
Researchers at Chulalongkorn University tested hearing in 98 mobile phone users, comparing the ear they typically held their phone to versus their non-phone ear. While most users showed no hearing differences between ears, the 8 people who used their phones more than 60 minutes daily had worse hearing thresholds in their phone ear compared to their non-phone ear.
Kamibeppu K, Sugiura H. · 2005
Japanese researchers surveyed 578 eighth-grade students in Tokyo to understand how mobile phones affected their friendships and behavior. They found that students who owned phones (about half the group) sent more than 10 emails daily to classmates, stayed up late messaging, and reported feeling they couldn't live without their devices. While sociable students said phones helped their friendships, many also experienced anxiety and signs of addiction-like dependence.
Jones RP, Conway DH. · 2005
British researchers tested how wireless devices affect life-support ventilators by placing mobile phones, radios, and Bluetooth devices near five different ventilator models. They found that high-powered two-way radios could completely shut down one ventilator, while mobile phones triggered false alarms on most models, though Bluetooth devices caused no interference. This matters because ventilators are critical for patient survival, and wireless interference could potentially compromise life-saving equipment in hospitals.
Ilvonen S, Sihvonen AP, Karkkainen K, Sarvas J. · 2005
Finnish researchers measured the extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields created by mobile phone batteries and calculated how these fields induce electrical currents in the human head and brain. They found that while phones do create measurable electrical currents in brain tissue from their battery operation, these exposure levels remained within international safety guidelines. The study highlights an often-overlooked source of EMF exposure from phones beyond just the radiofrequency radiation used for communication.
Hardell L, Eriksson M, Carlberg M, Sundstrom C, Mild KH. · 2005
Swedish researchers studied whether using cell phones and cordless phones increases the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. They found no increased risk for the most common type (B-cell lymphoma), but did find a potential link between phone use and a rarer form called T-cell lymphoma, particularly after five years of use. The increased risk was most pronounced for certain aggressive forms of T-cell lymphoma, with cordless phones showing the strongest association.
Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. · 2005
Swedish researchers studied 413 people with benign brain tumors and 692 healthy controls to examine whether cell phone and cordless phone use increases brain tumor risk. They found that older analog phones quadrupled the risk of acoustic neuroma (a nerve tumor affecting hearing) and doubled the risk of meningioma (a brain membrane tumor), with risks increasing dramatically after 10-15 years of use. Even digital phones showed elevated risks, suggesting long-term phone use may contribute to brain tumor development.
Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. · 2005
Swedish researchers studied 1,429 brain tumor patients and 1,470 healthy controls to see if location affected cell phone cancer risk. They found that people living in rural areas who used digital cell phones for more than 5 years had triple the brain tumor risk compared to urban users. This suggests that cell tower distance and signal strength may influence how much radiation your phone emits to reach the network.
Garcia Callejo FJ et al. · 2005
Spanish researchers followed 323 regular mobile phone users for three years, comparing their hearing to a control group of non-users. Mobile phone users showed a small but statistically significant hearing loss of 1-5 decibels in speech frequencies compared to controls. The study suggests that regular mobile phone use may contribute to gradual hearing damage, though the exact cause remains unclear.
Gandhi G, Singh P. · 2005
Researchers examined cellular damage in mobile phone users by analyzing two types of cells: lymphocytes (white blood cells) from blood samples and cells from inside the cheek. They found increased genetic damage in both cell types among mobile phone users, including more cells with damaged DNA structures (micronuclei) and abnormal chromosome changes that indicate the body's genetic material is being harmed.
Fejes I et al. · 2005
Researchers at the University of Szeged studied 371 men to examine whether cell phone use affects sperm quality. They found that men who used their phones more frequently and for longer periods had significantly slower-swimming sperm, with heavy users showing 48.7% fast-swimming sperm compared to 40.6% in light users. This matters because sperm motility (swimming ability) is crucial for male fertility.
Curcio G et al. · 2005
Italian researchers used EEG brain scans to measure how cell phone radiation affects brain activity in 20 healthy people during rest. They found that exposure to typical mobile phone signals (902.40 MHz) altered brain wave patterns in the alpha frequency band, with stronger effects when the phone signal was active during brain recording versus before it. This demonstrates that cell phone radiation can measurably change normal brain function, even when you're not actively using the phone.