Of 274 studies examining immune system, 77% found measurable biological effects from EMF exposure.
Research found effects on immune system at exposures as low as:
When 106 out of 129 studies (82.2%) document immune system effects from electromagnetic field exposure, we're looking at one of the most consistently demonstrated biological impacts of EMF. The science demonstrates that your body's natural defense system responds to wireless radiation in ways that can compromise your ability to fight infections, heal from injuries, and maintain optimal health.
While we don't yet have as many studies specifically examining EMF effects on immune function as we do for other biological systems, the evidence that does exist points to concerning patterns.
Importantly, many effects occur at exposure levels below those causing significant body temperature increases, with some studies showing responses at specific absorption rates as low as 0.14 W/kg.
Source: BioInitiative Working Group. BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for Biologically-based Public Exposure Standards for Electromagnetic Radiation. Edited by Cindy Sage and David O. Carpenter, BioInitiative, 2012, updated 2020. www.bioinitiative.org
Showing 274 studies
Trosic I, Busljeta I, Modlic B. · 2004
Researchers exposed rats to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (WiFi frequency) for 2 hours daily and found increased genetic damage in bone marrow cells after 15 days. This suggests chronic exposure to common wireless device frequencies may harm blood-producing cells.
Gatta L et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed mice to cell phone radiation (900 MHz GSM) for 2 hours daily over 1-4 weeks to see if it would affect their immune system cells in the spleen. They found no significant changes in the numbers or types of immune cells, and the cells responded normally when stimulated. The study concluded that cell phone radiation at these levels is unlikely to cause clinically relevant immune system problems.
Anane R et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a laboratory model of multiple sclerosis, to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 2 hours daily over 21 days. The study found no effect of the radiation exposure on the onset, duration, or severity of the autoimmune disease symptoms. This suggests that short-term cell phone radiation exposure may not worsen multiple sclerosis-like conditions, though longer-term effects remain unknown.
McNamee et al. · 2003
Canadian researchers exposed human white blood cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation for 24 hours at levels ranging from 0 to 10 W/kg (a range that includes typical cell phone exposure levels). They found no evidence of DNA damage or genetic harm using two different laboratory tests that measure cellular damage. This study suggests that extended RF exposure at these levels does not cause detectable genetic damage to human blood cells under controlled laboratory conditions.
Seishima M, Oyama Z, Oda M · 2003
Japanese researchers studied 8 patients who developed skin rashes after using cell phones for 9-25 days. All patients tested positive for chromate allergy, a metal used in phone plating that caused contact dermatitis (allergic skin reactions) on their ears and cheeks where the phone touched their skin. This demonstrates that cell phone materials themselves can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Kimata H. · 2003
Researchers studied how mobile phone ringing and video game playing affected allergic reactions in people with eczema compared to healthy individuals. They found that both activities significantly worsened allergic skin reactions and increased stress-related chemicals in the blood, but only in patients with atopic eczema. This suggests that electromagnetic stress from technology may specifically aggravate symptoms in people who already have compromised immune systems.
Nakamura H et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to cell phone-frequency radiation at different power levels. At higher exposure levels, the microwaves caused harmful effects on blood flow and hormones that heating alone did not produce, suggesting radiation has biological effects beyond just tissue heating.
Dabrowski MP et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed immune cells from 16 healthy people to low-level cell phone radiation (1300 MHz) and found significant changes in immune system function. The radiation increased production of inflammatory molecules (IL-1β and IL-10) while decreasing protective factors, essentially pushing the immune system toward a more inflammatory state. These changes occurred at radiation levels similar to what you might experience from cell phone use.
Gapeev AB et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed mice to 42 GHz radiation (5G-like frequencies) for 20 minutes and found DNA changes in immune cells within 3 hours. Different immune organs showed opposite effects - some increased damage markers while others decreased them, suggesting complex immune system impacts.
Dabrowski MP et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed immune cells from healthy volunteers to pulse-modulated 1300 MHz microwave radiation at levels similar to cell phone emissions. The radiation significantly altered immune cell function, increasing production of inflammatory molecules and changing how immune cells communicate with each other. This suggests that even low-level microwave exposure can disrupt normal immune system operations.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Canadian researchers exposed human white blood cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone frequencies) for 2 hours at various power levels up to 10 W/kg. They found no DNA damage in the cells compared to unexposed controls, using two different laboratory tests to detect genetic harm. This study suggests that short-term RF exposure at these levels does not cause immediate DNA breaks in immune cells.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Researchers exposed human white blood cells to cell phone radiation (1.9 GHz) for 2 hours at various power levels to see if it would damage DNA or cause genetic abnormalities. They found no evidence of DNA damage or genetic changes at any exposure level tested, including levels 5 times higher than typical cell phone use. This Canadian government study suggests that short-term radiofrequency exposure may not directly harm genetic material in immune cells.
McNamee JP et al. · 2002
Canadian researchers exposed human white blood cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone signals) for 2 hours at various power levels up to 10 W/kg. They found no evidence of DNA damage using two different laboratory tests that measure genetic harm. This suggests that short-term exposure to this type of RF radiation at these levels does not break DNA strands in immune cells.
Kimata H. · 2002
Researchers tested whether mobile phone radiation affects allergic skin reactions in people with atopic dermatitis (a chronic inflammatory skin condition). They found that microwave radiation from mobile phones made allergic reactions to common allergens like dust mites and pollen significantly worse, while also increasing levels of inflammatory substances in the blood. This suggests that phone radiation may amplify existing allergic responses in people with sensitive skin conditions.
Tice RR, Hook GG, Donner M, McRee DI, Guy AW. · 2002
Researchers exposed human blood cells to cell phone radiation from different technologies (CDMA, TDMA, GSM) at various power levels for 3 or 24 hours. They found that 24-hour exposures at higher power levels (5-10 W/kg) caused a four-fold increase in chromosomal damage across all phone technologies tested. This suggests that prolonged exposure to cell phone radiation can damage the genetic material in human immune cells.
Natarajan M, Vijayalaxmi , Szilagyi M, Roldan FN, Meltz ML · 2002
Researchers exposed human immune cells called monocytes to high-powered pulsed microwave radiation at 8.2 GHz for 90 minutes and measured changes in their cellular activity. They found that the radiation triggered a 3.6-fold increase in the activity of NF-κB, a crucial protein that controls genes involved in inflammation, immune responses, and cell survival. This demonstrates that microwave radiation can activate important cellular signaling pathways that regulate long-term cellular functions.
Kolomytseva MP, Gapeev AB, Sadovnikov VB, Chemeris NK. · 2002
Russian scientists exposed mice to 42 GHz radiation for 20 minutes daily and found it suppressed infection-fighting white blood cells by 50% after just one exposure. Five days of exposure increased total white blood cell count by 44%, suggesting millimeter waves disrupt immune function.
Kolomytseva MP, Gapeev AB, Sadovnikov VB, Chemeris NK. · 2002
Researchers exposed mice to low-power millimeter wave radiation (42 GHz) for 20 minutes daily. The radiation suppressed immune cell function by 50% within hours and altered white blood cell counts after five days, suggesting brief exposures can compromise immune system defenses.
d'Ambrosio G, MassaR, Scarfi MR, Zeni O · 2002
Researchers exposed human immune cells to cell phone radiation for 15 minutes. Continuous waves caused no DNA damage, but phase-modulated signals (like those in GSM phones) caused significant genetic damage through broken chromosome fragments, suggesting how phones encode information affects DNA harm.
Jajte J, Grzegorczyk J, Zmyślony M, Rajkowska E. · 2002
Polish researchers exposed rat immune cells (lymphocytes) to a 7 milliTesla static magnetic field for 3 hours, both with and without iron particles present. While the magnetic field alone caused no harm, the combination of magnetic field plus iron significantly increased cell death and oxidative damage. This suggests that magnetic fields may become harmful when they interact with metals in our bodies.
Vijayalaxmi et al. · 2001
Researchers exposed human blood cells to cell phone radiation at 847.74 MHz for 24 hours to see if it would damage DNA or cause chromosome breaks. They found no significant genetic damage compared to unexposed cells, even at high exposure levels (4.9-5.5 W/kg SAR). This suggests that this particular frequency and exposure duration may not directly harm cellular DNA.
Vijayalaxmi et al. · 2001
Researchers exposed human blood cells to cell phone radiation at 835.62 MHz for 24 hours to see if it caused DNA damage. They found no increase in chromosomal breaks or other genetic damage markers compared to unexposed cells, even at high exposure levels. This suggests that this specific type of cell phone radiation may not directly damage DNA in blood cells under laboratory conditions.
Maes A, Collier M, Verschaeve L · 2001
Researchers exposed human immune cells (lymphocytes) to 900 MHz cell phone radiation at various power levels to see if it caused DNA damage or made cells more vulnerable to other harmful substances. They found no evidence that this type of radiofrequency radiation damaged chromosomes or increased genetic damage when combined with known cancer-causing chemicals or X-rays.
Dabrowski MP, Stankiewicz W, Sobiczewska E, Szmigielski S. · 2001
Polish researchers reviewed existing literature and conducted their own experiments to examine how radio and microwave frequency electromagnetic fields affect the immune system. They found evidence that these low-energy EMF exposures can influence immune function, affecting the body's ability to defend itself, regulate immune responses, and heal from damage. The researchers concluded that more comprehensive studies are urgently needed given the rapid spread of wireless devices in our environment.
Fabbro-Peray P, Daures JP, Rossi JF. · 2001
French researchers studied 445 people with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (a blood cancer) and 1,025 healthy controls to identify environmental risk factors. They found that working as a radio operator increased lymphoma risk by 210% compared to other occupations, alongside other factors like chemical exposure and welding. This suggests that occupational electromagnetic radiation exposure may contribute to this serious blood cancer.
For a comprehensive exploration of EMF health effects including immune system, along with practical protection strategies, explore these books by R Blank and Dr. Martin Blank.
