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Monday, May 12, 2025

Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields:
Thirty years of research
The preponderance of
peer-reviewed research published since 1990 has found significant adverse
effects from exposure to radio frequency radiation and extremely low
frequency and static electromagnetic fields.
Dr. Henry Lai, Professor
Emeritus at the University of Washington, Editor Emeritus of the journal, Electromagnetic
Biology and Medicine, and an emeritus member of the International
Commission on the Biological Effects of EMF, has compiled
summaries of the research on the biological effects of exposure to radio
frequency (RFR) and extremely low frequency (ELF) and static electromagnetic
fields (EMF). His set of abstracts which covers the period from 1990 through
April 2025 constitutes a comprehensive collection of the peer-reviewed
research.
Dr. Lai reports that the
preponderance of research has found that exposure to RFR or ELF EMF produces
oxidative effects or free radicals, and damages DNA. Moreover the preponderance
of studies that examined genetic, neurological and reproductive outcomes has
found significant effects. Among hundreds of studies of RFR, 72% to 89%
reported significant effects. Among hundreds of studies of ELF and static fields,
77% to 91% reported significant effects.
According to Dr.
Lai, 242 low-intensity (SAR < 0.40 W/kg) radiofrequency
radiation (RFR) exposure studies published since 1990 reported significant
effects: "This means that biological systems are very sensitive to
RFR." Moreover, "It is clear that the current RFR
exposure guidelines are not valid in the protection of the health
detrimental effects of RFR."
The entire collection
contains more than 2,500 studies. The abstracts for these studies can
be downloaded by clicking on the links below.
In 2011,
the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health
Organization classified radio frequency radiation “possibly
carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B). The IARC had planned to review RFR again by
2024 because most peer-reviewed studies published in the past decade found
significant evidence that RFR causes genotoxicity; however this review has been
postponed. IARC is likely to re-classify RFR to either "probably
carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) or "carcinogenic to
humans" (Group 1) if IARC convenes EMF experts who have no conflicts
of interest.
In 2025, a systematic review of animal carcinogenicity studies commissioned by the World Health
Organization concluded with "high certainty" that chronic exposure to
RFR causes cancer in the brain and in the heart.
Cell phones and other wireless devices also produce static and extremely low
frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields. ELF was classified by the IARC
as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) a decade before RFR
received this classification.
Summary of
Results (Last major update: May 12, 2025)
Radio frequency radiation (RFR)
89% (n=359) of 407 RFR oxidative effects (or free
radical) studies published since 1997 reported significant effects including
97% (n=99) of 102 studies with a SAR (specific absorption rate) ≤ 0.40 watts per kilogram (which is ten times less than
the 4.0 W/kg threshold of harm that the FCC and the ICNIRP use to base their
RFR exposure limits).
72% (n=366) of 511 RFR genetic effects studies published since
1990 reported significant effects including 80% (n=137) of 170 studies of
gene expression.
78% (n=373) of 480 RFR neurological studies published since 2007
reported significant effects.
85% (n=324) of 380 RFR
reproduction and development studies published since 1990 reported
significant effects. Among the low-intensity exposure studies that
reported significant effects, 62 studies used an exposure with a SAR ≤ 0.40
W/kg and 43 studies had a SAR ≤ 0.08 W/kg.
242 RFR low-intensity
exposure studies (SAR < 0.40 W/kg) published since 1990 reported
significant effects.
Extremely low
frequency (ELF) and static electromagnetic fields
90% (n=303) of 332
ELF/static EMF oxidative effects (or free radical) studies published since
1990 reported significant effects.
84% (n=318) of 378 ELF/static EMF genetic effects
studies published since 1990 reported significant
effects including 95% (n=199) of 210 studies of gene expression.
91% (n=338) of 370 ELF/static EMF neurological studies published
since 2007 reported significant effects.
77% (n=75) of 98 ELF/static
EMF reproduction and development studies published since
1990 reported significant effects.
Links to download
each set of abstracts
RFR = radio frequency electromagnetic fields
ELF = extremely low frequency or
static electromagnetic fields
RFR Oxidative Effects studies
RFR Genetic Effects studies
RFR Gene Expression studies
RFR Neurological Effects studies
RFR Reproduction / Development
studies
Studies of biological effects in
animals & plants exposed to low intensity RFR (SAR < 0.4 W/kg)
ELF Oxidative Effects studies
ELF Genetic Effects studies
ELF Neurological Effects studies
ELF Reproduction studies
List of static / ELF low intensity studies that found effects
Intermediate Frequency studie
--
Feb 4, 2023
(Updated October 4, 2024)
Effects of
Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure on Free Radical-Related Cellular Processes
(332 studies)
Dr. Henry Lai,
Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioengineering, University of
Washington
This document
contains abstracts for 383 studies published since 1997 that assessed the
effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on free radical-related
cellular processes.
See pages
215-250 for a table that summarizes key details about each study.
Summary
1. Of the 383
studies published from 1997- October 2024, 340 (89%) studies reported
significant effects; 43 (11%) studies found no significant effects.
2. Change in
cellular free radical status is a consistent effect of
radiofrequency radiation.
3. Effects
can occur at low specific absorption rates (SAR) (<0.4 W/kg) of
exposure. See 98 studies marked LI for low intensity, 94 (96%) low intensity
studies found effects.
4. Effects have been reported at different
frequencies, exposure duration, and modulations, and in many different
biological systems, cell lines, and animal species. These data support the assertion that “Radiofrequency radiation
affects cellular free radical processes.”
5. Most of
the studies are live animal (in vivo) studies with long-term
exposure, e.g., daily exposure up to months.
6. Some
studies used mobile phones or RFR-emitting devices for exposure
(see Table, pp. 215-250). The SAR and characteristics of RFR in these studies
are not well defined. However, these studies should not be overlooked
because they represent real-life exposure scenarios. Waveform modulations of radiofrequency radiation during wireless
communication usage probably play an important role in biological effects.
They are not revealed in studies that used a simple form of
radiation (e.g., continuous-wave or GSM) and spatially uniform fields. Researchers
in bioelectromagnetics should realize that the perfect RFR exposure system
simulating real life exposures simply does not exist.
Click on the following link to download the 250-page document
(pdf): Link
Source: https://www.saferemr.com/2018/02/effects-of-exposure-to-electromagnetic.html