http://articles.mercola.com:80
Radiation from cell phones is too weak to heat biological tissue or break chemical bonds in cells, but the radio waves they emit may still change cell behavior.
Scientists exposed 10 female volunteers to radiation at 900 megahertz from GSM phones to simulate an hour-long phone call.
They screened 580 different proteins in their skin cells and found that the numbers of two proteins were altered in all of the volunteers: one protein increased by 89 percent, the other decreased by 32 percent.
This study shows that even without heating, molecular level changes take place in response to exposure to cell phone frequency electromagnetic radiation.
| Dr. Mercola's Comments: |
For the first time, researchers are able to show that molecular changes do take place in your body during exposure to information-carrying radio waves, such as those from your cell phone. Similar effects have previously been found in cultured cells, but now they’re able to show that the impact on the human body is indeed the same.
So what is the physiological significance of these changes in proteins?
So far, no one knows for sure.
But I firmly believe that dismissing it as inconsequential would be a serious mistake, especially in light of ALL the data available, pointing to a wide variety of long-term health risks.
What Causes the Biological Damage?
Let me be VERY clear.
Most of the danger from most land-based portable phones, cell phones and WiFi routers is not from the thermal damage produced by these devices from which typical SAR ratings are given on phones. Unless you have massive exposures like you might expect in a microwave oven, these thermal effects are insignificant.
We believe the biological damage comes both from the modulated signals that are carried ON the carrier microwave and the carrier wave itself. However, they do their damage by two entirely different mechanisms. These modulated information-carrying radio waves resonate in biological frequencies of a few to a few hundred cycles per second, and can stimulate your cellular receptors causing a whole cascade of pathological consequences that can culminate in fatigue, anxiety and ultimately cancers.
This is a MAJOR problem because in the last few years we have had an exponential increase in exposure to these waves. It took from 1984 to 2004 to reach the first billion cell phones, the second billion took just 18 months, the third billion took only nine months, and the fourth billion just six months.
And this does not factor in any of your exposure to WiFi routers (wireless internet), which are now pervasive. Since there is a lag time of five to 20 years before many of these effects become clinically apparent, now is the time to act before you or your family suffer the damage.
You May Already Suffer the ill Effects
Numerous studies claim there is no biological impact of RF radiation within the cell phone range. This latest study punches a hole in that notion.
Additionally, researchers in different countries are finding equally disturbing results that point to far greater health implications than anyone is ready for.
Unfortunately, most people fail to correlate common symptoms and health problems to their exposure to cell phones and other radio frequencies, perhaps because these conditions can so easily be attributed to other causes as well.
Do you suffer from any of these common illnesses and ailments, which have all been scientifically linked to cell phone information-carrying radio waves?
- Alzheimer’s, senility and dementia
- Parkinson’s
- Autism
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Sleep disruptions
- Altered memory function, poor concentration and spatial awareness
Although cancer and brain tumors are most often cited as the potential health risks from cell phone radiation, as you can see, cancer is not the only, or the most common, danger that you and your children face.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
A study published in the June 2003 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives was also the first of its kind; showing that EMF’s emitted by certain mobile phones damage neurons in the brains of rats.
The cross-section on top shows the healthy brain of a control sample rat.
The bottom picture gives a clear visual of how a two-hour dose of GSM cell phone radiation, in varying intensities, impacted a test rat. The dark patches are proteins that leaked through the blood-brain barrier, causing significant neuronal damage in the cortex, hippocampus, and basal ganglia.
They used 12- to 26-week-old rats in this study because their developmental age is comparable to that of human teenagers, who are some of the heaviest users of mobile phones. Said the study authors:
Is Your Headset Making Matters Worse?"The situation of the growing brain might deserve special concern, since biological and maturational processes are particularly vulnerable. We cannot exclude that after some decades of often daily use, a whole generation of users may suffer negative effects as early as middle age."
For some time, the standard recommendation to reduce your radiation exposure was to use a headset. But, newer investigations, and the emergence of wireless earpieces (like Bluetooth), turns this idea upside down. These headsets may actually intensify your exposure to harmful radiation because the headset itself acts as an antenna, which is now inserted directly into your ear canal.
Testing has indicated that your cell phone headset may actually raise the amount of radiation emitted by more than 300 percent!
It's vital that you know the pros and cons of cell phone headsets -- especially now that laws requiring "hands-free" cell phone headsets while driving are going in effect all over the United States.
The British Independent Group on Mobile Phones suggested that headsets are an ideal solution only if they were used with filters to stop the headset wire from acting as an effective antenna. One solution is an air-tube headset. These conduct sound, but prevent any radiation from traveling up the wire to your brain.
More Safety Tips to Limit Your Exposure
To date, there are few alternatives to ensure complete safety, but there are some common sense recommendations:
- Limit the amount of time you spend on the phone.
- Limit your exposure to WiFi routers. Find out where they are located in your work environment and stay away from them.
- If you have any land-based (non-cellular) portable phones, do NOT use anything other than the 900 MHz phones as the Gigahertz phones stay on continuously, blasting you with information-carrying radio waves 24/7.
- Use the speakerphone instead of putting the phone to your ear; this is probably one of the single most important steps you can take other than not using your cell phone.
- Use a wired headset to limit your exposure to the cell phone -- ideally, an air-tube headset that conducts sound but prevents any radiation from traveling up the wire to your brain. Also make sure the wire is SHIELDED, which prevents the wire from acting as an antenna that could attract more information-carrying radio waves directly to your brain.
- Limit calls inside buildings.
- Use the phone in open spaces as often as possible.
- Limit use by children and preadolescents.
Wireless, Electric, and
Electromagnetic Pollution
www.weepinitiative.org
