NIH/JAMA Study Shows Cell Phone Increases Brain Activity

Jeff — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 02:43:29 +0000

In what is probably the most respected study on cell phones’ effects on brain activity to date, National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have concluded that cell phones definitely speed up metabolic activity in the brain. 47 participants underwent two tests with one cell phone strapped to the left ear and another to the right ear. In one test, a 50-minute PET scan (measures metabolic activity in the brain) was performed with the right cell phone turned on. And in the other test, a PET scan was performed with both cell phones turned off.

The researchers discovered that were significant increases in cellular activity and glucose (the brain’s preferred energy source) metabolism in the region of the brain where the cell phone was turned on. No assertions were made regarding long term effects, links to cancer or any other clinical diagnosis. The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

I’m sure the telecommunication lobbyists in DC don’t care for this study. Personally, I use my speaker phone every chance I get. And I don’t carry it on my person unless I absolutely have to and once I reach my destination, I put it on a table/desk until it’s time for me to leave. There’s no need to subject your cells to all that electromagnetic activity, especially since long term effects are not known.

Source: JAMA

Your Cell Phone, Wireless Device And Cancer

Your Cell Phone, Wireless Device And Cancer

Jeff — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:14:30 +0000

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has recently completed a broad, 10-month study about the potential causative relationship between cell phones and cancer. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that there are approximately 4 billion cell phone subscribers worldwide. And, this number is growing rapidly. Conflicting FCC guidelines have been called into question since it only used data from three years of use as opposed to the ten year baseline used by studies conducted in other countries. Researchers and scientists from several European countries found that there was a significantly increased risk of developing brain and salivary gland cancer on the side of the head that an individual used for cell phone calls. Many people store their cell phones in a pocket or belt holster/case, which exposes internal organs to high levels of radiation as well.

The FCC uses a measurement called specific absorption rate (SAR) to determine the potential risk for human tissues. Following recommendations from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the FCC allows 20 times more radiation to the head than the average amount allowed for rest of the body. Even more insidious is the fact that cell phone manufacturers conduct cell phone testing themselves or contract it out to a third party, which is an obvious conflict of interest in light of the cancer concerns. To make matters worse, cell phone manufacturers vehemently protested the release of SAR data until 2000.

Because these flawed guidelines take into account adult SAR limits only, children have not even been considered. And scientists have discovered that children are even more susceptible to tumors since they absorb significantly more radiation than adults. The primary reasons for this is because childrens’ skulls are thinner and their tissues have a higher water content, increasing their absorption rate. These statistics need to be made available to the buyer at the point of sale.

Headsets and Other Wireless Devices

What about popular bluetooth earpieces? In the U.S., bluetooth technology falls under the list of “low-power, non-licensed radio frequency devices.” This essentially means that no one really knows the potential effects they may have. However, research suggests that using bluetooth headsets may decrease the overall levels of SAR exposure to the head. And according to the American Cancer Society, using a corded headset is one of the easiest methods to limit your SAR exposure. One caveat though, using bluetooth or wired headsets does not decrease the amount of radiation emitted from the phone itself. So, it my behoove you to do some due diligence by not only selecting a phone with low SAR numbers but keeping the phone away from your body as well. Cordless telephones use the same radio frequency that cell phones use, so caution needs to be exercised there as well.

Other devices such as wireless routers, game controllers, baby monitors, etc emit some radiation; however, research in this area is in its infancy. And at this point, it seems that cell phones are the primary culprit for excess absorption radiation exposure. With cancer on the rise, I would recommend that you educate yourself regarding the different wireless devices you use day-today and use your own discretion when making a purchase. For example, I use my laptop daily and I always use a laptop pad, pillow, table or any similar buffer in between my body and the laptop. I turn my cell phone off during the day and leave it one the table in the evening since the signal from the cell tower is continuous. These may not be practical for you, so feel free to come up with strategies that fit your lifestyle and limit your exposure.