The report, to be published later this year, has reportedly found that heavy mobile use is linked to brain tumours.

The survey of 12,800 people in 13 countries has been overseen by the World Health Organisation.

Preliminary results of the inquiry, which is looking at whether mobile phone exposure is linked to three types of brain tumour and a tumour of the salivary gland, have been sent to a scientific journal.

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• Cell Phone Disadvantage #1 – An Unsafe Safety Standard
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Cause of Infertility in Man
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #4 – The Effect on Children

Cell Phone Disadvantage #5 – Driving Safety

Much of the information presented in the previous articles is being debated and not acted upon by the industry or by governments; however the increased risk that cell phones pose to driving is clear-cut and widely acknowledged.

A simple Google search will show hundreds of studies on the subject of cell phone use and driving. All the studies I have seen agree that cell phone use while driving increases the risk of an accident. This increased risk is due to the inability to fully focus on driving while, and shortly after, talking on a cell phone.

In a study titled ‘Epidemiological evidence on health risks of cellular telephones’, Dr Rothman states:

…the risk of a collision was about four times greater when the driver was using the telephone or soon after a call. Use of the telephone in “hands-free’ mode was no less risky than holding the telephone to the ear with one hand while talking.^[1]

A Canadian study performed by the University of Calgary states:

…conversation on cell phones, both hand-held and handsfree, was found to influence driving performance. Epidemiological findings consistently showed an increase in crashes associated with use of cell phones.^[2]

One could argue that talking to a passenger poses the same risk as talking on a cell phone, but this is not the case. A likely explanation is that a passenger takes the traffic situation into account, something impossible for someone on the other side of a cell phone conversation.

Another study titled ‘Fatal distraction? A comparison of the cell-phone driver and the drunk driver’ compared the performance of cell-phone drivers to drivers who were legally intoxicated. This study concludes:

…when controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, cell-phone drivers may actually exhibit greater impairments (i.e., more accidents and less responsive driving behavior) than legally intoxicated drivers. These data also call into question driving regulations that prohibit hand-held cell-phones and permit hands-free cell-phones, because no significant differences were found in the impairments to driving caused by these two modes of cellular communication.^[3]

In fact, many governments have banned the use of a cell phone while driving due to its safety risks. An up-to-date list with countries and US states that have banned cell phone use while driving can be found here.

Another interesting development is the changing legal implications for causing an accident when using a cell phone. The following is an excerpt from a  online New Jersey newspaper:

A motorist using a hand-held cell phone who causes a fatal accident could be charged with vehicular homicide if one state lawmaker gets her way. …Causing the death of another by driving a motor vehicle “recklessly” is the legal standard for filing a vehicular homicide charge in New Jersey. It is punishable by five to 10 years in prison and/or a $150,000 fine, according to Karrow’s bill.^[4]

If the increased risk of an accident is not enough of an incentive to stop you from using a cell phone when driving, or if your employer does not leave you a choice, then consider this: International Paper Co. is a company that agreed to pay $5.2 million to settle a personal injury suit related, at least in part, to one of its employees’ use of a cell phone while driving.^[5]

In conclusion, the increased risk that cell phones pose to driving is clear-cut and widely acknowledged.

You owe it to yourself, your family, your passengers and your fellow road users to be a safe driver. Being a safe driver means not using a cell phone while driving.

Coming soon: Cell Phone Disadvantage #6 – Increased Stress Level

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References

^ Rothman, Kenneth J. “Epidemiological Evidence on Health Risks of Cellular Telephones.” The Lancet 356 (2000):1837-1840. ^ Caird, Jeffrey K., Charles T. Scialfa, Geoffrey Ho, and Alison Smiley. “Effects of Cellular Telephones on Driving Behaviour and Crash Risk: Results of Meta-Analysis.” (2004). <http://www.ama.ab.ca/images/images_pdf/FinalReport_CellPhones4.pdf>. ^ Strayer, David L., Frank A. Drews, and Dennis J. Crouch. “Fatal Distraction? a Comparison of the Cell-Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver.” <http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/DrivingAssessment2003.pdf>. ^ Jennings, Rob. “Vehicular Homicide Sought for Crashes Caused by Cell Phones.” Asbury Park Press 5 Mar. 2006. <http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/NEWS03/803050317>. ^ Conley, Janet L. “Cell Phone Use in Car Leads to $5.2M Payout.” Daily Report 13 Feb. 2008. <http://www.dailyreportonline.com/Editorial/News/singleEdit.asp?individual_SQL=2%2F13%2F2008%4021272>.

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• Cell Phone Disadvantage #1 – An Unsafe Safety Standard
  
  
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects
  
  
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Cause of Infertility in Man

In case you have not read the first part Unsafe Safety Standard:

Cell phones transmit and receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals in order to communicate. The RF signals from [cell] phones fall within the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This radiation is also referred to as microwave radiation or electromagnetic radiation.
In short: Cell phones use microwave radiation to communicate.

Cell phone radiation will also be referred to as microwave radiation, Radio Frequency radiation, RF Radiation, and electro magnetic radiation.

Cell Phone Disadvantage #4 – The Effect on Children

The health effects of cell phone radiation on children is very worrisome. All government reports and many scientific studies that are referred to in this article emphasize that children are more vulnerable than adults. In ‘How Exposure to Mobile Phone Base-Station Signals Can Adversely Affect Humans’, Dr Hyland explains why children are more vulnerable:

Preadolescent children are more vulnerable [to microwave radiation] because of their thinner skulls, their still developing nervous systems, their increased levels of cell division, and their less robust immune systems.^[1]

Children that grow up in our new cell phone world are exposed to microwave radiation from the moment they are in the womb. However, the effects of microwave radiation on infants is unknown to most parents. The Stewart Report is a report commissioned by the British Parliament in response to fears that cell phone use could be linked to memory loss, and even Alzheimer’s Disease. It explains the effect of cell phone radiation on children:

A one year old could absorb around double [the radio frequency (RF) radiation], and a five year old around 60%, more than an adult. Additionally, since children are being exposed to RF radiation from base stations (and from [cell] phones) from a younger age than adults, they will have a longer time in which to accumulate exposure over the course of their lives, and a longer time for any delayed effects of exposure to develop.^[2]

Anybody who gets a signal on their cell phone in their home, is in the vicinity of a cell phone base tower. How close are you to the base station? The answer to this question will likely impact your family’s health, especially if you live within 400 meters of a base station.

A German study published in 2004 titled ‘The Influence of Being Physically Near to a Cell Phone Transmission Mast on the Incidence of Cancer’, showed a 3 times higher risk of developing cancer for people who lived within 400 meters of a cell phone tower for a period of five years.^[3] A similar Spanish study found that people living in the close vicinity of a cell phone tower had the following health problems ^[4]:

• Depression increased by up to 64-fold.
• Fatigue increased by up to 37-fold.
• Appetite Loss increased by up to 25-fold.

Those health effects apply to adults, children can be expected to have even more severe health issues due to the increased absorption of the same radiation levels.

The health impact of RF radiation needs more research. In my opinion, one of the reasons that this is not happing is the enormous economical value that is associated with cell communication industry and the connectivity it provides. However, both brain cancer and leukemia have been associated with microwave radiation ^[4][5][6]. Keeping this and the explosive growth of cell phones in mind, one wonders what the connection is between RF radiation and these cancers. According to the US Natural Resources Defence Council:

[Leukemia] is the most common cancer in children, responsible for more deaths than any other form of childhood cancer. From 1977 to 1995, U.S. rates of childhood leukemia rose about 1 percent each year. [20% increase over a 18 year period]

…Cancers of the central nervous system are the second most common form of cancer in children. These cancers, which may involve the brain or the spinal cord, are most common in children under seven. Childhood brain cancers have been increasing: from 1973 to 1994, the number of reported brain cancers in children under 15 increased 1.8 percent each year [45% increase over a 21 year period]. ^[7]  

The association between cell phones and childhood cancer is considered extreme by some. However, a recent study mention in Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects has linked mouth cancer in adults to cell phone ^[8], other recent studies make the link between cell phone use and male infertility (see Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Cause of Infertility in Man). When you consider the children’s increased absorption of RF radiation, the childhood cancer link seems a realistic option.

This video talks about the link between cell phone use and brain cancer, with a focus on children:

Under ‘Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects’, there was mention of the ‘abundance of dead brain cells’ that the researchers found 50 days after 2 hours of exposure to cell phone microwave radiation. In a 2003 paper, the researchers emphasized their concern about the impact of microwave radiation on children and teenagers:

The situation of the growing brain might deserve special concern …The intense use of [cell] phones by youngsters is a serious consideration. A neuronal damage of the kind described here [dead brain cells after 50 days] may not have immediately demonstrable consequences, even if repeated. In the long run, however, it may result in reduced brain reserve capacity that might be unveiled by other neuronal disease or even the wear and tear of aging.^[9]

Potential brain damage as a result of cell phone use was one of the big motivators for the  Stewart report. It encourages the precautionary approach, especially when it comes to children: 

In line with our precautionary approach, we believe that the widespread use of [cell] phones by children for non-essential calls should be discouraged. We also recommend that the [cell] phone industry should refrain from promoting the use of [cell] phones by children.^[2]

RF radiation is a proven health risk, especially children should have minimal exposure. The final article in this series will discuss preventative measures in detail, but the obvious steps that a parent can take to minimize their children’s exposure to RF radiation are:

• Do not allow your children to use a cell phone, unless there is an emergency
• Limit the use of cell phones around children to a minimum
• Ensure there is no cell phone mast in the vicinity of your home and your child’s school
• Send this article and similar information to adults that spend time with your children, especially teachers and other parents

In conclusion, the radiation caused by cell phones and cell phone masts has a negative effect on the health of children. Most studies have only looked into the (relatively) short term effects. The long term effects of continuous exposure  to microwave radiation, starting from the earliest beginning (see Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Cause of Infertility in Man) are unknown.

Not too long ago it was normal for adults to smoke around children. Today, many consider smoking around around children highly irresponsible. The same mentality and caution should be used when it comes to the use of cell phones by children and around children.

Next: Cell Phone Disadvantage #5 – Cell Phones and Driving

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References

^ Hyland, G J. “How Exposure to Mobile Phone Base-Station Signals Can Adversely Affect Humans.” (2005). <http://www.tetrawatch.net/papers/hyland_2005.pdf>. ^ The Stewart Report – Mobile Phones and Health. Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP). 2000. http://www.iegmp.org.uk/report/text.htm. ^ Eger, Horst, Klaus Uwe Hagen, Birgitt Lucas, Peter Vogel, and Helmut Voit. “The Influence of Being Physically Near to a Cell Phone Transmission Mast on the Incidence of Cancer.” Umwelt·Medizin·Gesellschaft 17 (2004): 1-7. <http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20041118_naila.pdf>. ^ Oberfeld, Gerd, Enrique A. Navarro, Manuel Portoles, Ceferino Maestu, and Gomez-Perretta Claudio. “The Microwave Syndrome – Further Aspects of a Spanish Study.” (2004). <http://www.tetrawatch.net/papers/proceedings_kos_2004.pdf>. See also: http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20040809_spain.asp  ^ Singer, Melissa, and Julianne Byrne. “The Epidemiology of Brain Tumors in Children Part 2: Risk Factors.” <http://www.childhoodbraintumor.org/THE%20EPIDEMIOLOGY%20OF%20BRAIN%20TUMORS_Part%202.pdf>. ^ Michelozzi, Paola, Alessandra Capon, Ursula Kirchmayer, Francesco Forastiere, Annibale Biggeri, Alessandra Barca, and Carlo A. Perucci. “Adult and Childhood Leukemia Near a High-Power Radio Station in Rome, Italy.” American Journal of Epidemiology 155 (2002): 1096-1103.<http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/155/12/1096>. ^ “Children, Cancer & the Environment – the Most Common Forms of Childhood Cancer.” Natural Resources Defence Council (NDRC).<http://www.nrdc.org/health/kids/kidscancer/kidscancer3.asp>. ^ Sadetzk, Siegal, Angela Chetrit, Avital Jarus-Hakak, Elisabeth Cardis, Yonit Deutch, Shay Duvdevani, Ahuva Zultan, Ilya Novikov, Laurence Freedman, and Michael Wolf. “Cellular Phone Use and Risk of Benign and Malignant Parotid Gland Tumors – a Nationwide Case-Control Study.” American Journal of Epidemiology 167 (2008): 457-467. See also: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/18/nphones118.xml. ^ Salford, Leif G., Arne E. Brun, Jacob L. Eberhardt, Lars Malmgren, and Bertil R. Persson. “Nerve Cell Damage in Mammalian Brain After Exposure to Microwaves From GSM Mobile Phones.” Environmental Health Perspectives 111 (2003): 881-883. <http://www.ehponline.org/members/2003/6039/6039.html>.

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This article is the third part in a series of articles titled ‘7 disadvantages of cell phones’. The first two parts:

• Cell Phone Disadvantage #1 – An Unsafe Safety Standard
  
  
• Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects

In case you have not read the first part Unsafe Safety Standard:

[Cell] phones transmit and receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals in order to communicate. The RF signals from [cell] phones fall within the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This radiation is also referred to as microwave radiation or electromagnetic radiation.
In short: Cell phones use microwave radiation to communicate.

Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Cause of Infertility in Man

Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples of reproductive age, nearly half of these cases are due to the men’s infertility.^[1]

This article will show that the microwave radiation emitted through cell phone use is a cause of infertility in man.

The 2008 study titled ‘Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study’ came to the following conclusion:

…our results suggest that the use of cell phones by men is associated with a decrease in semen quality. The decrease in sperm count, motility, viability, and normal morphology is related to the duration of exposure to cell phones.^[1]

This study has recently been reported in the media, giving the impression that the effects of cell phones on semen quality is a new discovery. This is not the case, there is very strong but underreported evidence with regard to the harmful effects of cell phones on male fertility.

The section below refers to several articles and studies, all published in recent years.

Derias et al state in the conclusion of ‘Growing concern over the safety of using cell phones and male fertility’:

With regard to the potential damaging effects on the male reproductive system, several studies have been carried out on animals. These studies revealed a wide spectrum of possible effects that range from an insignificant effect to variable degrees of testicular damage and reduction of different sperm parameters.^[2]

Many of the tests in this area have been performed on animals, since it is hard to analyze the sperm generation in humans; The formation of a spermatozoon takes 11-13 weeks.^[2] Another reason is that some of the studies analyze the testicles of test animals, an unfortunate sacrifice very few men would be willing to make.

However, there have been many studies that have analyzed the cell phone usage of men and the effect on the subsequent provided semen. One such study concludes that just carrying a cell phone affects human sperm:

…storage of [cell] phones close to the testes had a significant negative impact on sperm concentration and the percentage of motile sperm. These trends suggest that recent concerns over long-term exposure to the electromagnetic irradiation emitted by [cell] phones should be taken more seriously, given the growing trend for deterioration in the male germ line.^[3]

In a 2005 Hungarian study titled ‘Is there a relationship between cell phone use and semen quality’, Dr Fejez et al analyzed the impact of cell phone use on the semen of 371 men. This study concluded that the longer a cell phone is used on a daily basis, the bigger the effect on the sperm quality. Longer exposure resulted in larger percentage of slower sperm, which may be caused by “electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones”.^[4]

Futhermore, a Polish study titled ‘Evaluation of the effect of using mobile phones on male fertility’ was conducted from June 2004 until May 2006 and used 304 men. A short section from the study’s summary:

In the analysis of the effect of cell phone equipment on the semen it was noted that an increase in the percentage of sperm cells of abnormal morphology is associated with the duration of exposure to the waves emitted by the cell phone. It was also confirmed that a decrease in the percentage of sperm cells in vital progressing motility in the semen is correlated with the frequency of using [cell] phones.^[5]

The full conclusion of this study consists out of two points:

1. A decrease in the percentage of live sperm cells in a vital, progressive motility in semen is correlated with the frequency of usage of cell phones.

2. An increase in the percentage of sperm cells with abnormal morphology is associated with the duration of exposure to the waves emitted by [cell phone] equipment.^[5]

The studies that have been mentioned thus far, all indicate that cell phone use is a cause of infertility in man. The study that is mentioned below was performed on mice and looks into the impact cell phone radiation has on the DNA of sperm, and the subsequent impact on the conceived offspring.

In 2005, a study titled ‘Impact of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation on DNA integrity in the male germline’ was published in the ‘International Journal of Andrology’. Andrology deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to men.^[6]

This study on mice suggests that the microwave radiation emitted by cell phones causes significant damage to the cellular DNA of maturing sperm.^[6] Normally, DNA damage is repaired by the female reproductive system, between fertilization and the first cell division.

Mistakes at this point have the potential to create mutations that could disrupt the normality of embryonic development and the health and well being of the offspring.^[6]

DNA damage to maturing sperm caused by cell phone radiation can results in damaged DNA in a newborn, this phenomenon is called ‘male-mediated developmental toxicity’, making the offspring more prone to genetic disease, birth defects and childhood cancer.^[6]

Male-mediated development toxicity can in turn cause a variety of health issues to the child, depending on the part of the DNA that was damaged. It might therefore be the microwave radiation exposure of the father that plays a bigger role than the child’s exposure in the development of some childhood diseases.^[6]

The microwave radiation exposure used in this study was much less than the radiation emitted by cell phones: 

As a consequence, the reproductive health risks associated with [microwave radiation] exposure may be even more serious than those reported in this study.^[6]

In conclusion, according to many studies cell phone use has a negative impact on sperm quality. The longer one uses a cell phone per day, the greater the impact on the sperm. Cell phone use can therefore be considered to be a cause of infertility in man.

Additionally, the latter study shows the risk of DNA damage in the sperm, potentially causing long term problems for the conceived children.

The good news seems to be that preventing microwave radiation exposure should undo the negative effects on the male fertility, and prevent the DNA damage.

Unfortunately, the male-mediated development toxicity is not the only effect microwave radiation has on children. The next article will look into the effect that cell phone radiation has on children.

Next: Cell Phone Disadvantage #4 – The Effect on Children

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References

^ Agarwal, Ashok, Fnu Deepinder, Rakesh K. Sharma, Geetha Ranga, and Jianbo Li. “Effect of Cell Phone Usage on Semen Analysis in Men Attending Infertility Clinic: an Observational Study.” Fertility and Sterility 89 (2008): 124-128. <http://www.clevelandclinic.org/reproductiveresearchcenter/docs/agradoc239.pdf>. ^ Derias, E.M.B., P Stefanis, A Drakeley, R Gazvani, and D I. Lewis-Jones. “Growing Concern Over the Safety of Using Mobile Phones and Male Fertility.” Archives of Andrology 52 (2006): 9-14. ^ S.J. Kilgallon, Sarah J., and Leigh W. Simmons. “Image Content Influences Men’s Semen Quality.” Biology Letters 1 (2005): 253-255. ^ Fejes, I, Z Zavaczki, J Szollosi, S Koloszar, J Daru, and L Kovacs. “Is There a Relationship Between Cell Phone Use and Semen Quality.” Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine 51 (2005): 385-393. ^ Wdowiak, Artur, Leszek Wdowiak, and Henryk Wiktor. “Evaluation of the Effect of Using Mobile Phones on Male Fertility.” Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine 14 (2007): 169-172. <http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/14169.pdf>. ^ Aitken, R J., L E. Bennetts, D Sawyer, A M. Wiklendt, and B V. King. “Impact of Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation on DNA Integrity in the Male Germline.” International Journal of Andrology 28 (2005): 171-178.

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This article is the second part in a series of articles titled ‘7 disadvantages of cell phones’. Please click here to read the first part, titled ‘Cell Phone Disadvantage #1 – An Unsafe Safety Standard‘.

In case you have not read the first part Unsafe Safety Standard:

[Cell] phones transmit and receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals in order to communicate. The RF signals from [cell] phones fall within the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This radiation is also referred to as microwave radiation or electromagnetic radiation.
In short: Cell phones use microwave radiation to communicate.

Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects

Most media reports would have you believe that research studies on the negative health effects of cell phones use are few and far between. This article will provide several studies on the different health effects to illustrate that the information is out there, and has been out there for years. In fact, many reports on the health risks of cell phones have been published over the last few decades.

A study led by Dr Agarwal, Ph.D summarizes some of the researched health consequences of the microwave radiation we are exposed to though cell phone use:

Electromagnetic waves alter [electric activity of the brain] and cause disturbance in sleep ^[1]; cause difficulty in concentration, fatigue, and headache ^[2]; and increase reaction time in a time-dependent manner ^[3]. They increase the resting blood pressure ^[4] and reduce the production of melatonin ^[5]. They are also implicated in DNA strand breaks ^[6]. ^[7]

In addition, the use of cell phones has also been related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Cancer.

A study by Swedish researchers suggests the link between cell phone use and Alzheimer’s Disease:

[Cell] phones damage key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. …Researchers have found that radiation from cell phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement. ^[8]

This study was performed on rats, which were exposed to radiation equivalent to that of a cell phone for only two hours. The brains were examined after 50 days, and the researchers found an abundance of dead brain cells in the exposed rats.

The development state of the rat brains that were used are similar to the development state of a teenager’s brain. ^[8] The researchers emphasized the worrisome impact that cell phone use has on the developing brain of a teenager.

Furthermore, studies have linked cell phone use with brain cancer, mouth cancer and leukemia. Most recently, the American Journal of Epidemiology published a study from research author Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, a cancer specialist at Tel Aviv University ^[9]. The Telegraph published an article about this study and summarized:

People who use a cell phone for hours a day are 50 per cent more likely to develop mouth cancer than those who do not talk on them at all, new research has shown.^[9]

In 2002, Hardell et al published a study titled ‘Cellular and cordless telephones and the risk for brain tumours’ in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention. As stated on Dr Mercola’s website:

[Hardell et al] found that people who used cell phones were two and a half times more likely to have a temporal brain tumor on the side of the head where they held their phone.

In the case of tumors of the auditory nerve, which connects the ear to the brain, the risk increased to more than three times for cell phone users. ^[10]

The relationship between cell phone use and diseases like Alzheimer’s and  cancer are controversial, but discussed more as different research continues to conclude that the link between cell phone use and Alzheimer’s/cancer exists. On most news broadcasts we are told to not worry since more ‘research is needed’ because the results are ‘not conclusive’. In my opinion, more research is always needed, and scientific results are never conclusive to everybody due to the very nature of science.

Studies that claim a relationship between cell phones and diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s should not be brushed aside as ‘inconclusive’. Cancer incidences have exploded over the last few decades, and a large part of the increase in occurrences cannot be explained. Environmental influences seem a logical contributor, and microwave radiation used for cell phone communication is one of the environmental influences that has grown exponentially over the last two decades.

What does the US government have to say on the health effects of cell phone use? Below is a section from the ‘US Department of Labor’ website on the health effects of radiofrequency (RF) and microwave radiation caused by cell phone use:

Electric and magnetic fields are complex physical agents whose potential health effects are the subject of much research. Particularly controversial are the biophysical mechanisms by which these RF fields may affect biological systems. General health effects reviews explore possible carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects.  Health effects by exposure source are noted in radar traffic devices, wireless communications with cellular phones, radio transmission, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).^[11]

In conclusion, more research is always needed to understand the full extend of the health implications that come with microwave radiation. However, there has been enough research to prove the link between cell phone use and negative health effects from relatively mild symptoms like sleep disturbance to cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease.

The next article will look into another very profound and current disadvantage of cell phone use:

Next: Cell Phone Disadvantage #3 – Male Infertility

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References

^ Huber, Reto, Thomas Graf, Kimberly A. Cote, Lutz Wittmann, and et al. “Exposure to Pulsed High-Frequency Electromagnetic Field During Waking Affects Human Sleep EEG.” NeuroReport 11 (2000): 3321-3325. <http://www.neuroreport.com/pt/re/neuroreport/abstract.00001756-200010200-00012.htm>. ^ Oftedal, G, J Wilén, M Sandström, and K H. Mild. “Symptoms Experienced in Connection with Mobile Phone Use.” Occupational Medicine 50 (2000): 237-245. <http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/50/4/237>. ^ Preece, A W., G Iwi, A Davies-Smith, K Wesnes, and et al . “Effect of a 915-MHz Simulated Mobile Phone Signal on Cognitive Function in Man.” International Journal of Radiation Biology 351 (1999):447-456. ^ Braune, S, C Wrocklage, J Raczek, T Gailus, and C H. Lücking. “Resting Blood Pressure Increase During Exposure to a Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field.” The Lancet 351 (1998): 1857-1858. ^ Burch, J B., J S. Reif, M G. Yost, T J. Keefe, and C A. Pitrat. “Nocturnal Excretion of a Urinary Melatonin Metabolite Among Electric Utility Workers.” Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 24 (1998): 183-189. ^ Singh, Lai H. “Single- and Double-Strand DNA Breaks in Rat Brain Cells After Acute Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation.” International Journal of Radiation Biology 69 (1996): 513-521. ^ Agarwal, Ashok, Fnu Deepinder, Rakesh K. Sharma, Geetha Ranga, and Jianbo Li. “Effect of Cell Phone Usage on Semen Analysis in Men Attending Infertility Clinic: an Observational Study.” Fertility and Sterility 89 (2008): 124-128. <http://www.clevelandclinic.org/reproductiveresearchcenter/docs/agradoc239.pdf>. ^ “Mobile Phones ‘May Trigger Alzheimer’s’” BBC News | Health. 5 Feb. 2003. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2728149.stm>. ^ Cockcroft, Lucy. “Heavy Mobile Phone Use a Cancer Risk.” The Telegraph 26 Feb. 2008. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/18/nphones118.xml>. ^ Uhlig, Robert. “Mobile Telephones and Brain Tumors.” Dr. Joseph Mercola. 5 Sept. 2001. <http://www.mercola.com/2001/sep/19/mobile_phones.htm>. ^ United States. US Department of Labor. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation – Health Effects. <http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/healtheffects.html>.

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Am I overreacting?
You might have a different answer after reading the articles in this series.

Each article in this series will go into at least one of the seven disadvantages of cell phones. The 7 disadvantages of cell phones that will be covered are:

• An Unsafe Safety Standard (see below)
• Negative Health Effects
• Male Infertility
• The Effect on Children
• Cell Phones and Driving
• Increased Stress Level
• The Effect on the Environment

I am thinking of adding ‘Cell Phones and Privacy’. The last part of the series will provide actions you can take to reduce the health risks.

All articles will be posted in the coming few weeks.

A Short History – The exponential use of cell phones

Almost every adult has a cell phone, and so do many children. Prof. Kenneth J. Rothman, one of the world’s leading epidemiologists, states the following:

Within only a few years a substantial proportion of the world’s population has adopted a new technology that involves placing a small radio transmitter up against the head, in some instances for hours a day.^[1]

The explosion of cell phone use in the last few decades has been astounding: In 1988 there were approximately 500,000 cell phone subscribers in the US, by 1993 this had grown to 13,000,000. ^[2] By 2006 there were 223 million cell phone users. ^[3]

Cell phones transmit and receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals in order to communicate. The RF signals from cell phones fall within the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum.^[4] This radiation is also referred to as microwave radiation or electromagnetic radiation. In short: Cell phones use microwave radiation to communicate.

Consequently, our landscapes and cities are covered by ‘base stations’ that relay the microwave signals used for communication. Both the base stations and the cell phones emit microwave radiation.

In the last twenty years, the US has adopted cell phones as a integral part of everyday life; 223 million people have started using personal cell devices that emit microwave radiation. In order to make this work, there are at least 126,000 cell phone towers that also emit microwave radiation.^[5]

Could this microwave radiation have a negative impact on our health?

Cell Phone Disadvantage #1 – An Unsafe Safety Standard

Microwaves can be harmful to humans, the most obvious harmful effect is heating: warming up your food in the microwave is an everyday example of heating through microwaves.

Consequently, safety standards have been established to limit the microwave radiation exposure from cell phones and base stations. This section will explain why the established safety standards are limited and do not protect your health.

One of the first organizations to look to would be the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC has an interesting take on Radio Frequency standards, it states on the FCC website:

The FCC is required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to evaluate the effect of emissions from FCC-regulated transmitters on the quality of the human environment. At the present time there is no federally-mandated radio frequency (RF) exposure standard.^[6]

The FCC does have a standard that defines the maximum RF energy allowed to be absorbed through the head when using a cell phone, measured through a value called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR):

The SAR is a value that corresponds to the relative amount of RF energy absorbed in the head of a user of a wireless handset. The FCC limit for public exposure from cellular telephones is an SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg).^[7]

However, the safety standards only protect from the heating effect of the microwave radiation, also called the ‘thermal effect’. If the microwave radiation does not cause a temperature increase in your head of more than one degree, the microwave exposure is deemed to be safe. The underlying assumption is that there cannot be cell damage without heating. And without cell damage, there is no health risk.

The ‘no damage without heating’-theory can be considered old and backward. Many research studies have shown that non-heating, or non-thermal, microwave radiation has a profoundly negative effect on the human body.

A 2003 study by Prof. Salford et al for example, established for the first time evidence for neurological damage caused by non-thermal microwave exposure.^[8]

Dr G.J Hyland, an authority on the potential health effects of non-thermal microwave radiation, states that:

there is thus absolutely no justification for claiming that Mobile Telecommunication Technology is safe and does not constitute a risk (both directly and indirectly) to public health.^[9]

 

The popular belief that adverse health effects can be induced only by the heating effect of [cell phone] radiation is a fallacy.^[10]

Furthermore, cell phones are not allowed in hospitals and on airplanes due to the concern that the microwave radiation might interfere with the electronics.

It does not make sense to acknowledge that there might be interference on sensitive electronic equipment due to the microwaves, but exclude the possibility that these same microwaves might have an impact on our body. After all, the human body is an extremely sensitive electrochemical instrument that uses various wave-based electrical processes (e.g. brain waves), each characterized by a specific frequency.^[11]

Concluding, the current safety standards for microwave radiation emitted by cell phones only take thermal heating into account: microwave radiation is considered to be safe if your body temperature does not increase by more than one degree. The non-thermal effects are not taken into account, making the ’safety standards’ a mockery of public health.

New standards should be developed in order to protect the public from the possible health consequences of exposure to microwave radiation.

The next article in this series will look into the second disadvantage on cell phones:

Next: Cell Phone Disadvantage #2 – Negative Health Effects

Don’t miss part two: Click here to subscribe to ControlYourImpact.com.

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References

^ Rothman, Kenneth. “Epidemiological Evidence on Health Risks of Cellular Telephones.” The Lancet 356 (2000): 1837-1840. ^ Farley, Tom. “Mobile Telephone History.” Privateline.Com. <http://www.privateline.com/PCS/history11.htm>. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The World Factbook – United States. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html>. ^ Hardell, L, A Hallquist, K Hansson Mild, M Carlberg, A Pahlson, and A Lilja. “Cellular and Cordless Telephones and the Risk for Brain Tumours.” European Journal of Cancer Prevention 11(2002): 377-386. ^ “Cell Phone Carriers.” Mobiledia. <http://www.cellreception.com/>. ^ United States. Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Radio Frequency Safety – FCC Policy on Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields.<http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/>. ^ United States. Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Radio Frequency Safety – Cellular Telephone Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). <http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/sar.html>. ^ Salford, Leif G., Arne E. Brun, Jacob L. Eberhardt, Lars Malmgren, and Bertil R. Persson. “Nerve Cell Damage in Mammalian Brain After Exposure to Microwaves From GSM Mobile Phones.” Environmental Health Perspectives 111 (2003): 881-883. <http://www.ehponline.org/members/2003/6039/6039.html>. ^ Hyland, G J. “How Exposure to Mobile Phone Base-Station Signals Can Adversely Affect Humans.” (2005). <http://www.tetrawatch.net/papers/hyland_2005.pdf>. ^ Hyland, G.J. The Physiological and Environmental Effects of Non-Ionising Electromagnetic Radiation. <http://www.whale.to/b/hyland1.html>. ^ Hyland, G.J. “Physics and Biology of Mobile Telephony.” The Lancet 356 (2000): 1833-1836.

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