New Study Reveals What Cell Phones Are Doing to Your Brain
Most people look at me as if I had two heads when I tell them that I don’t own a cell phone. They insist that I must be joking because they simply can’t fathom living without one.
But now a new study that found that cell phones have a lot more effect on the brain than we once thought is reinforcing my “non-cell lifestyle” decision for me.
The small study, published in the Feb. 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that a 50-minute cell-phone call produced significantly elevated brain glucose metabolism…a normal marker of brain activity…in the area of the brain located closest to the cell-phone antenna.
Now, just what this elevated brain metabolism actually means no one seems to know.
In fact, the researchers admit that they don’t know what the long-term consequence of these effects may be. And, according to neuroscientist and lead study author Dr. Nora Volkow, “We don’t know what repeated exposure and artificial activation of the glucose will have on the brain.”
Hm…not exactly what I would call a very comforting conclusion.
And if that doesn’t already make you a bit uncomfortable, this might. In an editorial that accompanies the study two docs speculate that these findings might just be the tip of an iceberg…leading to other, as of yet undetected, alterations in brain function caused by the cell-phone emissions.
Earlier studies that have looked at a possible connection between the radio-frequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) that cell phones emit and brain tumors. But, unfortunately, the findings of the studies were inconsistent, and this has left a huge gray area when it comes to accessing the potential carcinogenic effects of cell phone emissions.
There are almost 293 million cell phone users in the United States alone. This means that we’re exposing the brains of a lot of already unhealthy people and even children (my 6 year old niece has been asking for a cell phone for almost a year now) to radiation over and over again throughout the day. And frankly, there’s just no telling what kind of damage that may be doing.
Now I know that realistically, considering that about 91% of the United States population now owns a cell phone (hm…perhaps I AM a bit of a freak), most people aren’t going to give theirs up. But you can try to limit your exposure by making fewer and shorter calls. And try using the speakerphone or an earpiece to make calls instead of holding the phone up to your ear.
And if you’re a “freak” like me and don’t already own a cell phone, until we have more information you just might just want to stick with me want to keep it that way.
- References:
“Effects of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism,” JAMA, 2011;305(8):808-813. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.186
“Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure and Brain Glucose Metabolism,”JAMA, 2011;305(8):828-829.doi:10.1001/jama.2011.201
“Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones,” Fact sheet N° 193 May 2010, World Health Organization
“Interphone study on mobile phone use and brain cancer risk,” World Health Organization, 08-06-2010
“Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case–control study,” International Journal of Epidemiology, 2010;1–20 doi:10.1093/ije/dyq079
“Cell Phones and Cancer Risk,” National Cancer Institute, cancer.gov
“CTIA’s Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey 2010,” CTIA-The Wireless Association, ctia.org
“List of countries by number of mobile phones in use,” Wikipedia, wikipedia.org
“U.S. & World Population Clocks,” Feb. 2011, US census Bureau
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An enthusiastic believer in the power of natural healing, Alice has spent virtually her entire 17-year career in the natural-health publishing field helping to spread the word.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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Comments
Anonymous
Good for You!
I don't use a cell phone either, to the dismay of my family and just about everybody that I know. I have many, many issues with cell phones but my main reason for not using them is that I had heard of the link between cell phones and brain tumors for years! Plus, I just don't make or receive that many phone calls every day to justify the hassle of switching over so I feel that I am making the right call here by sticking with a land-line telephone. My health is more important to me than popular culture, I guess.
Tony Isaacs
Speaking of earlier studies, check out what happened with this whitewashed study:
http://www.healthiertalk.com/i...
strost
It is not just the radiation that is impacting the body, it is the information carrying radio waves (ICRW) that carry the voice, text, data and graphics through the air. Unfortunately, these travel in the Hertz frequency and are perceived by the cells. EMFs in nature are very erratic while the ICRWs are synchronous. The cells don't recognize them (like the natural EMFs that have been around forever) and they change the permeability of their membrane as part of the stress response. It keeps toxins out (plus nutrients out), but it also keeps toxins in. The cells are in survival mode and do not communicate well like they usually do. The bad news is you are exposed to these ICRWs regardless if you have a cell phone or not. There are numerous things you can do to support your body as well as minimize your exposure. I agree, these technologies are not going away and I am so concerned why no one is even asking health related questions as they are developing the small cell technology. I've been pulling together research, clips, articles and links for several years now at www.livinghealthiernow.com. Found a patented technology that addresses the cellular stress due to the ICRWs too. There are so many studies that point to hormonal, DNA, blood brain barrier breakdown, and cellular damage (aren't all those things precursors to cancer?). 10 countries have issued advisories against children and pregnant women using cell phones at all. Please take the time to educate yourself on this topic and then use the technologies in a safer manner.
Helen
not just cell phones there are computers television high tension wires sun light radeation in the air are you spooked yet. We live in end times get real We could live to a 100 years and still use these thingsa
Boomer12k
Do you know how much radiation you are getting at your computer for hours and hours and hours a day? Got a wireless router with your laptop? That is RF. I wonder what all that RF frequency from a Cell Phone IS DOING TO YOUR HAND!!!!???? Let alone your brain. One solution....use a speaker, at least when you are home with your phone. or Earphones, when out. BUT NOT DRIVING!!!!!! Do not drive and talk!!!!!!
The life you save....may be mine!!!
I remember a comedian. He was at the store on day. The lady in front of him was going on and on about all the bad things that can kill your or make you sick..... so he interupted her and he said, "and standing on Linoleum can give you cancer!", and she freaked!!!!!!!
Save your life....use a tin can and a string!!!
Be well and happy.
Steve
Anonymous
In order to remedy an acoustic neuroma they have to remove it surgically, which causes total and permanent hearing loss in the ear from which it is removed. Why would you risk that? You need your brain, be kind to it.
Stop using a cell phone but don't throw it in the trash, do the right thing and drop it off at the recycling center because it is hazardous waste, you know(i.e. the battery). Be kind to the earth too.
senthilnathan.RA
Thanks for your advices regarding dangerous of using cellphones,and pls inform me that in what way we can escape from this EMF radiation because nowadays cellphone is more than food for the people in the world.thanks again.
Anonymous
there are other radio such as HAM RADIO they are allowed to have 1500 watts compare to 0.6 watts of cell phone, and large antenna and tower those are much bigger than typical cell phone towers. we should be also concern about HAM / AMATEUR RADIO, since they are typically located within residential area. often very little supervision or monitoring. of then those antenna are no more than 20 , 30 feet away from neighbor's house. I have seen in you tube, some hams are outputting more than 3000 watts exceeding allowable 1500 watts. to keep everything in prospective, most powerful microwave oven are rated 1200 watts.
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