Abstract
Over the past few decades, exposure to artificial radio frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) has significantly increased, leading to growing scientific and social interest in their impact on health. Weak EMFs directly penetrate living things, causing non-thermal effects on tissues, cells, and organs. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is a syndrome characterized by ambiguous symptoms attributed to anthropogenic electromagnetic fields, resulting in headaches, asthenia, mood disorders, dizziness, sleep disturbances, skin diseases, and mental disorders. The purpose of this review is to provide a quick overview of current understanding of EMH as well as the actual hazards connected with EMF exposure.
Introduction
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EMH) is a condition characterized by non-specific symptoms attributed to exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Symptoms are varied and non-specific, ranging from headaches and fatigue to skin irritation and cognitive difficulties. These symptoms are attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) released by a wide range of devices, including smart meters, power lines, power transformers, DECT telephones, mobile phone base stations, and mobile smartphones (Dieudonné, 2020).
Biological mechanism of EMFs
Antioxidant defense systems are developed in organisms to regulate the formation of free radicals and mitigate their harmful effects (Goraca, A et al., 2010). The impact of Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) on biological systems can be mediated by oxidative and nitrosative stress, leading to the formation of free radicals. According to Georgiu's research, radical pairs, possibly involving reactive oxygen species (ROS), are a potential transduction mechanism for EMF-induced oxidative stress (Georgiou, 2010).
Antioxidants reduce ROS damage through free radical scavenging activities. They can be triggered by chain disruption or secondary antioxidants, which eliminate ROS initiators. They can also impact biological systems through electron release, metal ion chelation, co-antioxidants, or gene expression. If ROS overproduction, like EMF, impairs antioxidant defense, antioxidants may not be sufficient (Calcabrini, 2017). This is known as oxidative stress. EMFs can cause biochemical and physiological changes, including oxidative stress, in various species' systems, with plasma membrane receptors potentially being targets for field interactions (Di Loreto et al., 2009).
Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) and health risks
According to Manikonda et al, even very little exposure to mobile phone EMF may have negative health effects (Manikonda et al., 2007). Numerous studies have documented adverse effects of exposure to microwave radiation from cell phones, including headaches, fatigue, anxiety, reduced learning capacity, cognitive impairment, and difficulty focusing (Behari, 2010). Some of the negative impacts of EMF on human health have been discussed below.
- EMFs can cause tissue damage
The conversion and absorption of heat by the body's electromagnetic radiation can lead to thermal effects. Non-thermal actions can be identified by their effects as a rise in the formation of free radicals in tissues, even if they do not raise body temperature to the point where they damage tissue structure (Challis, 2005).
- EMFs cause brain disorders
Electromagnetic fields with low frequencies (0-300 Hz) and high frequencies (10 MHz-300 GHz) have also been shown to alter the blood-brain barrier's permeability. This effect may trigger several neuronal disorders (Nittby et al., 2008).
- EMFs cause issues in male and female fertility
Males carrying phones in pockets or belts expose reproductive organs to EMF damage, increasing testicular protein levels, linked to higher cancer risk and reproductive system damage (Sepehrimanesh, M et al., 2017). According to research by Eroğlu et al. EMF-induced neuroendocrine changes significantly regulate hormone function, altering sperm cell morphology and motility, and causing infertility in women (Erogul et al., 2006).
- Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can cause cancer
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) encompass everything from cosmic rays to visible light to the electric and magnetic forces associated with electricity. While high frequency fields contain enough energy to induce cancer, the subject of whether there are human health risks linked with communication radiofrequency (RF) EMFs and those related with electricity use is still debated. Given the fast growth in the usage of cell phones and other wireless devices, the issue is more pressing than ever (Carpenter, D.O., 2013). EMF waves with higher frequencies likely to be more damaging than those with lower frequencies since they possess more energy. In addition to causing breaks in DNA strands, an EMF triggers the cellular stress response (Miah, and Kamat, 2017).
Conclusion
Current evidence suggests that EMFs can cause Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EMH) in humans. A higher link between the EMF cellular response and hypersensitive symptoms is expected to be found in individuals with EHS due to less effective compensating reactions at a more sophisticated level of biological structure, such as reactions of tissues, organs, and organ systems. It can be concluded that exposure of humans to EMFs can cause health problems by damaging biological processes, like antioxidant defense systems or blood brain barrier. EMFs cause cancer, brain disorders, tissue damage, and male infertility.
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