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ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND YOUR HEALTH

By John Iovine,

From "Popular Electronics" March 1993

There is a groing concern over possi!le health haar#s $rom

lo%$re&uency electromagnetic $iel#s' (hen the story $irst

 !ro)e, the $iel#s o$ greatest concern ere those given o$$ !y

overhea# poer line trans$ormers'

*t the time, the reasoning as unless you or)e# in the

electronics $iel# or live# in close pro+imity to poer lines,

you coul# consi#er yoursel$ una$$ecte# an# rela%tively sa$e'

 e evi#ence suggests that it really isn-t the case' It appears

that the E.F /e+tremely lo%$re&uency0 magnetic $iel#s given

o$$ !y many househol# appliances an# computer monitors can

 !e o$ su$$icient strength to !e consi#ere# potentially

haar#ous'

For those o$ us ho #a!!le in electronics, or earn our 

livelihoo# in electronics or a relate# $iel#, the concern

 !ecomes more prominent' That !eing the case you shoul# !e

aare o$ hat research has ta)en place an# hat-s !een

reporte# thus $ar'

Why Worry Now?

ou might !e on#ering i$ E.F ra#iation is such a health

haar#, hy has it ta)en so long $or anyone to mention its

#angers2 To anser that &uestion, e must loo) at ho

scientists $irst sie# up the potential harm o$ lo%$re&uency

magnetic $iel#s'

To !egin ith, it as originally !elieve# that ea) lo%

$re&uency $iel#s coul# not have a signi$icant impact on living

systems' This !elie$ as !ase# on the amount o$ thermal

energy the E.F $iel#s coul# pro#uce in !iological tissue' The

energy pro#uce# !y E.F ra#iation is much smaller than the

normal thermal energy internally generate# !y a cell-s

meta!olic process' In a##ition, the &uantum energy o$ the$iel#s is $ar too lo to !rea) any chemical or nuclear !on#s in

the tissue' There$ore, scientists $elt * oul# !e sa$e $rom

mutating' Finally the electric $iel# o$ the !o#y is much greater 

than the in#uce# $iel# $rom E.F ra#iation' .oo)ing at all

these $actors, it-s easy to un#erstan# hy the scienti$ic

community &uic)ly #ismisse# epi#emological stu#ies that

in#icate# a statistically signi$icant haar# associate# ith E.F

ra#iation'

*s a result, the scienti$ic community has o$ late !een

 portraye# in the press as a !unch o$ hac)s or !ureau%cratic

 puppets genu$lecting $or grants $rom government agencies

an# poer companies' 4oever, the reason $or the &uic) 

#ismissal as one o$ genuine #is!elie$, not a mass cover up'*lthough in truth, a $e scientists have steppe# over the line

an# maligne# goo# re%searchers !ase# upon the pro$it an# loss

statements o$ their employers' These scientists are $e in

num!er an# the entire scienti$ic community shoul# not !e

con%#emne# !ase# upon their i solate# unethical en#eavors'

The Real Deal

*lthough the mechanism !y hich E.F $iel#s a$$ect

 !iological tissue is still not e+actly )non, it has !een

une&uivocally shon that cells are a$$ecte#' The !est research

to #ate shos that a cell-s mem!rane, or receptor molecules inthe mem!rane, are sensitive to e+tremely ea) lo%$re&uency

magnetic $iel#s'

5ome o$ the e$$ects reporte# so $ar inclu#e changes in the $lo

o$ ionic compoun#s through cellular mem!ranes' *lso note#

are changes in * synthesis, 6* transcription, an# the

response o$ cells to signaling molecules such as hormones an#

neurotransmitters' In a##ition, changes have !een note# in the

)inetics o$ some cellular !iochemical reactions'

 ot all E.F ra#iation pro#uces all o$ those e$$ects7 it-s more

comple+ than that' 5ome e$$ects are only note# at #iscrete

$re&uencies an# amplitu#es o$ the magnetic $iel#' 8thers

#epen# on the strength an# orientation o$ an am!ient constantmagnetic $iel#' 5till others re&uire a threshol# o$ e+posure

time rather that $iel# strength'

The inherent #anger or increase# li)elihoo# o$ various $orms

o$ cancer #ue to E.F ra#iation has !een emphasie# in the

 press' *s state# previously, the &uantum energy o$ these $iel#s

isn-t su$$icient to pro#uce any type o$ chromosomal #amage'

5imply, that means that E.F ra#iation #oesn-t initiate cancer'

The increase# inci#ence o$ cancers is #ue to the $act that E.F

ra#iation can promote the #isease a$ter the cancer has !een

triggere# !y another agent' The cancer is promote# !ecause

E.F ra#iation can suppress the !o#y-s immune system' In

a##ition, it has !een #etermine# that at the cellular level the

E.F $iel#s increase the pro#uction o$ the enyme ornithine#ecar!o+ylase, hich has !een cite# to support the promotion

o$ cancer in the !o#y'

The Evide!e

*s stu#ies progress, more in$ormation ill !e $orthcoming'

4ere is a short list o$ reporte# events that in#icates the

 potential haar#s o$ E.F $iel#s

  : In 19;<, 5oviet researchers lin)e# electromagnetic $iel#s

ith lo gra#e health pro!lems such as $atigue an#

hea#aches'

  : In 19;;, 6o!ert Bec)er, physician an# !iophysicist

*n#re Marino testi$ie# !e$ore the e or) 5tate Pu!lic

5ervice =ommission a!out the results o$ their e+periment thatshoe# negative health e$$ects #ue to e+posure to E.F $iel#s'

  : In 19;9, ancy (ertheimer an epi#emiologist an#

 physicist E# .eeper pu!lishe# a stu#y that shoe# a statistical

lin) !eteen chil#hoo# cancers an# the pro+imity o$ certain

types o$ high%current poer lines to the home'

  : In 19><, a (ashington 5tate stu#y e+amine# the #ata $or 

the #eaths o$ ?3>,@@@ or)ers in the 5tate occurring !eteen

19A@ an# 19;9' The results o$ the stu#y shoe# that leu)emia

#eaths ere elevate# in 1@ out o$ 11 occupations here the

or)ers ere e+pose# to E.F $iel#s'

  : In 19>, r' Bernar# Tri!u)ait, a pro$essor o$ ra#io !iology at the Carolins)a Institute in 5toc)holm 5e#en,

reporte# that the $etuses o$ mice e+pose# to satooth

electromagnetic $iel#s ha# a greater inci#ence o$ congenital

mal$ormation than une+pose# mice' The satooth ave$orm

is a typical ave$orm generate# !y monitors an# TD-s'

  : In 19>>, the Marylan# epartment o$ 4ealth an# 4ygiene

$oun# an unusually high rate o$ $atal !rain cancer among men

employe# in electrical occupations'

  : In 19>9, John 4op)ins niversity $oun# an elevate# ris) 

o$ all cancers among e or) Telephone =ompany ca!le

splicers'

  : In 199@, avi# 5avit, an epi#emiologist at the niversity

o$ orth =arolina, #etermine# through a stu#y that pregnant

oman ho use# electric !lan)ets have chil#ren ho have a3@ increase# ris) o$ 

cancer as compare# to chil#ren hose mothers #i#n-t use

electric !lan)ets'

5o $ar I have concentrate# on the negative e$$ects o$ @%4

E.F $iel#s' But you shoul# )no that there are positive

me#ical uses $or E.F $iel#s' 6o!ert Bec)er ha# #iscovere#

that E.F $iel#s hen appropriately applie# /at a speci$ic

$re&uency an# amplitu#e0 can promote healing an#

therapeutic responses in tissue' The E.F $iel#s appear to !e a

#ou!le%e#ge# sor#, !eing a!le to heal as ell as harm'

=omputer Monitors' =oncern over the ra#iation $rom

televisions an# computer monitors /hich are closely relate#in operation an# technology0 is nothing ne' * num!er o$ 

years ago there as concern as to hether ra#iation given o$$ 

 !y color televisions coul# have a negative impact on health'

This concern as !ase# primarily on ioniing ra#iation, /lo%

level G%rays0 hose intensity $ell o$$ #ramatically a $e

inches aay $rom the TD screen, an# turne# out to !e

inci#ental' But more insi#ious than this overt threat is one that

has passe# unnotice# until &uite recently the lo $re&uency

magnetic $iel#s generate# !y the coils on the TD-s =6T

/=atho#e%6ay Tu!e0'

=omputer monitors /or DT-s, hich stan#s $or vi#eo%#isplay

terminals0 generate these lo%$re&uency magnetic $iel#s,

hich emanate in all #irections, too' They present a greater 

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haar# than TD-s !ecause a user must sit closer to them #uring

use' In $act, there have !een numerous reports $rom $emale

computer operators o$ cluster miscarriages' The or# cluster 

re$ers to a greater%than%average inci#ent o$ miscarriages

among a group o$ omen'

The latest stu#y on cluster miscarriages as per$orme# in

19>> !y #octors Marilyn Hol#ha!er, Michael Polen, an#

6o!ert 4iat o$ the Caiser Permanente 4ealth Hroup in

8a)lan#, =ali$ornia' The stu#y involve# 1,A>3 pregnantomen' The results o$ the stu#y shoe# that $emale or)ers

ho use# computers more than <@ hours a ee) ha# #ou!le

the miscarriage rate as $emale or)ers ho #i# similar or) 

ithout computers'

(hat the stu#y #i#n-t ta)e into account, !ut hich I-m sure

ill !e stu#ie# in the near $uture, is the inci#ence o$ 

mal$ormations an# cancers in them chil#ren !orn to omen

ho use computers as compare# to the chil#ren o$ omen

ho #on-t' I$ e e+trapolate the in$ormation $rom avi#

5avit-s 199@ stu#y, e may see another si#e to the pro!lem'

E+cessive E.F $iel#s emitte# !y computer monitors is an

in#ustry%i#e pro!lem, virtually all =6T computer monitorsemit e+cessive E.F ra#iation unless speci$ically state#

otherise' 6ecently, Mac(orl# Magaine /in the July, 199@

issue0 #i# E.F stu#ies on 1@ popular monitors' *ll o$ the

monitors teste# emitte# e+cessive E.F ra#iation at a close

range' The only recommen#ation that they or I can o$$er you

at this time is to increase the #istance !eteen you an# the

monitor' * or)ing #istance o$ to $eet is recommen#e#'

The E.F $iel# propagates $rom all points aroun# the monitor,

not ust $rom the $ront screen' That $act !ecomes important in

o$$ices here computer terminals are in close pro+imity to

one another, !ecause or)ers can !ee+pose# not only $rom

their on monitor, !ut also $rom a neigh!or-s monitor'

It-s important to realie that the E.F $iel# given o$$ ill vary

somehat $rom monitor to monitor' Ta!le 1 summaries some

measurements I too) o$ the @%4 E.F $iel# $rom my 1@>?

*miga monitor' *s you can see, the E.F $iel# strength #rops

o$$ #ramatically ith #istance $rom the monitor' /I coul# not

chec) the E.F ra#iating $rom the !ottom o$ the monitor 

 !ecause o$ the ay it is situate# in my or) space0'

5hiel#ing It oul# !e nice i$ e coul# purchase a ra#iation

shiel# $or our monitors, similar to the antiglare shiel# on the

mar)et' n$ortunately none e+ist hich ill !loc) !oth

electric an# magnetic $iel#s simultaneously' * goo#

com!ination oul# !e an electrically groun#e# glare screen

$or the $ront o$ the monitor an# a magnetic shiel#ing

enclosure $or the !ac) an# si#es' 8$ course, the alternative is

to )eep the monitor 1>%<? inches aay $rom yoursel$'

Ta!le 1% M8IT86 6*I*TI8 ITE5IT /mH0Distance(inches) Front L-Side R-Side Back Top

@ ;> 9; 9@ 1<A <;@

? <? 1? 1 3; A

1< A 1'A 1'A > 9<? 1 1 1 3 A

*nother possi!ility is to use an alternative type computer 

monitor' .i&ui# crystal #isplay /.=0 an# plasma #isplay

monitors #o not emit E.F $iel#s' 4oever, their #ra!ac)s

are higher cost an# loer resolution'

Precautions *roun# the 4ome' There are sources o$ E.F

aroun# the typical home' Be$ore I #iscuss them, I oul# $irst

li)e to e+plain a little !it a!out #ose%rate' *n appliance in the

home may generate a very strong E.F $iel#, !ut i$ the

appliance is only use# a short time, its ris) $actor is pro!a!ly

lo' /ote the or# "pro!a!ly" in the last sentence currently,e+act #ata on short%#uration high%strength $iel#s hasn-t !een

gathere#0'

Electric raors $all into this category' .ine%operate# /plugge#

into a all soc)et rather than !attery%poere#0 raors #o

 pro#uce e+tremely strong E.F $iel#s, an# are hel# in very

close pro+imity to the !o#y, !ut !ecause they are only use#

$or a short time, the total e+posure or #ose is small an# they

are pro!a!ly sa$e' In contrast to the electric raor is the

electric !lan)et' It emits a much loer E.F $iel# strength, !ut

$or a much longer e+posure time'

r' ancy (ertheimer, ho $irst pu!lishe# the

epi#emiological stu#y shoing a correlation !eteen @%4 poer l ines an# the increase# inci#ence o$ chil#hoo# cancer 

in this country, has also per$orme# similar research on users

o$ electric !lan)ets' 5he has $oun# that there is a higher 

inci#ence o$ miscarriages among pregnant omen ho use

electric !lan)ets as compare# to pregnant omen ho #o not'

For users o$ electric !lan)ets, the $olloing recom%

men#ations can !e ma#e' 8ne, sitch to or#inary !lan)ets' I$ 

you li)e electric !lan)ets, use one to heat your !e# !e$ore

going to sleep, !ut unplug the !lan)et !e$ore you actually get

into !e#' It is not su$$icient to ust turn o$$ the !lan)et !ecause

many !lan)ets still pro#uce an E.F $iel# as long as they-re

 plugge# into a soc)et'

Fluorescent light are much more e$$icient /more light per 

electrical att0 than or#inary incan#escent !ul!s' Because o$ 

that, they have !ecome the stan#ar# lighting system use# in

most o$$ices, in#ustry, an# no aroun# the home' 4oever,

$luorescent lights re&uire a !allast trans$ormer that generates

an E.F $iel#' I$ you-re using a small $luorescent lamp as a

#es) light, you may ant to consi#er sitching to an

incan#escent lamp, hich generates virtually no E.F'

That also applies to the ne energy%saver $luorescent lampsthat replace stan#ar# incan#escent !ul!s' They are o)ay $or 

overhea# lighting, !ut you may ant to reconsi#er using them

$or close%up or) or #es) lighting'

Television sets $all into the same category as our computer 

monitors' .i)e our monitors, they pro#uce a $iel# that

 propagates $rom aroun# the entire set' The E.F $iel# ill

 propagate through stan#ar# !uil#ing materials such as oo#

an# plaster' 5o i$ a TD set is place# against a all, the E.F

ill propagate through the all into the a#oining room' 5o it

 !ecomes important not to place a !e# against a all ith a TD

set on the other si#e'

The small motors in *=%poere# cloc)s also pro#uce E.F$iel#s' I$ the cloc) is an alarm cloc) that lies close to the

sleeper-s hea#, it coul# !e giving that person a signi$icant #ose

o$ E.F ra#iation #uring the night' The recommen#ation oul#

 !e to move the cloc) a signi$icant #istance aay' 8r purchase

either a !attery%poere# cloc) or a #igital cloc) that pro#uces

a negligi!le $iel#'

4air #ryers $all in the same category as electric shavers since

using them means short%term, high $iel#%strength e+posure'

They are pro!a!ly sa$e $or most people' ota!le e+ceptions

are people ho use them in their occupation, such as hair 

stylists an# hair #ressers'

Electric !ase!oar# heaters are another potential pro!lem

appliance' * minimum o$ ? $eet o$ #istance is recommen#e#

$rom such heaters'

It-s impossi!le $or me to state hat a sa$e, long%term #ose rate

is !ecause it hasn-t !een esta!lishe#' E$$ects have !een

reporte# at #ose rates as lo as 1'< to 3 milligauss' 5o I oul#

venture to say try to limit long%term e+posure to 1 milligauss

or less'

"o##o$ Lie

* controversy still rages as to the impact an# e+tent o$ E.F

$iel#s on human health' I oul# try to limit long%term

e+posure to one milligauss or less'

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