People are concerned that smartphones, or mobile phones in general, might have the potential of causing certain types of cancer and other health problems, according to National Cancer Institute. These devices emit radiation in the form of radio frequency, and some think it could cause cancer because it is used close to the head.

These concerns have inspired studies on the possible effects of cellphone radiation on the body. For instance, a recent study by researchers from UC Berkeley found that using smartphones could increase the chances of developing cancer. They noted that the radiation from mobile phones interferes with cellular mechanisms and result in proteins that could cause DNA damage.

The researchers examined earlier studies conducted in the US, Sweden, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand to get a broader perspective of the effects of smartphones on human health.

They published their study, titled "Cellular Phone Use and Risk of Tumors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.


Using Smartphones for 17 Minutes Per Day Over Ten Years Could Increase Risk of Cancer, Study Found
(Photo: Pixabay)
Using Smartphones for 17 Minutes Per Day Over Ten Years Could Increase Risk of Cancer, Study Found

Using Smartphones Increases Risk of Developing Brain Tumors

Study author Joel Moskowitz told Berkeley News that ever since, he was skeptical that cellphone radiation could cause cancer. In their 2009 review, titled "Mobile Phone Use and Risk of Tumors: A Meta-Analysis" published in the journal of Clinical Oncology, they found that heavy usage of smartphones or mobile phones is linked to increased brain cancer incidence.

When they updated their review in 2020, their current study found no difference in the results of their meta-analysis of 46 case-control studies. Their main takeaway is that with approximately 1,000 hours of using smartphones or an equivalent to 17 minutes per day for ten years, a person could increase their chances of having brain cancer by 60%.

However, Moskowitz said that the US Food and Drugs Administration has said that there is no consistent or reliable scientific evidence that radiation from smartphones could have any adverse health effects. He pointed out that previous studies proving FDA's claims are fully or partly funded by the mobile phone industry

But more than 250 scientists who have studied the health effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields from mobile devices have signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal, according to Daily Mail. This calls for health warnings and stronger exposure limits which supports Moskowitz' claim about the effects of cellphone radiation on human health.

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Health Effects Associated from Long-Term Exposure to Mobile Devices

Moskowitz said in the interview with Berkeley News that electromagnetic field scientists think modulation of mobile devices makes the energy more biologically active, which interferes with cellular mechanisms and could lead to creating proteins and free radicals that could cause DNA damage or, in other cases, cell death.

A 2001 study found that low-frequency fields were classified as possibly carcinogenic by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A decade later, the IARC classified radio frequency as possibly carcinogenic to humans.

With more information about the matter today, it could warrant a stronger classification. On March 1, 2021, a report by the National Center for Environmental Health at the CDC concluded that there is a "high probability" that radio frequency radiation from smartphones or mobile devices causes two types of brain tumors, which are called gliomas and acoustic neuromas.

When asked for advice on how to reduce the chances of developing brain tumors because of overusing mobile devices, Moskowitz enumerated three tips. First, minimize the use of smartphones or mobile phones; second, keep cellphones ten inches away from the body; and lastly, use mobile phones only when the signal is strong because these devices are programmed to increase radiation when the signal is poor.

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