Several studies have revealed that electromagnetic fields impact significantly on the human health. One of the sources of these electromagnetic fields is the mobile phones. This poses a big danger to the community because the mobile phone usage remains very high in the world.
In most countries around the world, more than half of the citizens use mobile phones as an integral part of their communication (World Health Organization: Electromagnetic fields and public health; mobile phones par 4). However, the number is increasing at an increasingly high rate. Previous studies have revealed that the electromagnetic fields produced by the mobile phones could be carcinogenic to humans (World Health Organization: Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones par 6).
Some studies have found that the electromagnetic fields from the mobile phone have a significant impact on human health, both short term and long term effects. One of the major effects of the electromagnetic fields from the mobile phones in human health is tissue heating (World Health Organization: Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones par 8).
This is where the radiofrequency energy interacts with the human body hence generating such heating effects. When an individual is using a mobile phone, the skin and other tissues absorbs the heat that results into the rising of the temperature in the brain. This heating can also cause rise in temperature in other parts of the body.
Over the past years, there has been an intensive epidemiological research seeking to find out the long term effect of radiofrequency exposure especially from mobile phones in respect to brain tumours. These studies have however been undermined by the fact that the mobile phone have been in intensive use just about two decades ago.
It therefore becomes difficult to relate health risks to the continued use of the mobile phones. The study that has been conducted on human reveals that there is a high cancer risk for long term exposure to electromagnetic fields (EM Watch par 5). These findings reveal that human beings are at a high risk of getting cancer from continued use of mobile phones.
Electromagnet radiation from the cell phones can also cause protein changes in the skin. From a recent research, ten women were exposed to a radiation from GSM cell phone for a period of one hour. After the exposure, their skins were screened to see whether there was any stress reaction. The results indicated that two of the proteins were significantly affected (EM Watch par 3).
A study conducted in Israel revealed a close relationship between mobile use and the salivary gland cancer. According to this study, those people who used cell phones more than 22 hours a day were at a higher risk of developing parotid gland cancer than those who did not use it frequently (AlOrainy 4). Electromagnetic field from mobile phones also leads to aggressive growth in Leukaemia cells. This was confirmed through the research conducted at the National Research Council in Bologna in Italy.
This study revealed that Leukaemia cells exposed to the cell phones with a frequency of 900 mH for more than 48 hours undergone a more aggressive replication (EM Watch par 4). This study reveals that it is advisable for the people suffering from such diseases like leukaemia to refrain from prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields. They are therefore advised to minimize the mobile use in order to avoid replication of cancerous cells.
Electromagnetic fields from cell phones can also cause increased blood pressure in the human body. It has been found that a prolonged use of a mobile phone (i.e. for more than 35 minutes) can lead to an increase in blood pressure of about 8 mm Hg (AlOrainy 7). Blood pressure alteration is very sensitive in human health and therefore this poses a major issue.
Effect of Electromagnetic Fields from Microwave Ovens on Our Health
Microwave oven is one of the equipments that is frequently used by man but poses a major health risk. Past studies have indicated that the electromagnetic fields produced by microwave ovens have great danger on individuals’ health. The electromagnetic fields can affect an individual either directly through exposure to the magnetic field or indirectly through the food consumed.
Several studies have found that micro-waved food contains some amounts of carcinogens. When food is passed through the microwave oven, the electromagnetic radiation changes the substances in the cooked food to dangerous organic toxic and carcinogenic products (Crabtree par 21). In fact, the risk of the micro waved food has been found to be more serious than it was thought to be. For instance, when raw, frozen or cooked vegetables are micro waved, their alkaloids are converted into carcinogens (Crabtree par 23).
Another health implication of the microwaves is the destruction of nutrients. Exposure of food to the electromagnetic field from the oven can lead to destruction of some important nutrients. This lowers the nutrient level of the food. The decrease in the food value is also caused by the increase in structural degradation. Some of the nutrients that are widely known to be affected by the radiation include vitamin C, vitamin B, and other important minerals in the food.
Therefore, continued consumption of food passed through microwave ovens can lead to deficiency complications. Microwaving also causes leakage of toxic chemicals from the packaging into the foods (Lee 3). This can have adverse effects on human health complications. These toxic chemicals can also lower the nutrient value of the food. Therefore, it is not advisable to keep food for long in the microwave oven.
Consumption of micro waved food also leads to pathogenic changes to the consumers. It has been observed that there is more prevalence of certain diseases on individuals who consumes micro-waved foods for a long period. For instance, it was observed that lymphatic disorders were more prevalent in individuals consuming microwave food, a factor that increased the prevalence of certain type of cancer (Lee 5). Consumption of micro waved food was also closely related with cases of intestinal and stomach cancers.
In Russia, exposure to microwaves was found to cause serious health problems among the workers. This forced the government to intervene by putting restrictions on the microwatts for the workers. These complications were characterized by low blood pressure and slower heart beats.
Before blood transfusion, the blood is usually warmed. Warming the blood through the microwave can lead to death of patients. An attempt to warm blood prior to transfusion by a nurse (1991) resulted in the patient death (Lee 3). In this case, the electromagnetic radiation from the microwave altered the components of the blood that resulted in the patient’s death. This reveals the impact of the electromagnetic radiation from microwaves in altering food substances.
This discussion have revealed that microwave oven have a significant impact on human health. Micro waved foods have been found to contain certain amounts of carcinogens. When different types of foods are micro-waved, certain chemical compositions are converted into carcinogens.
Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer
Electromagnetic field can be viewed as the force that is usually generated around an electric field. In the contemporary world, people are exposed to various kinds of electromagnetic fields. This exposure is increasing at a higher rate with improvement in the level of technology.
Changes in the social behaviours have also led to creation of more artificial electromagnetic fields. Every person is exposed to electromagnetic fields (either weak or strong), both in the work place and in their homes. These magnetic fields originate from the domestic appliances, telecommunications, and industrial broadcasting (National Cancer Institute par 3). This exposure has raised major concern on health issues since it has been thought to be a close relationship between electromagnetic field and cancer.
Previous studies have revealed that there is a close relationship between electromagnetic fields and cancer. However, there are several controversies in the field; a fact that has made it difficult to come up with sound conclusion on the impact of electromagnetic fields and the development of cancer.
Several studies have been conducted to find out whether there is any relationship between electromagnetic fields and cancer especially in children. These studies have emphasized on brain tumours and leukaemia since these are the most common kinds of cancers in children. It has been revealed that there is a close relation between the children who lives near electric power lines and prevalence of leukaemia (National Cancer Institute par 5).
This led to conclusion that there is a possibility that electromagnetic fields can cause cancer in human beings. However, similar studies conducted in the same environment indicated that there was no relationship between the electromagnetic field and prevalence of leukaemia among the children.
When pregnant mothers use electric appliances more frequently, there are high risks for their children to develop leukaemia later. This raises a need for reduced exposure to electromagnetic fields for pregnant mothers.
The electric fields near many electric appliances are higher even than the one near the power line (World Health Organization: Electromagnetic fields par 4). Despite of these conclusions made by some researchers, other studies conducted in the same issue indicated that there is no any connection between childhood cancer and household appliances.
Occupational studies indicate that there is prevalence of some types of cancer in certain working environments. For instance, those people working in the phone lines and power stations are exposed to high risks of developing brain tumours or leukaemia (National Cancer Institute par 6). This can be attributed to the amount and duration of exposure to electromagnetic fields.
In the human body, there are a number of processes that are regulated with the bioelectrical signals. Therefore, artificial electromagnetic signals can enter into an individual’s body and interfere with the normal functioning of these fields. Most epidemiology studies have revealed that there is a risk of contacting Leukaemia among the young children who are exposed to magnetic fields in their homes (World Health Organization: Electromagnetic fields par 5).
However, these studies have failed to come up with a logical cause and effect system in explaining the phenomena. This has undermined the credibility and reliability of these results. In addition, there has not been any animal or laboratory experiment that has managed to demonstrate the hypothesis based on these conclusions.
Works Cited
AlOrainy, Abdullah. “Recent Research on Mobile Phones Effects.” WHO, 2003. Web.
Crabtree, Vexen. “Electromagnetic Radiation and the Human Body.” Human truth, 2009. Web.
EM Watch. “Electromagnetic Radiation Health Effects.” Emwatch, 2008. Web.
Lee, Lita. “Microwaves and Microwave Ovens.” Litalee, 2001. Web.
National Cancer Institute. “Magnetic Field Exposure and Cancer: Questions and Answers.” Cancer, 2011. Web.
World Health Organization. “Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health: Mobile Phones.” WHO, 2011. Web.
World Health Organization. “Electromagnetic fields (EMF).” WHO, 2011. Web.