subject: Cell phones detrimental to human health? [print this page] Cell phones detrimental to human health? Cell phones detrimental to human health?
If you use a cell phone, at some point you may have wondered about how the cell phone radiation affects you. Every now and then we turn on the television or read the newspaper and learn about a new study that links cell phone radiation to brain tumor or some other disease. But not all news is bad news. There are other reports on the opposite side of the argument that that these mobile devices are perfectly safe. What's going on here? When can these scientific experts decide? However, until there is a clear consensus on the issue, the prudent approach is to take some precautions. There are some compelling studies that deserve attention.
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in 2007 found frequent cell phone use can affect male fertility. Their study shows that men who used cell phones for more than four hours daily had poorer sperm quality than those who use the cell phones less often. The same research team published a study more recently where they found that the sperm samples exposed to mobile phone frequencies had higher levels of free radicals and lower levels of the protective antioxidants, as compared to sperm samples not exposed to the phone radiation . The exposed sperm had reduced function, motility and overall health. This requires further investigation, but there is enough evidence to warrant a warning to men to keep the cell phones away from their pelvic area, especially if they're planning to start a family.
A recent report suggests that people should use the cell phone for only 24 minutes a day. This report, compiled by professor Girish Kumar from the electrical engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, based the recommendation on the SAR limit for mobile phones of 1.6w/kg . This translates into a usage for six minutes a day; factoring in a safety margin of three to four, a person then should not use a mobile phone for more than 18 to 24 minutes a day. The report also cites studies that state cell phone radiation can affect male fertility, damage DNA, and harmful to pregnant women.
Swedish research led by Prof. Leif Salford found that microwave radiation from mobile phones damages brain cells, possibly leading to early development of Alzheimer's disease. The study, performed on rats, found that the radiofrequency radiation damaged areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement. There is yet to have any conclusive evidence that cell phones damage the human brain cells, but the research suggests there was good reason to believe that they could have the same effect on humans.
More studies need to be done before anything conclusive can be drawn that everybody can agree on. A lot of experts are of the opinion this is similar to the tobacco issue, or the asbestos issue. Unlike the tobacco, however, the mobile phone is here to stay. The technology just needs to be improved in order to ensure consumer safety. Meanwhile, it is only wise to take precautions.
