“Influence of electromagnetic fields on the circadian rhythm: Implications for human health and disease”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2023.01.003
Published: February 2023
In: ScienceDirect, Biomedical Journal
By: Jan Martel, Shih-Hsin Chang, Gaétan Chevalier, David M. Ojcius, John D. Young

Chapter 9. Effects of electromagnetic pollution: “Within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, some symptoms of long-Covid-19, which affects 50% of cases in the U.S., are highly similar to microwave sickness¹.²“

Attention: for active links read the publication in ScienceDirect.

In addition to the natural EMFs of the earth, the human body and the circadian rhythm can also be affected by anthropogenic sources of electromagnetic pollution. Technological revolutions related to the use of electricity, internet, and wireless telecommunications have considerably increased our exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. For instance, levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation around the 1 GHz band used mainly for wireless devices has increased by around 10¹⁸ times compared to natural baseline levels [72]. Modern electrical and wireless devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), smart phones, Wi-Fi, and laptop computers are widely seen as must-have conveniences nowadays. However, a growing number of scientists and citizens have raised concerns about the health risks associated with their indiscriminate use [[72], [73], [74], [75]]. Although this research is still controversial, long-term use of cell phones and wireless devices has been implicated in the development of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, cognitive impairment, infertility, neurodegenerative disorders, immune system problems, cardiovascular disease, and cancer [[72], [73], [74]].

Safety standards for cell phones are based only on thermal effects in the short term (6 or 30 min of exposure), while the long-term safety of cell phone towers and antennas has not been fully investigated. However, it is now clear that living organisms react to weak variations of EMFs such as the action described above for cryptochromes which may influence the circadian rhythm [5,56]. Furthermore, important aspects of real-time exposure to radiofrequencies have been overlooked, including permanent exposure to multiple sources, signal polarization, the sensitivity of specific organs or age groups, combined exposure with other environmental toxins, and interference with the natural EMFs of the earth. Countless studies have shown that low-intensity wireless radiofrequencies such as those produced by cell phones and antennas can produce biological effects without affecting body temperature [75,76]. For instance, wireless electromagnetic waves can induce DNA damage and oxidation, inhibit mitochondria and energy production, activate voltage-dependent calcium channels, induce cellular stress and heat-shock proteins, alter immune functions and affect the blood–brain barrier [75,76]. Notably, the effects of wireless electromagnetic radiation have been shown to be attenuated by voltage-dependent calcium channel inhibitors in laboratory animals, indicating that these proteins are involved in the non-thermal effects produced by wireless electromagnetic waves [77]. Yet, other studies have reported no detrimental effects on some of these markers, possibly due to differences in methodologies and other factors, which further delays acceptance of detrimental effects of wireless EMFs.

The advent of the internet of things (IoT) and the 5G wireless network is seen by many experts as a major threat to human health [75]. 5G relies on radiofrequencies used for previous networks (MHz range) but also higher microwave frequencies (1–100 GHz) that fall into the millimeter range (30–300 GHz). Given that these microwaves of higher frequencies are partially blocked by building walls, rain and vegetation, it was planned to increase the number of antennas and their power intensity, which can considerably increase the levels of exposition. These levels of exposition are further multiplied by the number of telecommunication companies in each region (usually from 2 to 6), which install antennas at the same locations (in addition to the existing 3G and 4G towers).

While no safety studies have been conducted yet to assess the health effects of the 5G network, which remains to be fully implemented, preliminary studies show that living in close proximity to 5G antennas can lead to microwave sickness [78], a condition identified in radar operators chronically exposed to high levels of microwaves and characterized by flu-like symptoms such as headaches, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, tinnitus, dizziness, body aches, poor concentration, cardiovascular abnormalities, insomnia and anxiety [79]. Widespread protests by the public and health experts have occurred in various cities throughout the world and several international appeals have requested a moratorium on 5G safety. However, these red flags and safety concerns have been ignored and most countries have rushed ahead with the rollout of this novel wireless technology, including tens of thousands of low orbit satellites already approved to provide high-speed internet to every corner of the earth. The possibility that this new source of electromagnetic pollution may affect the human circadian rhythm and induce inflammation in old and diseased individuals remains to be examined.

Epidemiological studies and anecdotal observations indicate that people living near cell phone towers and antennas show a higher incidence of headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, concentration problems, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, depression and increased rates of suicides, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer [80]. Based on epidemiological studies and meta-analyses of electric and magnetic fields and long-term use of cell phones, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified wireless radiofrequencies as possibly carcinogenic to humans [81]. The safety guidelines based on thermal effects are clearly inadequate.

The lack of acceptance of the detrimental effects of wireless EMFs in public opinion may be due to the fact that EMFs do not appear to produce obvious symptoms in the large majority of young and healthy individuals in the short term. However, the situation may be different for old individuals and people with chronic diseases who show reduced resistance to various forms of stress. Reduced stress resistance in older individuals and people with chronic diseases has been attributed to various factors including reduced amplitude or phase shift of the circadian rhythm [12]. The disrupted circadian rhythm may lead to a pro-inflammatory immune cell profile, a condition also called inflammaging, which can contribute to disease progression.

Within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, some symptoms of long-Covid-19, which affects 50% of cases in the U.S., are highly similar to microwave sickness [79]. While both conditions present symptoms that are common and non-specific such as fever, fatigue, headaches, congestion and cough, other symptoms may be more characteristic of microwave toxicity, including tinnitus, loss of smell, pain in the back of the skull (brainstem), dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations, difficulty to focus, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, and insomnia. While all these symptoms have been attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the possibility exists that at least some of these symptoms may be caused by microwave toxicity.

For the full chapter, go to ScienceDirect.

Related information long-Covid-19 / 5G

• Multerland opinion article: The start of Covid-19 and the sudden end of the Stop5G Appeals in the media are intertwined (March, 2025)
• Multerland article: The Correlation Between Electromagnetic Radiation and Flu (July, 2024)
• Multerland article: What was rolled out during the pandemic? (May, 2023)
• Multerland article: Russian Professor Oleg A. Grigoriev: Debriefing 5G (January, 2021)
• Multerland article: Puzzling with Covid-19 facts (August, 2020)
• Multerland article: Are anti-5G activists cowards? (August, 2020)
• Multerland article: Does Covid-19 cause diabetes type 3 and what is the link with EHS and 5G? (July, 2020)
• Multerland article: How 5G contributes to the corona pandemic (May, 2020)
• Multerland article: Corona-check via magnetism (April, 2020)

Related information EHS

• Multerland blog: Articles about EHS
• Book: The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life, authors: Robert O Becker and Gary Selden. First edition: 1985
• Multerland article: A mechanistic understanding of human magnetoreception validates the phenomenon of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)
• Multerland blog: ICNIRP (global safety standards decision makers group, thermal-effects-only dogma)

Footnotes:

1. The microwave syndrome or electro-hypersensitivity: historical background
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2. EHS / Microwave News Article Archive (2004 – present) ↩︎

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