By Julie A. Evans
Best Life
(Article submitted by Ahk Yehoadeen-Atlanta)
When Vin Khurana, PhD, an Australian (and Mayo Clinic-trained) neurosurgeon, announced that the link between cell-phone use and cancer was irrefutable-the resul of his analysis of more than 100 studies-it set off alarm bell around the world. Use a cell phone, he said, and you increase your risk of developing a milignant brain tumo by two to four times. Until recently, the majority of research indicated little or no link between cell phones and cancer (the World health Organizaiton and the American Cancer Society maintain that cell phones pose no threat), but several new long-term studies have cast doubt about their safety. Giventhat cell phones and PDAs serve as lifelines for so many peoole-24 percent of 10- and 11-year-olds carry them-it raises urgent questions. To find out what precautions you should take when using your cell phone, we dialed the nation's leading experts.
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Maybe…with extended use. Mobile-phone users are twice as likely to develop malignant, difficult-to-treat brain tumors called gilomas, according to a first-of-its-kind study that analyzed the effects of cell-phone use over 10 years or more and was published last year in the journal Occupational Environmental Medicine. The Bioinitiative Working Group, an international coalition of scientists and public-health experts, recently published a hefty report detailing the link between the nonionizing radiation caused by a cell phone’s electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer, DNA damage, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases. “The cells in the body react to EMFs in cell phones just like they do to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals,” says Martin Blank, PhD, a professor in bioelectromagnetics at
Do cell phones emit radiation only when you are talking?
No. “Cell phones give off radiation any time they’re turned on so that they can communicate with base stations,” says Lou Bloomfield, PhD, professor of physics at the
What is a phone’s SAR value and why does it matter?
SAR stands for specific absorption rate, and it refers to the rate of radiation exposure from radio frequency and microwaves measured in watts per kilogram of tissue, says
What is the range of the radiation?
Exposure to radiation from your cell phone drops off slowly for the first three to four inches from your body, and then it falls dramatically, says
Is it risky to carry a cell phone in your pants pocket?
Maybe. One 2006 study found no link to testicular cancer, but other researchers suspect a link to male infertility. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, recently completed a study in which cell phones were set down for one hour in talk mode, next to sperm samples in test tubes. He found that the sperm’s motility and viability were significantly reduced, and levels of harmful free radicals increased after exposure. Agarwal suggests storing the phone in your jacket pocket to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation. Pregnant women need to take precautions too, because a recent study found that cell-phone use while pregnant is linked to behavioral problems in children.
Are kids more at risk?
“Yes, since children’s nervous systems are still developing, and they have thinner scalps and skulls than adults, they should use cell phones only in emergencies,” says Gene Barnett, MD, professor and director of the Brain Tumor and
What about texting?
It’s actually a safer way to communicate, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at
The 10 worst cell phones according to their SAR numbers:
1. Motorola V195s.......................................1.60 w/kg
2. Motorola Slvr L6.......................................1.58 w/kg
3. Motorola Slvr L2.......................................1.54 w/kg
4. Motorola W385.........................................1.54 w/kg
5. Rim BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint)......1.54 w/kg
6. Rim BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon)...1.54 w/kg
7. Motorola Deluxe ic902.............................1.53 w/kg
8. T-Mobile Shadow......................................1.53 w/kg
9. Motorola i335.............................................1.53 w/kg
10. Samsung Sync SGH-C417....................1.51 w/kg
The 10 best cell phones according to their SAR numbers:
1. LG KG800..................................................0.135 w/kg
2. Motorola Razr V3x.....................................0.14 w/kg
3. Nokia 9300.................................................0.21 w/kg
4. Nokia N90...................................................0.22 w/kg
5. Samsung SGH-G800.................................0.23 w/kg
6. Samsung Sync SGH-A707........................0.236 w/kg
7. Nokia 7390..................................................0.26 w/kg
8. Samsung SGH-T809..................................0.32 w/kg
9. Bang & Olufsen Serene..............................0.33 w/kg
10. Motorola Razr2 V8....................................0.36 w/kg
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