Effects of 3.5-GHz radiofrequency radiation on energy-regulatory hormone levels in the blood and adipose tissue.

PAPER pubmed Bioelectromagnetics 2024 Animal study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1002/bem.22498 PMID: 38369591 Evidence Lab

Abstract

In recent years exposure of living beings to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted from wireless equipment has increased. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3.5-GHz RFR on hormones that regulate energy metabolism in the body. Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups: healthy sham (n = 7), healthy RFR (n = 7), diabetic sham (n = 7), and diabetic RFR (n = 7). Over a month, each group spent 2 h/day in a Plexiglas carousel. The rats in the experimental group were exposed to RFR, but the sham groups were not. At the end of the experiment, blood and adipose tissues were collected from euthanized rats. Total antioxidant, total oxidant, hydrogen peroxide, ghrelin, nesfatin-1, and irisin were determined. Insulin expression in pancreatic tissues was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Whole body specific absorption rate was 37 mW/kg. For the parameters analyzed in blood and fat, the estimated effect size varied within the ranges of 0.215-0.929 and 0.503-0.839, respectively. The blood and adipose nesfatin-1 (p = 0.002), blood and pancreatic insulin are decreased, (p = 0.001), gherelin (p = 0.020), irisin (p = 0.020), and blood glucose (p = 0.040) are increased in healthy and diabetic rats exposed to RFR. While nesfatin-1 are negatively correlated with oxidative stress, hyperglycemia and insulin, ghrelin and irisin are positively correlated with oxidative stress and hyperglycemia. Thus, RFR may have deleterious effects on energy metabolism, particularly in the presence of diabetes.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Animal study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Rats (healthy and diabetic)

Sample size

Exposure

RF wireless equipment · 3500 MHz · 0.037 W/kg · 2 h/day for 1 month

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In healthy and diabetic rats exposed to 3.5-GHz RFR (whole-body SAR 37 mW/kg; 2 h/day for 1 month), blood and adipose nesfatin-1 decreased (p=0.002) and blood and pancreatic insulin decreased (p=0.001). Ghrelin (p=0.020), irisin (p=0.020), and blood glucose (p=0.040) increased in exposed animals; correlations between these hormones and oxidative stress/hyperglycemia were reported.

Outcomes measured

Total antioxidant
Total oxidant
Hydrogen peroxide
Ghrelin
Nesfatin-1
Irisin
Insulin expression in pancreatic tissue (immunohistochemistry)
Blood glucose

Limitations

Animal study; applicability to humans not established.
Exposure details beyond frequency, duration, and whole-body SAR are not provided in the abstract.
Direction/magnitude of oxidative stress marker changes is not explicitly stated in the abstract.

Suggested hubs

5g-policy (0.6)
Study uses 3.5-GHz RF exposure, a frequency band used in 5G deployments.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "wireless equipment",
        "frequency_mhz": 3500,
        "sar_wkg": 0.036999999999999998168132009368491708301007747650146484375,
        "duration": "2 h/day for 1 month"
    },
    "population": "Rats (healthy and diabetic)",
    "sample_size": 28,
    "outcomes": [
        "Total antioxidant",
        "Total oxidant",
        "Hydrogen peroxide",
        "Ghrelin",
        "Nesfatin-1",
        "Irisin",
        "Insulin expression in pancreatic tissue (immunohistochemistry)",
        "Blood glucose"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In healthy and diabetic rats exposed to 3.5-GHz RFR (whole-body SAR 37 mW/kg; 2 h/day for 1 month), blood and adipose nesfatin-1 decreased (p=0.002) and blood and pancreatic insulin decreased (p=0.001). Ghrelin (p=0.020), irisin (p=0.020), and blood glucose (p=0.040) increased in exposed animals; correlations between these hormones and oxidative stress/hyperglycemia were reported.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Animal study; applicability to humans not established.",
        "Exposure details beyond frequency, duration, and whole-body SAR are not provided in the abstract.",
        "Direction/magnitude of oxidative stress marker changes is not explicitly stated in the abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "3.5 GHz",
        "radiofrequency radiation",
        "RFR",
        "SAR",
        "rats",
        "diabetes",
        "energy metabolism",
        "nesfatin-1",
        "ghrelin",
        "irisin",
        "insulin",
        "blood glucose",
        "oxidative stress"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "5g-policy",
            "weight": 0.59999999999999997779553950749686919152736663818359375,
            "reason": "Study uses 3.5-GHz RF exposure, a frequency band used in 5G deployments."
        }
    ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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