The puzzle of cell phone radiation is yet to make complete sense probably because electronic and wireless devices only became commonplace a few years back, at the start of the 21st Century.

Understandably, the science world has not had time enough to carry out conclusive research.

Or maybe they have, and we are all a bunch of guinea pigs running the biggest ever radiation experiment! Only time will tell.

Also true, manufacturers, in collaboration with people in high places withhold information on product defects. This is done to maintain user trust, and to continue to make money. 

Here is food for thought:

A 2017 study by the French and Canadian governments shows that phone users are taken for a ride by manufacturers, who misreport the true levels of radiation emitted by these devices.

When cell phones are re-tested in real life, 9 out of 10 emit 3 to 4 more levels of radiation. This is more than the manuals report.

The French study, known as Phonegate, compiled its results by testing the phones when placed close to the human body. Watch the video here.

1. Radio frequencies

This combines all kinds of wireless devices that operate within the microwave or other frequencies. They include cell phones, wireless routers, cordless phones, smart meters, baby monitors, cell phone towers, etc.

2. Electric fields

These are devices that have some form of voltage and transmit electric energy. Examples include lamps, power outlets, plastic cords and sockets, extension cables, electrical appliances, wiring, and power lines. Electric fields are more dangerous if present in bedrooms. They interfere with sleep patterns and the normal functionality of the brain. They are capable of altering cell growth.

3. Magnetic fields

Electric devices are still the main sources of magnetic fields in the house. The emissions usually arise from poorly installed power lines, wiring, overhead power lines, grounding current, etc.

4. Dirty electricity

Dirty electricity is commonly present in energy-conserving devices such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), LED and dimmer switches. In computers and portable chargers for power-saving modes, it is present in transformer chips. It is also present in electrical motors in fridges and washing machines. Other dirty electricity includes solar panel inverter-chargers and smart meters.

Why cell phone radiation is a big deal!

Cell phones contribute just a portion to the EMF radiation puzzle but take center stage because we use and carry them in close proximity. 

They emit low-level non-ionizing microwave radiation which may not be very harmful to the body if used correctly and for short periods.

However, extended exposure, which is our bread and butter, can alter brain activity. The result is felt by the user soon after, or in months and years to come.

According to Dr. Martin Blank, a few years ago,

Putting it bluntly, they (cell phones) are damaging the living cells in our bodies and killing many of us prematurely.

He goes ahead,

We have created something that is harming us, and it is getting out of control. Before Edison’s light bulb there was very little electromagnetic radiation in our environment. The levels today are very many times higher than natural background levels and are growing rapidly because of all the new devices that emit this radiation.

In a press release document of May 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer/WHO reported that radiofrequency magnetic fields emitted through mobile phones exposed users to a malignant type of cancer known as glioma. 

The document classified mobile phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (IARC Class 2B).

Is cell phone radiation really bad?

Radiation is a natural phenomenon and has been with humanity from the beginning. A regulated amount of radiation is good for the body, but too much of it is dangerous. The ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun is one example. 

A small amount of UV rays from the sun is good since it aids the human skin in generating the much-needed vitamin D. A direct overdose of UV rays, however, is deadly.

The effects range from eye inflammation, skin aging to skin cancer. The ozone layer is positioned between the sun and earth and uses a special kind of oxygen to filter the deadly UV rays.

Cell phones emit three kinds of radio waves:

• Cellular
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth

When all the three transmitters are turned on, the radiation levels increase considerably. Scientists argue though that the nonionizing radio wave from cell phones is not necessarily harmful to the body as compared to x-ray and ultraviolet rays. 

The consensus is, however, that bad use of the phone on a daily basis and for long hours is bad. It is advised to turn off whichever transmitter is not in use.

Research by Clinical Neurophysiology shows that thirty-minute exposure to LTE cellphone radiation negatively affects brain activity.

Cellphone radiation and children!

The real dangers of cell phone radiation to children cannot be overemphasized. The director of the Center for Family and Community Health at America’s UC Berkley’s School of Public Health, Joel Moskowitz, said,

It will take several decades to get conclusive evidence on this.

Moskowitz and other health experts were up in arms in 2013 when they protested a press release by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which claimed that exposure to electromagnetic fields in phones was not harmful to children. 

To them and many concerned parents, children are now the biggest consumers of mobile phones and tablets in the world.

According to Daily Mail UK, children account for a third of global mobile phone usage. While not necessarily using mobiles for voice calls, children are using them to play games, and chat with friends.

They also use them for longer hours than adults, according to Dariusz Leszczyński, a research Professor (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, Finland) and adjunct Professor (University of Helsinki),

There are studies showing that this (radiofrequency) is causing some biological effects. However, we do not have a clear picture of the effects of long-term use.

Still, EMF radiation is linked to brain tumors following incorrect phone use for hours and years.

It affects babies and teenage kids more than it does adults. This is because children are exposed to them early in life, and unlike adults, they have thinner and softer brain tissues which permit radiation to travel through them fast.

Ultimately, their DNA makeup is subjected to faster manipulation!

So, kids getting their first phones at the age of 6-7 years have some 50-80 years ahead of them during which they will be exposed to this radiation.

To show their concern about radiation exposure to children, the American Academy of Pediatrics drafted a document to the American Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking for strict regulations on children using cell phones and wireless devices.

Other reported effects of cell phone radiation:

• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Breast cancer
• Gene damage
• DNA breakup
• Ear ringing
• Poor vision
• Irritability and increased stress levels
• Increased glucose in the brain
• Weakened bones
• Sleeping disorders
• Immune dysfunction
• Frequent headaches
• Neurological diseases
• Brain cancer and tumor
• Sperm damage
• Mild blood pressure when in use
• Abnormalities and biological effects on unborn babies