Does short-term exposure to mobile phone base station signals increase symptoms in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields? A double-blind randomized provocation study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals with idiopathic environmental illness with attribution to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) believe they suffer negative health effects when exposed to electromagnetic fields from everyday objects such as mobile phone base stations. OBJECTIVES: This study used both open provocation and double-blind tests to determine if sensitive and control individuals experience more negative health effects when exposed to base station-like signals compared with sham. METHODS: Fifty-six self-reported sensitive and 120 control participants were tested in an open provocation test. Of these, 12 sensitive and 6 controls withdrew after the first session. The remainder completed a series of double-blind tests. Subjective measures of well-being and symptoms as well as physiological measures of blood volume pulse, heart rate, and skin conductance were obtained. RESULTS: During the open provocation, sensitive individuals reported lower levels of well-being in both the global system for mobile communication (GSM) and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) compared with sham exposure, whereas controls reported more symptoms during the UMTS exposure. During double-blind tests the GSM signal did not have any effect on either group. Sensitive participants did report elevated levels of arousal during the UMTS condition, whereas the number or severity of symptoms experienced did not increase. Physiological measures did not differ across the three exposure conditions for either group. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term exposure to a typical GSM base station-like signal did not affect well-being or physiological functions in sensitive or control individuals. Sensitive individuals reported elevated levels of arousal when exposed to a UMTS signal. Further analysis, however, indicated that this difference was likely to be due to the effect of order of exposure rather than the exposure itself.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In open provocation, sensitive participants reported lower well-being during GSM and UMTS compared with sham, and controls reported more symptoms during UMTS. In double-blind testing, GSM had no effect on well-being, symptoms, or physiological measures in either group; sensitive participants reported higher arousal during UMTS without increased symptoms, and physiological measures did not differ across exposure conditions. The reported arousal difference in UMTS was suggested to be likely due to exposure order rather than exposure itself.

Outcomes measured

• Subjective well-being
• Symptoms (number/severity)
• Blood volume pulse
• Heart rate
• Skin conductance
• Arousal (self-reported)

Limitations

• Substantial withdrawal after the first session (12 sensitive and 6 controls) before completing double-blind tests
• Open provocation results may be influenced by lack of blinding
• Order effects noted for UMTS arousal finding

Suggested hubs

• who-icnirp (0.25)
  Human provocation study on RF exposure and reported symptoms relevant to broader EMF health evidence base.

{
    "study_type": "randomized_trial",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone base station",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "short-term"
    },
    "population": "Self-reported EMF-sensitive (IEI-EMF) individuals and control participants",
    "sample_size": 176,
    "outcomes": [
        "Subjective well-being",
        "Symptoms (number/severity)",
        "Blood volume pulse",
        "Heart rate",
        "Skin conductance",
        "Arousal (self-reported)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In open provocation, sensitive participants reported lower well-being during GSM and UMTS compared with sham, and controls reported more symptoms during UMTS. In double-blind testing, GSM had no effect on well-being, symptoms, or physiological measures in either group; sensitive participants reported higher arousal during UMTS without increased symptoms, and physiological measures did not differ across exposure conditions. The reported arousal difference in UMTS was suggested to be likely due to exposure order rather than exposure itself.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Substantial withdrawal after the first session (12 sensitive and 6 controls) before completing double-blind tests",
        "Open provocation results may be influenced by lack of blinding",
        "Order effects noted for UMTS arousal finding"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "moderate",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "IEI-EMF",
        "electromagnetic hypersensitivity",
        "base station",
        "GSM",
        "UMTS",
        "double-blind",
        "randomized provocation",
        "symptoms",
        "well-being",
        "physiological measures"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "who-icnirp",
            "weight": 0.25,
            "reason": "Human provocation study on RF exposure and reported symptoms relevant to broader EMF health evidence base."
        }
    ]
}

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