This narrative review discusses biological mechanisms and reported health effects of anthropogenic extremely low frequency (ELF) and wireless communication (WC) electromagnetic fields. It highlights oxidative stress and DNA damage as key mechanistic endpoints and proposes an IFO-VGIC pathway linking EMF exposure to ROS overproduction and cellular dysfunction. The authors interpret the broader literature as indicating risks (e.g., cancer, infertility, EHS) even below current exposure limits and advocate precautionary policy measures, including stricter limits and a 5G moratorium.

This cross-sectional study of 104 university student volunteers assessed whether mobile phone-emitted non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is associated with changes in parotid gland-related salivary measures. The authors report higher salivary flow rate and pH with longer mobile phone usage duration, along with side-related differences in albumin, IMA, and IMAR. The paper concludes that consistent exposure to mobile phone NIER and associated heat adversely affects parotid gland function and frames this as a health risk, while calling for further long-term research.

This study reports on 26 adults self-diagnosed with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) who provided skin biopsies to generate primary fibroblast lines. The authors describe two EHS subsets based on questionnaire and DNA damage-related measures, and report delayed ATM nucleoshuttling after X-ray exposure in all samples, interpreted as impaired DNA repair signaling. They propose a molecular model linking EHS to ATM pathway dysfunction and suggest this could relate to increased cancer risk or accelerated aging.

This narrative review discusses how environmental factors may affect male reproductive health through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA regulation. It reports that electromagnetic radiation, particularly from mobile phones and wireless devices, is linked in the reviewed literature to reduced sperm count and motility, increased oxidative stress, and chromatin damage. The authors conclude there is a substantive connection between EMF exposure and adverse male reproductive outcomes and suggest practical risk-reduction guidance.

In a rat experiment (n=59), a single 40-minute whole-body 28 GHz exposure at near-threshold WBA-SAR levels was evaluated under normal and heat conditions with restraint. After accounting for sham-related restraint stress, exposure was associated with increased serum-free corticosterone 1–3 days later, especially when rectal temperature rose by >1°C. Urinary catecholamines suggested an immediate inhibitory effect on stress response (notably noradrenaline), with heat amplifying effects and linking noradrenaline to tail surface temperature.

This animal study exposed Sprague-Dawley rats (including pregnant females and offspring) to 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi or mobile jammer radiation for 2 hours daily over two weeks and assessed thyroid hormones and thyroid histology. The abstract reports significant changes in T4 in exposed adult males and significant differences in T3 among male offspring exposed to jammer radiation. Histopathology reportedly showed disrupted thyroid follicular structure in exposed rats. The authors conclude these findings support a potential link between non-ionizing radiation exposure and altered thyroid endocrine and histological parameters.

This animal study exposed rats to a 1800 MHz electromagnetic field for 12 weeks and assessed hormones, sperm quality, and behavior. The abstract reports increased corticosterone, decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone, reduced sperm motility/viability, and increased anxiety-like behavior in exposed rats. Some hormonal changes reportedly persisted for at least 2 weeks after exposure ended, and the authors frame the results as indicating adverse endocrine, reproductive, and behavioral effects.

This animal study examined maternal mobile phone exposure during different gestational windows in Wistar rats and assessed ovarian development and hormones in neonatal offspring. Compared with sham (phone off), exposed groups (standby and conversation/standby) were reported to have lower neonatal estrogen and progesterone and reduced primordial follicle/primary oocyte measures, with stronger effects after longer exposure. The study also reports increased primordial follicle apoptosis, particularly in the conversation/standby condition, and notes effects even with first-week gestational exposure.

This occupational epidemiology study used machine learning to evaluate whether workplace exposures (including magnetic and electric fields, vibration, noise, and heat stress) predict male reproductive indicators in 80 workers. The models and explainable AI outputs highlighted magnetic and electric field exposures and age as key predictors linked to lower free testosterone. The authors also report a 10-year forecast identifying electric field exposure as the most important long-term risk factor.

This animal study reports that prolonged RF-EMR exposure (2.45 GHz for 8 weeks) increased oxidative stress and ferroptosis in mouse testicular tissue and was associated with reduced sperm quality. Melatonin administration reportedly mitigated oxidative injury and inhibited ferroptosis. The abstract attributes the protective effect to Nrf2 pathway activation via MT1/MT2 receptors.

This study reports that terahertz radiation decreased a neuronal membrane area ratio (cytosol relative to protruding membrane area) beginning on the first day of exposure and persisting during the exposure period. It further reports altered neuronal firing/discharge patterns and increased peak postsynaptic currents associated with the morphology change, supported by a kinetic model. The authors frame the findings as indicating significant effects of terahertz-frequency EMF on neural health and function and suggest potential neuromodulation applications.

This animal study tested whether short-term ELF-EMF exposure alters respiratory physiology in rats. Twenty Wistar albino rats were assigned to control or EMF exposure (50 Hz, 0.3 mT for 2 minutes) with respiratory parameters measured before, during, and after exposure. The study reports changes during exposure (lower respiratory rate and higher cycle duration, inspiration time, and tidal volume) but no differences after exposure, and it frames the findings as relevant to EMF safety and potential health risks.

This systematic review evaluated RF EMF exposure and cancer outcomes in experimental animals, including chronic cancer bioassays and tumor-promotion designs. Across 52 included studies, the authors report high certainty of evidence for increased malignant heart schwannomas and gliomas in male rats, and moderate certainty for increased risks of several other tumor types. Many other organ systems showed no or minimal evidence of carcinogenic effects, and the authors note challenges in translating animal findings to human risk assessment due to exposure and mechanistic uncertainties.

This cohort study of 1,666 women in Yazd City examined electromagnetic-wave exposure from commonly used devices during pregnancy and birth outcomes. Longer cell phone call duration during pregnancy was reported to be associated with higher risk of miscarriage, abnormal birth weight, and abnormal newborn height. Increased cordless phone use was also reported to be linked to abnormal birth weight, while other outcomes were assessed but not described as significantly associated in the abstract.

This review/overview argues that ultrafine particulate matter and industrial nanoparticles can reach the brain and accumulate in sleep and arousal regulatory regions, including orexinergic neuron hubs. It reports that ferromagnetic particles in these regions show motion responsive to low-intensity electromagnetic fields (30–50 μT) and describes links to sleep disturbances and neurodegenerative disease markers in young urban residents. The authors frame combined air pollution nanoparticle exposure and low-level EMF as a significant threat and call for monitoring and protective strategies.

This animal study exposed pregnant Sprague Dawley rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field for 1 hour daily throughout gestation and assessed offspring outcomes postnatally. Sciatic nerve analyses at postnatal day 60 indicated persistent morphological alterations attributed to prenatal EMF exposure. However, the reported changes were not severe enough to significantly affect measured functional outcomes (including electrophysiology and locomotor tests).

This animal study examined short- and long-term 700 MHz (lower-band 5G) radiofrequency exposure in female Wistar rats, comparing control, sham, and exposed groups. It reports no DNA damage and no change in estrous cycle length, but increased ovarian oxidative stress markers in exposed animals. Long-term exposure was associated with ovarian histopathological alterations, while estradiol and progesterone stayed within normal ranges and testosterone increased slightly but significantly.

This animal study exposed male Wistar rats to 900 MHz RF-EMR from a mobile phone for 1 hour daily over four weeks and assessed behavior and tissue changes. The authors report altered contextual fear conditioning-related behavior in exposed rats. Histological assessments indicated apoptosis and enlarged perivascular space in the hippocampal CA3 region and apoptotic/inflammatory-like changes in the adrenal zona fasciculata, with no reported differences in adrenal medulla cytoarchitecture.