Taking the train throughout my time at Stern College for Women — whether the subway, the PATH or the NJ Transit — the story is always the same: almost everyone is holding a phone in their hands. I often found myself wondering how an object that is the size of the palm of our hands dictates almost every aspect of our lives. People use their phones for everything — from banking apps to attending doctor’s appointments. In fact, according to some, the 21st century is marked as the age of cell phones. In October 1983, the first commercially available cell phone was launched. As of 2022, cell phones have exceeded the global population by around 1.5 billion.
There are more phones than there are people, but has anyone wondered if this object — which we have become increasingly dependent on — can actually be damaging to our genes or DNA?
The simple answer is yes. As phones become more and more advanced and ubiquitous, scientists have proven that the radiation emitted by phones can in fact be genotoxic. This concern is based on the fact that all wireless technology is heavily reliant on electromagnetic field radiation (EMR). Cell phones emit EMR in the form of radiofrequency radiation (RF). RF is a type of non-ionizing radiation, meaning it is not strong enough to disrupt the interaction between electrons and atoms. Nonetheless, it is still radiation. Cell phones emit radiation within the frequency range of 900-1800 MHz. For context, besides phones, RF is also emitted by electric power towers, laptops and diagnostic and therapeutic devices.
All man-made EMRs, such as the aforementioned devices, pose a more serious risk to people than natural EMRs, such as the sun or cosmos. Man-made EMRs disrupt the electrochemical homeostasis of our cells. Because of this, emerging research suggests that cell phones may be linked to genotoxic effects. Scientists have found that oral mucosa (the mucous membrane lining the inside of the mouth) is particularly vulnerable to cell phone radiation due to its close proximity to where the cell phone is held.
To detect the genotoxic effects of cell phone usage, scientists commonly use the micronucleus assay, a test that is widely used to measure the ability of a substance to cause genetic damage. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, scientists conducted a comparative evaluation between low-frequency and high-frequency cell phone users and the formation of micronuclei (MN) in exfoliated cells from the inner lining of their cheeks (buccal mucosa cells). The results showed that the mean MN count in high-frequency cell phone users was statistically significantly higher than the MN count in low-frequency cell phone users. In addition, the study also found a statistically significant higher mean MN count in high-frequency cell phone users from the cheek the cell phone user used while talking on the phone versus the opposite side. These results suggested that prolonged exposure to cell phone radiation may be associated with signs of DNA damage.
Studies have also shown an association between RF-EMR-assisted devices like cell phones and male infertility. Exposure to RF-EMRs from cell phones is associated with negative effects on the testes. As a result, cell phone radiation can affect sperm count, motility, morphology, cause MN formation and cause genomic instability. These deleterious effects were often found to cause infertility resulting from an overproduction of reactive oxidative species (ROS) — also known as oxidative stress — which can lead to a wide range of cellular damage. By increasing oxidative stress, RF-EMR exposure can cause spermatozoal cell death and testicular carcinogenesis (the creation of cancerous cells).
Additional studies have also confirmed that the generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS) as a result of nonionizing radiation disrupts normal sperm functioning and morphology and causes a decrease in total antioxidant capacity. That being stated, studies also note that production of these abnormalities from RF-EMR exposure is largely dependent on other important factors, such as distance from cell phone and the duration of exposure.
Another study showed that RF-EMR from cell phones may lead to chromosomal instability and DNA damage. This study involved exposing lab-grown human tissue cells and rat granulosa (somatic cells found within the ovarian follicles that support the development of eggs) cells to intermittent and continuous RF-EMR used in cell phones. Using the comet assay (a technique used to measure DNA damage in individual cells), results showed that both cell types — when exposed intermittently to RF-EMF radiation for 16 hours — strongly induced DNA single and double-strand breaks.
If and when one thinks of the damage that phones cause, they most likely consider the effects cell phones have on stifling social interactions, causing difficulty sleeping or irritating one’s eyes. However, what most do not realize is the extensive genotoxic damage that extended cell phone use can cause.
We might not think about it so deeply, but our phones consistently lure us into using them more. With each software update, phones have caused us to become increasingly dependent on them. However, as all the aforementioned experiments prove, it comes at a cost; there are serious dangers to consider when using one’s phone for an extended period.
In this day and age, using one’s phone less frequently may seem unrealistic. However, given this evidence of the genotoxic effects of phone radiation, it is important that one at the very least avoid putting a phone close to their head. Talking through earbuds or some other device that prevents direct contact with the phone and head is advisable.
Further, there is nothing wrong with being “old school.” Next time you’re on the train, think twice before picking up your phone. Indeed, reading a book instead is far less dangerous.
Photo Caption: Cellphone users on train
Photo Credit: Unsplash