#844: Is Radiofrequency Radiation from Wireless Technologies a Risk Factor for Diabetes?
Following on from the previous message, Cindy Sage presents evidence that sleep disruption can have an effect on insulin – possibly leading to diabetes in the long run. As I suggested in the last message this area of research (effects on sleep) has direct relevance to DECT phone use, especially when placed by the bedhead. This calles for urgent research, the problem is who will fund it and who will do it?
Don
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Is Radiofrequency Radiation from Wireless Technologies a Risk Factor for Diabetes?
Cindy Sage, Sage Associates, Santa Barbara, CA
Collaborative for Health and the Environment
CHE-EMF Working Group Co-Facilitator
January 3, 2008
The relationship between diabetes and sleep disruption is described in a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (January 2, 2008). Tasali et al., (2008) report that “in young healthy adults, all-night selective suppression of slow-wave sleep (SWS), without any change in total sleep time, results in marked decreases in insulin sensitivity without compensatory increase in insulin release, leading to reduced glucose tolerance and increased diabetes risk.”ť After three days where deep sleep was disrupted (just enough noise to rouse subjects out of the slow-wave sleep pattern but not enough to awaken them fully) the ability to regulate blood sugar was reduced by 25%.
Radiofrequency radiation (RF) from wireless technologies has been linked to sleep disruption. Cell phone use and exposure to cell tower antenna-level and WI-FI wireless RF has been reported to disrupt sleep and change sleep architecture. These effects are reported to occur at levels far below current public safety standards, so existing limits are inadequate to protect against emerging technologies that expose people to chronically elevated RF (Abdel-Rassoul, 2006; Altpeter, 1995; Borbely, 1999; De Costa, 2003; Huber, 2000; Mann, 1996; Oberfeld, 2004 and 2007; Santini, 2001, 2003; TNO, 2003).
Havas (2006) reports that radiofrequency (e.g., dirty power or low-kilohertz RF on electrical wiring in buildings) is correlated to blood sugar levels in school children with diabetes. She presents evidence that Type 1 diabetics require less insulin and Type 2 diabetics have lower blood sugar levels in electromagnetically clean environments (where RF or dirty power is reduced).
These key pieces of evidence taken together suggest that exposure to both daytime and night-time RF may disrupt sleep and lead to impaired blood sugar metabolism, potentially raising the risk of diabetes. Radiofrequency radiation exposure from cell phones and other wireless exposures have been reported to disrupt sleep and may then be associated with increased risk for diabetes.
References
Abdel-Rassoul G, El-Fateh OA, Salem MA, Michael A, Farahat F, El-Batanouny M, Salem E. 2006. Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations. Neurotoxicology. [Epub ahead of print]
Acherman P et al, 2000. Exposure to pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field during waking affects human sleep EEG. NeuroReport 11(15):3321-3325.
Altpeter ES Krebs TH 1995. Study on Health Effects of the Shortwave Transmitter Station of Schwarzenburg, Bern, Switzerland. University of Bern BEW Publications Study No 56. The Federal Office of Energy.
Borbely, AA et al, 1999. Pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field affects human sleep and sleep electroencephalogram. Neuroscience Letters 275(3): 207-210.
Havas, M. 2006. Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Biological effects of dirty electricity with emphasis on diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 25: 259-268,
Huber R, Graf T, Cote KA, Wittmann L, Gallmann E, Matter D, Schuderer J, Kuster N, Borbely AA, Achermann P, 2000. Exposure to pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field during waking affects human sleep EEG. Neuroreport 11(15):3321-3325.
Mann, K et al, 1996. Effects of pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic fields on human sleep. Neuropsychobiology 33:41-47.
Oberfeld, G et al. 2004. The Microwave Syndrome “” Further Aspects of a Spanish Study. Third International Workshop on Bioelectromagnetic Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, Kos, Greece.
Oberfeld, G. 2007. Environmental Medicine Evaluation of Electromagnetic Fields. Ă–ÄK (Austrian Medical Association)
Environmental Medicine Diploma Course Seminar 3 “” Electromagnetic Fields , 21 and 22 April 2007, Pörtschach a.W., Austria.
Santini R, Seigne M, Bonhomme-Faivre L, Bouffet S, Defrasne E, Sage M. 2001. Symptoms experienced by users of digital cellular phones: a pilot study in a French engineering school. Pathol Biol (Paris) 49(3):222-226.
Santini R, Santini P, Le Ruz P, Danze JM, Seigne M, 2003. Survey study of people living in the vicinity of cellular phone base stations. Electromag Biol Med 22:41-49.
Tasali E Leproult R Ehrmann DA Van Cauter E. 2008. Slow-wave sleep and the risk of type 2 diabetes in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online January 2, 2008 10.1073/pnas.0706446105.
TNO Physics and Electronics Laboratory, The Netherlands. 2003. Effects of Global Communication System radio-frequency fields on well-being and cognitive functions of human beings with and without subjective complaints. Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research 1-63.
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