5G network: deadly or harmless?

Veröffentlicht am: October 04, 2024

General practitioner

The network expansion of the latest and fastest mobile network 5G is progressing steadily. It is now possible to receive 5G in almost every major city in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. But what about the effects on our health?

What is 5G?

How dangerous is 5G really?

9 tips on how to protect yourself from 5G

Conclusion

What is 5G?

5G means something like "fifth generation of high-frequency radiation". Thanks to this network, wireless communication will be faster than ever before. These frequency systems are transmitters that send signals to our smartphones and other wireless devices.

➤ Transmission with 5G should be up to 100 times faster than with the current 4G.

The switch to the 5G network is intended to ensure better internet coverage, lower power and battery consumption and, above all, faster internet connections. The possibilities offered by the system, such as downloading or uploading data at one gigabit per second, could be beneficial for the military and medical research, for example, which could benefit from access to such extremely high gigabit connectivity.

The goal of providing all urban areas, railroads and major highways with uninterrupted fifth-generation wireless communications can only be achieved by creating a very dense network of antennas and transmitters. In other words, the number of base stations with higher frequencies and other devices will increase significantly.

There are now numerous studies that deal with the topic of mobile phone radiation emitted by smartphones and other wireless devices in general. But what is the current state of research on 5G and how does it affect our health?

5G fast

How dangerous is 5G really?

While some scientists generally assume that radio waves such as 5G pose no danger to the population, research has not yet looked into the constant exposure to radiation that 5G would entail. However, some studies do address the negative effects on our health.

What adverse health effects can be expected?

It is assumed that exposure to 5G (and radio frequency transmissions in general) entails an increased risk of developing certain types of tumors. This is illustrated by a number of animal studies carried out on rats.

Two studies conducted in the USA in 2018 found that exposure to 2G and 3G was associated with heart tumors in male rats.

An Italian study shows the health risks associated with radiation exposure. Researchers report an increase in heart and brain tumors in rats. However, even lower radiation levels were used in this study than those of 5G.

➤ It should be noted that there are strict regulations that define the maximum amount of radio frequencies to which citizens may be exposed.

In addition to an increased risk of cancer, other health risks can be attributed to electromagnetic radiation (EMS):

Learning and memory disorders
Neurological complaints
Oxidative stress due to an increase in free radicals
Genetic damage
Infertility
Depression
Alzheimer's disease

It is certain that with the expansion of 5G coverage, the number of wireless devices will also increase. This means that we will be exposed to considerably more radiation than before.

5G network

9 tips on how to protect yourself from 5G

1. identify EMS devices

Your wireless devices are major emitters of EMS. To protect yourself from such radiation, you should identify these devices and reduce your exposure to them. Devices that emit increased EMS are as follows:

Smartphones, notebooks, tablets
Cordless phones
WLAN router
Microwaves
Devices equipped with Bluetooth such as: wireless mice or keyboards
Baby monitors

Do not allow your children to use smartphones or other wireless devices. This is because children are even more at risk from radiation than adults due to their thinner skulls and bones and their developing immune systems.

2. switch off your WLAN router if you do not need WLAN

You can switch off your WLAN, especially at night, as you probably won't need it. If you want to be on the safe side, you can connect to the Internet via wired connections. Another alternative for an Internet connection would be USB Ethernet adapters.

3. avoid wireless chargers

Nowadays you can find more and more wireless chargers for smartphones. Unfortunately, these also have disadvantages. On the one hand, they massively increase the radiation exposure in your home, and on the other, they are less energy-efficient than charging via cable.

4. switch off the power at night

Turning off the electricity in your bedroom at night will reduce your exposure to radiation.

5. look for alternatives to your microwave

You can also reheat your food using appliances other than the microwave. If you don't feel like using a pan or pot, you can use a steamer or halogen oven, for example.

6. avoid carrying your cell phone directly on your body

You should also not go to sleep with your smartphone. Not only can it increase your exposure to radiation, it can also inhibit melatonin production.

7. pay attention to your magnesium intake

The effects of EMS can be exacerbated by a magnesium deficiency. Since many people have a magnesium deficiency, it is important that you keep an eye on your magnesium intake and supplement magnesium if necessary.

8. molecular hydrogen

Medical interest in molecular hydrogen is growing continuously. It used to be thought that hydrogen had no particular effect on the body. More and more studies are now proving the opposite. Molecular hydrogen has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect and can greatly mitigate the damage caused by EMS.

9. spices

Certain spices that contain so-called phenols have shown a certain protective effect against EMS damage. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, rosemary and turmeric, for example, are rich in phenols.

Conclusion

The fact that high radiation levels are not entirely harmless to our health has been known for decades. But whether 5G is even more harmful than 3G or 4G has not been researched. Accordingly, many researchers believe that more research is needed into the potential negative biological effects of 5G. Especially considering the occurrence of some serious diseases. It would also be necessary to bring together researchers from different disciplines, such as physicians, physicists or engineers, so that the effects of 5G can be further investigated.

Long-term studies are needed to determine exactly whether 5G poses an even greater risk to health. Under realistic conditions (e.g. with the distance from the radio base stations and uninterrupted exposure to radiation), there are no findings as to whether or not the radiation exposure poses an even greater disadvantage to health.

Sources (in English):

Di Ciaula A. (2018). Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications? International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 221(3), 367-375. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011

Hardell, L., & Carlberg, M. (2020). Health risks from radiofrequency radiation, including 5G, should be assessed by experts with no conflicts of interest. Oncology letters, 20(4), 15. doi:10.3892/ol.2020.11876

Kostoff, R. N., Heroux, P., Aschner, M., & Tsatsakis, A. (2020). Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions. Toxicology letters, 323, 35-40. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.01.020

Simkó, M., & Mattsson, M. O. (2019). 5G Wireless Communication and Health Effects-A Pragmatic Review Based on Available Studies Regarding 6 to 100 GHz. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(18), 3406. doi:10.3390/ijerph16183406

Chiaraviglio, Luca & Fiore, Marco & Rossi, Edouard. (2019). 5G Technology: Which Risks From the Health Perspective?.

Cindy L. Russell. (2018). 5 G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications. Environmental Research, 165, 484-495. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.016.

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