Origins of electromagnetic hypersensitivity to 60 Hz magnetic fields: A provocation study.
With increasing electrical device usage, social concerns about the possible effects of 60 Hz electromagnetic fields on human health have increased. The number of people with self-attributed electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) who complain of various subjective symptoms such as headache and insomnia has also increased. However, it is unclear whether EHS results from physiological or other origins. In this double-blinded study, we simultaneously investigated physiological changes (heart rate, respiration rate, and heart rate variability), subjective symptoms, and perception of the magnetic field to assess origins of the subjective symptoms. Two volunteer groups of 15 self-reported EHS and 16 non-EHS individuals were tested with exposure to sham and real (60 Hz, 12.5 µT) magnetic fields for 30 min. Magnetic field exposure did not have any effects on physiological parameters or eight subjective symptoms in either group. There was also no evidence that the EHS group perceived the magnetic field better than the non-EHS group. In conclusion, the subjective symptoms did not result from the 60 Hz, 12.5 µT magnetic field exposures but from other non-physiological factors.
Department of Medical Engineering, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea; Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. kdw@yuhs.ac.
Deok Won
DW
Kim
Jae Lim
JL
Choi
Ki Chang
KC
Nam
Dong In
DI
Yang
Min Kyung
MK
Kwon
D000328:Adult; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D012119:Respiration / Q000528:radiation effects