How does Mobile Phone affect Blood Glucose?

There is much talk on the use of a mobile phone and its health effects, especially those teratogenic. However, research data on these purpose is very limited.

A medical team from National Institute on Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Maryland, headed by Dr. Nora D. Volkow, MD, has conducted a study on how the brain cells use glucose when mobile phone antenna meets the user’s head.

A total of 47 healthy subjects and users of hand phone was allowed to participate in the study, the brain area of whom were investigated using positron emission tomography (PET) during cell phone use in the on and then off positions.

In this study, a significant increase in the glucose metabolism of the orbito-frontal cortex and the temporal pole areas of the brain (areas close to the place the phone’s antenna meets the head) was observed when cell phone was on.

However, the entire brain metabolism was not affect in the current study, partially attributed to the limits of this research when the users was not allowed to talk, so the study findings won’t be confounded.

The questions raised from this study concern the long-term effects of radiofrequency emissions from wireless phones, especially when children and adolescents (who are still under rapid development) are addicted or regular use the cell phone. The worries enhance when the user’s are talking on their hands phones

At the end, the science has increased the potential of communication. However, we are all putting ourselves and our children in the frequent exposure to these radio-frequency emissions. Although these might be huge concerns, we wonder if “Could we still use hand phones?”

According to Dr. Volkow, hands-free devices or speaker-phone mode are some good alternatives to avoid direct contact of the hand phone with the head. I am sure we all can do that. However, attention is also recalled to the place we put our cell phone.

Please don’t:

- place it near your head (under or beside the pillow) when you sleep

- place near the abdomen (especially near the genital areas) to avoid problems with fertility or sex.

- try to educate your children not to use hand phones. When it comes to adolescents, try to convince and explain to them the risks of frequent use of hand phones and on safely use.

Please provide any other updates or self-experience and share with other readers.

Thank you.
Alba