Effects of man-made electromagnetic fields on heart rate variability parameters of general public: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies

Authors: Mansourian M, Marateb H, Nouri R, Mansourian M

Year: 2023 May 18

Category: Environmental Health

Journal: Rev Environ Health

DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0191

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37195230/

Abstract

Overview

The systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in this study aim to aggregate findings from various studies to assess the consistency of data regarding the effects of man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on cardiovascular health, specifically by monitoring heart rate variability (HRV).

Findings

Examination of 15 studies from comprehensive databases like Web of Science, PubMed, and others.
Significant associations found between EMF exposure and reductions in HRV metrics such as SDNN, SDANN, and PNN50, indicating potential cardiovascular stress and autonomic nervous system imbalance.
No significant differences were observed in low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components, suggesting mixed results across different HRV measures.

Conclusion

Exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields is notably linked with changes in several HRV indices, which may reflect underlying stress in the cardiovascular system. Recommendations include lifestyle modifications to mitigate EMF exposure from everyday devices such as cell phones, highlighting the need for public health awareness particularly for vulnerable groups like the younger population.

Caution: Findings emphasize the speculative yet potentially significant link between EMFs and adverse cardiovascular effects.

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