Abstract

Overview

Mobile wireless communication technologies have now become an integral part of our daily lives, continually active throughout the day. Understanding the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on the human body, particularly the autonomic system, is crucial given our limited current knowledge.

Findings

The study focuses on the interaction between high frequency electromagnetic fields (HF EMF) and the human body, specifically examining the autonomic control of heart rate by using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analyses in 30 young, healthy volunteers exposed to EMFs at frequencies used by Wi-Fi and 4G networks. The findings include:

• A significant decrease in cardiovagal control (HF-HRV) and an increase in cardiac sympathetic activity when exposed to 2400 MHz (Wi-Fi).
• HRV metrics used to indicate shifts in cardiac autonomic regulation towards sympathetic overactivity and parasympathetic underactivity.
• No significant changes were observed in RR intervals.

Conclusion

The study identified potential harmful shifts in cardiac autonomic regulation associated with HF EMF exposure which may suggest a higher risk of cardiovascular complications even in a healthy young population. Further research is advised to validate these findings on a larger scale.