Review of the scientific evidence on the individual sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EHS)

Abstract

Overview

Many individuals report sensitivity to man-made electromagnetic fields (EMF), emitted by sources such as powerlines, home appliances, and wireless communication devices. This condition is featured by a variety of non-specific symptoms.

Findings

• The validity of reported symptoms as a real-life impairment is acknowledged, yet the scientific consensus on a causality link between EMF exposures and these symptoms is still elusive.
• Past studies, primarily of insufficient quality, have not established a definitive link between EMF exposure and sensitivity symptoms.
• The traditional psychological provocation studies have been criticized for their subjective nature and reliance on volunteer-reported symptoms, making data unreliable for confirming or disproving a causality link.

Conclusion

New research methodologies are advocated, emphasizing the need to integrate high-throughput technologies like transcriptomics and proteomics to objectively identify biochemical responses to EMF. This approach could potentially verify the presence of individual sensitivity to EMF at the molecular level.