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by Ali Le Vere and Sayer Ji
January 22,
2018
from
GreenMedInfo Websire
Novel research reveals
that
blocking exposure to
electromagnetic fields (EMF)
produces significant symptom
changes
in 90% of patients with
autoimmune disease.
No longer can it be ignored
that manmade electromagnetic
radiation
poses innumerable risks to
human health.
The Ubiquity
of Electrosmog
Concerns about
electromagnetic fields (EMF)
are branded pseudoscientific conspiracy theories and relegated to
the realm of tin-hat wearing quackery.
However, a recent
publication in the peer-reviewed journal Immunologic Research
entitled "Electrosmog
and Autoimmune Disease," sheds new light on the validity
of concerns about this so-called electrosmog with which we are
constantly inundated.
Although we encounter natural microwave electromagnetic radiation in
the form of cosmic radiation from outer space, the aurora borealis,
and thunderstorms, the vast majority of
electrosmog that we encounter is
largely manmade (1).
These atmospheric
phenomena, however, emit electromagnetic radiation at lower radio
frequencies and are negligibly weak in comparison to manmade
sources, which have increased exponentially due to the emergence of,
...all of which utilize
microwave frequency bands (1).
According to researchers Marshall and Heil (2017), for
instance,
"The recent release
of WiGig and anti-collision vehicle radars in the 60 GHz region
embody a 1000-fold increase in frequency, and photon energy,
over the exposures mankind experienced up until the 1950s" (1).
How Electrosmog
Interfaces with the Bioelectromagnetic Body
It is intuitive that electrosmog would interact with human biology,
since human physiology operates in part via electromagnetic fields.
Apart from physical
information superhighways such as the blood, nervous, and lymphatic
systems, the body uses electromagnetic forms of energy transmission
and communication which are several orders of magnitude faster than
chemical diffusion (2).
Called biophotonic emission (BPE),
these quanta of electromagnetic energy have a visibility one
thousand times lower than the sensitivity of our naked eye and are
quintessential to cellular metabolism and to the powering of our
energy-intensive nervous and immune systems (3).
Harbored within our
genetic material,
biophotons serve as a mode of
instantaneous communication from one body part to another and to the
extraneous world (4) and their emission is influenced by our global
state of health (5).
Research even suggests
that mental intention and the fabric of our consciousness is
mediated by these quantum of light, which operate as highly coherent
frequencies and generate an ordered flux of photons (4).
Thus, both the stuff of consciousness and the functioning of our
cellular energetics is premised upon electromagnetism, which may be
susceptible to distortion by electrosmog.
Curtis and
Hurtak describe the electromagnetic body as both,
"an entire body
distinct from the chemical body that interpenetrates it" and "a
light circulatory system operating on an energetic level in a
markedly different manner from that of its molecular
counterparts" (2).
That there is,
"an incredible amount
of activity at levels of magnification or scale that span more
than two-thirds of the 73 known octaves of the electromagnetic
spectrum" (6),
...in the human body is
emblematic of our vulnerability to electromagnetic disturbances.
Potential Immune
Disturbances due to Electrosmog Exposure
Although current public health laws are predicated on effects of
short-term exposure, research suggests that dosage and repetitive
exposures likely influence health risk of electrosmog (7).
Two thirds of studies
examined report ecological effects of electromagnetic radiation, and
researchers state that,
"current evidence
indicates that chronic exposure to electromagnetic radiation, at
levels that are found in the environment, may particularly
affect the immune, nervous, cardiovascular and reproductive
systems" (7).
Although the conventional
mantra is that no harm is incurred from low-energy radio waves,
low-level exposures to ionizing radiation are known to manifest
profound effects upon human physiology (1).
Ionizing radiation
exposure, which occurs secondary to nuclear energy accidents, for
example, produces immuno-suppression, so much so that some
scientists have even suggested radon exposure as a therapeutic
treatment for rheumatoid arthritis due to its inhibition of
inflammatory immune messengers such as the adipokine visfatin
(8).
There is, however, often a substantial lag time between exposure and
the materialization of symptomatology (1).
The detriment to immune
defense,
"often does not
become apparent until the body catastrophically fails to
overcome an acute challenge" (1).
In addition, new science
is overturning the previous assumption that immunosuppressive
effects are exclusive to ionizing radiation exposure.
A research group headed by Lushinov, for example, found that
repeated exposures to low-level non-ionizing electromagnetic
radiation impaired the immune response in mice, negatively
influencing immuno-genesis, or the ability of the immune response to
respond to an immune-provocating antigenic substance (9).
The exposure to
low-intensity electromagnetic radiation negatively influenced
thymic and splenic cellularity, causing a statistically
significant decrease in the immune cells generated by these lymphoid
organs (9).
The immuno-competence of
the Aegean wall lizard was also significantly reduced upon daily
exposure to radiofrequency resembling the amount of electrosmog
emitted from cordless phones (10).
Moreover, Gapeev and colleagues (2006) elucidated that
exposure to low-intensity non-ionizing electromagnetic waves exerted
equivalent immunosuppressive effects to a single dose of the
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac (11).
In another experiment,
exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic radiation reduce the
footpad edema and local hyperthermia, also known as swelling and
heat, that accompanied injection of
zymosan, an agent that induces
acute inflammation (12).
This constitutes evidence
that electrosmog exposure may impair the normal immune response to
potential threats.
Human Proteins
are Responsive to Electromagnetic Waves
Biomolecules, which are constantly
undergoing molecular collisions and interacting on the scale of
picoseconds, are subject to forces exerted by incident
electromagnetic fields (1).
According to researchers
Marshall and Heil,
"It seems likely that
signals a million times lower than those currently being used in
research may be sufficient to elicit a tangible change in human
biology" (1).
Induction of
Stress Proteins
Electrosmog at both an extremely low frequency (ELF)
or in the radio frequency (RF)
range has been found to stimulate a cellular stress response,
leading to expression of stress response genes including heat shock
protein 70 (HSP70) (13).
As a consequence, there
is increased production of highly conserved stress proteins, which
serve as chaperones by refolding and repairing damaged proteins
(13).
Heat shock proteins have
likewise been observed to up-regulate an immune response,
"transferring
antigenic peptides to the class I and class II molecules of the
major histo-compatibility complexes",
...as well as increasing
activity of a class of immune cells which perpetuate an immune
reaction, such as macrophages and dendritic cells (14).
Aberrant
Anti-Microbial Response
In addition, the function of another human protein,
lysozyme, has been shown to be
disrupted by electromagnetic radiation (15).
Also called muramidase,
lysozyme is an antimicrobial enzyme liberated from cytoplasmic
granules of immune cells such as granulocytes and macrophages (16).
Contained in human
secretions such as mucus, tears, saliva, and breast milk, this
bacteriolytic element degrades glycosidic bonds in peptidoglycan, a
molecule prominent in the cell walls of gram-positive bacteria (17).
Lysozyme is a major contributor to bactericidal activity,
facilitating elimination of inhaled airborne microorganisms to
prevent their colonization in the respiratory passages, which would
interfere with sterile gas exchange (17).
Studies have indicated
that depletion of lysozyme reduces bacteria-killing ability of human
airway sections by approximately fifty percent (18).
Animal studies also
highlight how lysozyme is especially important in host pulmonary
defense, since,
"Increased
concentration of lysozyme in the airspaces of transgenic mice
enhanced bacterial killing whereas lysozyme deficiency resulted
in increased bacterial burden and morbidity" (17).
Turton and colleagues
(2014) published a study in Nature Communications showing that
non-ionizing terahertz electromagnetic radiation altered the binding
of lysolyme to its ligand, triacetylchitotriose, which in turn would
affect the biological function of lysozyme (15).
Although this represents
a much higher frequency than normal background electrosmog, the
implications are that human immune defenses against pathogen
invasion and virulence may be adversely affected due to repeated and
cumulative exposures to electrosmog (15).
Derangements
in Vitamin D Pathways
Research shows that Vitamin D Receptor (VDR)
pathways are susceptible to interference by electrosmog (1).
Functionality of the
vitamin D receptor, a transcription factor that translocates to the
nucleus and influences gene expression when bound to vitamin D, is
fundamental for immuno-modulation.
The cascade of effects
that occur upon vitamin D binding to its receptor reinforce gut
barrier integrity, establish oral tolerance, and suppress autoimmune
responses by enabling the immune system to differentiate self from
non-self.
According to researchers, the shape of the VDR molecule transforms
with electrosmog exposure within the frequency range of WiFi
routers:
"Groups of hundreds
of atoms which form the helical "backbone" of the VDR… shift
together at the lower frequencies present in electrosmog" (1).
Sophisticated molecular
dynamics software, which illustrates the lock-and-key interaction
between the vitamin D receptor and its native ligand,
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D (1,25-D), have shown that so-called Lorentz
forces act upon charged oxygen atoms in carboxyl groups of the
vitamin D receptor (1).
These Lorentz forces may
either promote or hinder activation of the vitamin D receptor,
depending on both the frequency of the,
"molecular
interactions, and that of the impinging electromagnetic waves"
(1).
Electrosmog
Affects Human Brain Activity and Behavior
As far back as 1987, Bise published a pilot study wherein
electrosmog exposure at levels dramatically lower than that observed
in urban areas elicited transient changes in human brain waves and
behavior (19).
He reports,
"Constructive and
destructive interference patterns from standing waves within the
skull possibly interact with the bioelectric generators in the
brain, since electroencephalogram wave amplitudes and
frequencies increased or decreased respectively at different
radio wavelengths" (19).
What’s more, the
literature reveals that neuro-imaging and electroencephalography
studies demonstrate enhanced cortical excitability with EMF
exposure, particularly in the front-temporal regions, which is
paradoxically correlated with faster reaction times, but may also
interfere with sleep (20).
Alarmingly, the patterns observed in human electroencephalograms
(EEG) was altered by wave amplitudes as low as -100 dBm (19).
Bise was able to induce
an immediate frontal headache at a level of -60 dBm (19).
Unfortunately, barring
use of a Faraday cage, these experiments are impossible to replicate
since electrosmog background levels in cities are now 100,000 times
stronger at -50 dBm (19).
Silver-Threaded EMF-Blocking Caps Improve Autoimmune Disease
In a recent case series, patients wore shielding clothing and
tenting consisting of silver-coated polyester threads interspersed
with bamboo fibers that were partially capable of blocking
penetration of microwave electrosmog (1).
Due to anecdotal
testimonies of improvement, researchers decided to distribute
standardized garments that would shield the brain and brain stem in
order to systematically analyze the results (1).
In this study, 64 patients with assorted autoimmune diagnoses such
as,
...many of whom were
disabled and house-bound, were recruited (1).
Subjects wore the
silver-threaded cap for four hours at night and for four hours
during the day, and patient-reported outcomes were collected (1).
Impressively, 90% of
patients indicated a "definite" or "strong" change in their
symptomatology, which is at variance with the 3% of the population
that is estimated to be sensitive to electrosmog (1).
Some researchers have attributed this so-called
electro-hypersensitivity (EHS) or idiopathic environmental
intolerance (IEI) to the nocebo effect.
However, Dieudonné
explores the possibility of a psychosomatic mechanism in the journal
Bioelectromagnetics, and concludes,
"Overall, symptoms
appear before subjects start questioning effects of EMF on their
health, which is not consistent with the hypothesis that IEI-EMF
originates from nocebo responses to perceived EMF" (21).
In this groundbreaking
study, it is also telling that the researchers found the therapeutic
efficacy of the silver-coated caps to be so theoretically plausible
that they decided the idea of using a control group was unethical.
These authors concluded
that autoimmune patients exhibit a pronounced susceptibility to
electrosmog at levels normally encountered in home and occupational
environments, and hypothesized that the exposure may be contributing
to their disease etiology (1).
Electrosmog
and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Because electric fields result from voltage differences, whereas
magnetic fields from the flow of electric current, EMFs may be
capable of disrupting the finely orchestrated proton gradient and
flow of electrons within the inner mitochondrial membrane upon which
the process of oxidative phosphorylation is contingent (13).
Oxygen-dependent aerobic
respiration, which relies upon oxidative phosphorylation, is the
process that drives production of the cellular energy currency
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in our cellular energy factories, the
mitochondria.
These organelles are fundamental to every energy-dependent process
in the body but especially quintessential for the energy-demanding
nervous system.
Thus, EMF-mediated
changes in mitochondrial function may affect cognition and even
perpetuate development of neurodegenerative diseases such as
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in which mitochondrial dysfunction has
been demonstrated.
In fact, EMF-induced
disruption of mitochondria may play a role in many diseases in which
mitochondrial collapse is implicated, including psychiatric
disorders, autoimmune diseases, migraine headaches, ataxia, stroke,
diabetes, heart disease, neuropathic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome,
fibromyalgia, and liver disease (22, 23).
It has also been proposed that EMFs can interact directly with
electrons in DNA, so it is not a stretch that EMFs could interact
with the electron transport chain (ETC) in mitochondria (24).
This concept is supported
by a study where pulsed electromagnetic radiation (EMR) resulted in
alterations in the ETC, leading to adverse metabolic changes,
cellular hypoxia, and increased generation of oxidative stress
inducing free radicals such as the superoxide anion (25).
Electrosmog
and Cancer
Although the undoubtedly industry-influenced mainstream consensus is
that EMFs do not play a role in the development of childhood
cancers,
"Kheifets and
Shimkhada [2005] stated that epidemiologic studies of ELF-EMFs
and childhood leukemia are difficult to design, conduct, and
interpret due to the fact that EMFs are imperceptible,
ubiquitous, have multiple sources, and can vary greatly over
time and short distances" (13).
Also, in an animal study,
a correlation between ELF-EMF radiation and development of malignant
tumors, specifically gliomas and schwannomas of the
heart, was discovered (26).
These findings led the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
to revise their criteria for EMF exposure in children, and include
recommendations such as using hands-free and wired headsets, holding
the phone away from the head, limiting television watching, and
texting when possible (13).
Currently, a 14-country
study called
MOBI-Kids is being conducted to
examine the carcinogenic effects of RF-EMFs from mobile telephones
on the central nervous system in children and adolescents (27).
Further upstream, electrosmog has also been shown to induce DNA
strand breakages, such that,
"Any extensive damage
or changes to DNA that need repair may increase the risk of
developing cancerous cells" (13).
Studies also suggest that
electrosmog causes genome-wide alterations in methylation (28), or
the attachment of one-carbon tags to DNA sequences which modulate
gene expression, affecting everything from neurotransmitter
production to detoxification.
Mitigating
Electrosmog Exposure
Although more data is needed, the science warrants exercising the
precautionary principle and taking simple steps to minimize EMF
exposure.
To remediate electrosmog,
renowned doctor Dietrich Klinghardt recommends removing
cordless phones from the house, turning off WiFi, switching off
fuses at night, considering an EMF-reducing sleep sanctuary or
canopy, and grounding.
Moreover, fundamental to neutralizing the toxic effects of
electrosmog is spending time in nature and grounding in order to
scavenge free radicals and engender antioxidant effects.
Direct contact with the
surface of the earth precipitates an influx of electrons, which are
absorbed and distributed throughout the ground substance of
extracellular tissue as well as intracellular biopolymers,
neutralizing oxidative stress in the body (29).
Studies have elucidated that grounding decreases the voltage imposed
on the body by a factor of seventy upon exposure to alternating
current (AC) electric potential (30).
This transfer of
electrons that occurs as a result of grounding, therefore, can
minimize electrosmog-induced derangements in the electrical
activities of our bodies, which is meaningful since researchers
state that,
"There is no question
that the body reacts to the presence of environmental electric
fields" (30).
References
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Electrosmog and Autoimmune Disease.
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