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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

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This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Simple Ways to Increase Your EMF Protection

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on July 28, 2023

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on July 28, 2023 — Reviewed by Hilary Watts

Practical Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields

• What Are EMFs?|
• EMFs: Cutting Through the Health Confusion|
• Practical EMF Protection Measures|
• Conditions That Have Been Linked with EMFs|
• EMF Hypersensitivity|
• EMFs: Worth Taking Seriously But Not Obsessing Over |

In today’s digital age, the topic of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure has become a contentious issue.

On one hand, some individuals are adamant that EMFs are the root cause of numerous health effects, from minor things like fatigue and headaches to more serious issues, including certain cancers. On the other side, skeptics dismiss any potential risks completely.

In reality, the truth most probably lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Simply put, the scientific evidence regarding the health risks of EMFs is inconclusive, but taking simple, practical, and inexpensive steps to protect ourselves from potential risks makes sense.

We will look at the steps you can take to cut down on your EMF exposure in more detail Iater, but for now, I really like the analogy of “bees in the room”, which came up in my discussion with telecommunications engineer Daniel DeBaun. The concept is that while just one or two bees will likely be fine, a thousand bees could cause a lot of harm. By reducing the sources of EMFs (the number of bees) in your environment, you minimize your potential risks.

Before we get into practical EMF protection measures, let’s take a look at what EMFs really are, and their potential impact on your health and wellness.

What Are EMFs?

Electromagnetic fields are invisible areas of energy that radiate from sources of electrical power and from natural and man-made light sources. There are two types [1]:

• Non-ionizing: Extremely low frequency to moderate frequency radiation types that are generally considered weak and unlikely to have significant harmful effects in humans. Common sources are:
  • Microwave ovens
  • Computers
  • Energy smart meters
  • Wireless devices and networks
  • Cell phones
  • Bluetooth devices
  • Power lines and cell phone towers
  • MRIs
• Ionizing: Higher-level radiation which has the potential to cause damage to the DNA within cells. The three main types are:
  • Sunlight (when you are exposed to it for too long without sunscreen, and you get sun-burned) 
  • X-Rays
  • Gamma rays (e.g. from nuclear accidents, radioactive materials, and lightning strikes)

The EMFs that are a current hot topic are the first type — i.e. the type that we already know are less dangerous. However, the concern stems from accumulated low-level radiation exposure. As Bluetooth and WiFi-enabled devices, microwaves, cell phones, smart meters, etc, have become more common over recent decades, we have become more exposed to EMFs than we were in the past. 

EMFs: Cutting Through the Health Confusion

Vociferous opinions exist on either side of the EMF debate, so it pays to take a step back and look at it a little more dispassionately.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is a useful source of research into EMFs, and this body acknowledges that while the evidence is weak, there is some potential for EMFs to contribute to health problems, making it worthwhile to limit our exposure when it’s practical to do so [2].

However, the scientific evidence supporting the notion that EMFs pose health risks remains weak, with the strongest evidence being derived from observational studies that can only establish associations, and not demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship [1, 2]. 

In a nutshell, more research is clearly needed, but in the meantime, public education on how to reduce exposure to EMF is warranted [1, 2]. 

Practical EMF Protection Measures

If you like data and are curious as to the EMF levels surrounding you, there are a number of affordable EMF meters for sale online in the region of $20 to $40. 

If you do get one of these meters it makes sense to prioritize checking EMF levels where you spend the most of your time [3].

Whether you know the exact levels and locations of EMFs or not, you can take any of the steps (whatever you find reasonable) in the below table to improve your radiation protection [3]. I haven’t included more extreme options, such as Faraday bed canopies and EMF-shielding wall paints, as they can be very expensive, and are unlikely to provide enough extra benefit for the cost. I’d also advise reading the sections on EMF hypersensitivity and the nocebo effect below, before spending too many dollars on EMF protections you simply might not need. 

Effective Ways to Reduce EMF Exposure at Home

Savvy Cell Phone Use

Smartphones are worth considering separately because they emit radiation and have become such a large part of our life. Some ways to protect yourself include: 

• Use an EMF-protective cell phone case
• Use the hands-free speakerphone mode for phone calls
• Don’t carry your cell in your pants pocket or tucked into your bra
• Disable Bluetooth and data while you are not using them
• Charge your phone in a different room, and not using a wireless charger

It’s worth knowing that there are some times when the radiation emissions from your cell phone can be much higher. These include [4]: 

• When you are trying to make a phone call in areas of low network signal [5]. 
  • Solution: Unless it is an emergency, wait until the signal is stronger before using the phone. 
• When several apps are active.
  • Solution: Shut down apps you aren’t using so they don’t run in the background.
• When your cell phone or device is streaming audio or video, or downloading large files.
  • Solution: Where possible, download files onto your device (instead of streaming). Prioritize a corded internet connection when using social media or making video calls.
• When using your cellphone/tablet in your car.
  • Solution: Keep your phone on airplane mode, only making calls if really necessary. Choose a non-wireless GPS model for navigation, and try not to stream inside vehicles. 

My Take on EMFs

I don’t consider EMFs a big risk to my own health, but I do keep my phone in an EMF-blocking case and use an EMF-shielding laptop screen as these are easy wins. I also keep my WiFi router in a location where I’m not physically close to it during the day or at night, and I do not charge my phone near my bed at night. 

Which changes you make will depend on your own risk assessment: what works for me may not work for you. However, I do think it’s worth reiterating that for most people, the distance you are away from an EMF-transmitting device is probably the most important factor of all. For example [6]:

If you stand 6 inches away from a 60-hertz magnetic field (which is typical for many commonly used electronic devices), you’re exposed to 90 milligauss (mG) of magnetism. 

• If you stand 1 foot away, you’re exposed to 20 mG. 
• At 2 feet, it’s 7 mG.
• At 4 feet, it’s only 1 mG 

If you are seeking ways to enhance your EMF protection, consider distancing yourself from electronic devices when not actively using them.

Conditions That Have Been Linked with EMFs

Let’s look in a little more detail at some of the health issues that have been linked to electromagnetic radiation and EMF exposure.

Reproductive Issues

The jury is still out on how EMFs may affect sperm, and research on the topic over the last 10 years has had conflicting conclusions. 

Largely, animal and in vitro (lab) studies have shown that cell phones and WiFi routers may negatively impact sperm, but human real-world studies have been far less conclusive [7, 8, 9, 10, 11].

One 2021 MA showed that cell phone use may be associated with reduced sperm motility, viability, and concentration in humans [7], and one observational study found that WIFI routers may negatively impact counts, motility, and DNA integrity of sperm [8].

However, another meta-analysis of human studies did NOT support an association between cell phone use and sperm quality overall, though in East Europe and West Asia, cell phone use was related to reduced sperm density and motility [9].

From all this, we can only say that there is a tenuous link between EMFs and male fertility, and we don’t know if it is causal. 

If you’re a man concerned about your fertility, it’s easy to reduce your exposure to higher EMF levels (e.g. cell phones and WiFi routers) by shielding and keeping your distance.

As far as female fertility is concerned, one systematic review discovered that physiotherapists exposed to radiofrequency EMFs from diathermy devices at work were more likely to take longer to get pregnant, have miscarriages, and have other pregnancy abnormalities. However, the evidence was inconsistent with earlier studies, and no cause or effect relationships could be determined [12].

Neurological Issues

Low-quality evidence suggests that people who are exposed to high levels of EMFs at work may be slightly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s [13, 14]. Low-quality evidence also supports the possibility that both residential and occupational exposure to EMFs may be linked to a higher risk of developing Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [14, 15]. 

Again there is enough of a potential risk here to take care around EMFs but not enough to be unduly concerned. 

Higher exposures seem to be the issue, so again, employing as many simple EMF protection measures as you can is key. This may also involve talking to your employer about mitigation strategies if you are exposed to high EMF levels at work.

Brain Tumors (and Cell Phones)

It’s obviously an alarming thought that EMFs from the use of a cell or cordless phone could be increasing your brain cancer risk, so let’s look at the evidence carefully.

The bad news is that using a cell phone for more than 10 years has been associated with a higher risk (1.32 times greater odds) of brain tumors, especially when people used the phone mainly on one side of their head [16].

High cumulative exposure to the use of radio frequency (RF) radiation from wireless phones (cell phones and cordless phones) was specifically associated with a higher risk of glioma brain cancers [17].

The good news is that you can easily massively reduce the risk by following the tips for safe mobile phone use above, such as using a shielding case and using your phone hands-free.

EMF Hypersensitivity

While some people are certain that they are extra sensitive to the effects of EMFs, there is no scientific consensus on this topic, and further research with improved study design is needed [18, 19, 20].

One review that analyzed 2,000 self-reported cases of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) and/or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) found that in approximately 80% of these patients, there were [20]:

• Signs of oxidative stress in their blood
• Abnormal blood flow to the brain, particularly the limbic system and thalamus

The researchers concluded that EHS could be recognized as a neurological disorder with public health implications. 

However, two other reviews concurred that the question of whether EMF hypersensitivity is real remains unresolved, due to inadequately designed and unreliable studies.

Different research approaches are required to confirm whether EMFs, or some other factors, are responsible for the symptoms seen in people who believe themselves to be EMF-sensitive.

The Nocebo Effect

This is all complicated by a strong “nocebo effect” that has been noted in people who believe themselves to be EMF sensitive.

The nocebo effect is when people experience negative effects because they believe they’re being exposed to something unhealthy [21]. 

For example, a 2016 meta-analysis that investigated 17 controlled studies to find out whether EMFs from cell phone towers affect people’s well-being found that people in unblinded studies reported depression, anxiety, headache, fatigue, poor concentration, dizziness (or vertigo), and irritability [21]. 

However, in double-blind studies in which neither the participants nor the experimenters knew who was being exposed, EMFs had NO effect on well-being [21]. 

Please don’t think that I am minimizing your valid concerns if you have health issues that seem related to EMFs. The effects may well be real in some people, and even if you are “just” experiencing the nocebo effect, you may still be having real and distressing symptoms that should be addressed.

Studies on EMFs and symptoms also look at pooled results across populations and don’t necessarily account for the experiences of individuals. 

That said, symptoms including brain fog, fatigue, and headaches blamed on EMFs might also be down to other issues like poor gut health, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle. By taking other important steps to improve your health, such as regular exercise, a gut-healthy diet, and getting plenty of sleep you might find the symptoms decrease.

EMFs: Worth Taking Seriously But Not Obsessing Over

What we keep coming back to is that while there is no solid proof that EMFs are much of a credible health concern, it makes sense to minimize your exposure where you easily can. Many of the EMF protection steps I’ve outlined are cost-effective, simple, and won’t interfere with your enjoyment of modern life, so why wouldn’t you do them?

However, I don’t think you need to be obsessive about EMF protection — be aware that there are plenty of internet sites that are designed to specifically create fear around EMFs, with the purpose of selling you expensive and unnecessary EMF protection products.

If you came to this page because of confusing or unexplained health problems you can head over to my YouTube channel for more science-backed discussion and practical steps to improve your health and wellbeing. For help with complex health issues, you can also reach out to us at the Ruscio Institute for Functional Health.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our patients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you.