Do EMF-blocking products work? Separating helpful from hype
Electromagnetic fields are all around us — power lines and household appliances produce extremely low frequency EMFs, whereas cell phones and Wi-Fi devices emit radiofrequency EMFs.
The general consensus in the medical and scientific communities is that low-frequency EMFs do not pose a significant health risk, while research continues into the effects of radiofrequency EMF exposure.
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4 Research on the potential health effects of cell phone radiation is ongoing.
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Growing concerns about the dangers of EMFs have fueled an onslaught of products designed to block radiation, from laptop pads, phone stickers and shielding paint to hooded ponchos and even silver fiber skivvies.
In a market saturated with EMF-protection gadgets, knowing what actually works — and what's just shiny garbage — is harder than ever.
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Functional medicine practitioner Will Cole, who advises Gwyneth Paltrow and other celebs, told The Post he takes a 'middle ground view' on EMF mitigation.
He leaves his cell phone outside his bedroom when he sleeps, turns Wi-Fi off at night and connects his laptop at work to the internet via Ethernet, not Wi-Fi.
He also sometimes keeps his phone in a faraday bag, designed to block radio signals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Cell phones cannot receive calls or texts in these pouches because the conductive material redistributes electromagnetic energy.
'There's enough research out there that I'm taking a more precautionary, conservative approach around it,' Cole said. 'I know more exposure isn't better. It's not helping me at all, so I want to limit it as much as possible.'
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4 Dr. Will Cole has advised Gwyneth Paltrow, Sophia Bush, Cameron Diaz and other celebrities.
Dr. Will Cole
Just this week, a review of 52 animal studies suggested a potential link between cell phone radiation exposure and increased risk of certain cancers in lab animals.
The findings prompted scientists from the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) to renew their call for governments to strengthen regulatory limits on wireless radiation.
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'Since animal testing results are used by public health agencies for predicting risks to human health, these findings are a significant warning that need to be used by governments to develop science-based limits to cell phone radiation that are protective of human health,' ICBE-EMF chair Ron Melnick told The Post.
The FCC has established radiofrequency exposure limits for cell phones, Wi-Fi and cell towers, but some groups like ICBE-EMF argue these limits are outdated and insufficient to protect public health.
In the meantime, the ICBE-EMF recommends keeping cell phones out of pants pockets, utilizing landlines with wired handsets, turning cell phones to airplane mode when not in use and opting for wired internet connections like Ethernet.
4 It's generally not recommended to sleep next to your phone.
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Cole said everyone has to create their own healthy boundaries with technology. He likened individual tolerances for stressors to 'buckets' that can be big or small.
'A lot of people's buckets are at the brink of the tipping point, and that's when health problems ensue,' Cole explained.
Some people report experiencing headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sleep disturbances and troubles concentrating due to electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), which is not widely recognized as a medical diagnosis but is gaining more awareness.
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'If somebody has a smaller bucket, they may have to do more EMF mitigation. They may have to look at things like mold. They may have to look at things like their food a little bit more specifically,' Cole said.
'But some people can smoke and drink and live a long, healthy life — those are the big bucket people.'
4 Faraday bags (seen here) are designed to block radio signals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS thanks to their conductive material.
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A nervous Nelly may take drastic measures to reduce their EMF exposure. Michael McKean's whip-smart but troubled lawyer character on 'Better Call Saul' wrapped himself in a space blanket and avoided the outside world.
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A chiropractor who goes by 'DoctorEMF' trained an Aussie blue heeler to pick up on his sensitivities, and a holistic health specialist at a recent biohackers conference copped to 'sleeping on an anti-aging mattress in an EMF-remediated building.'
Cole said he doesn't typically recommend buying devices to lessen EMF exposure, instead, he works with patients to make 'practical, measurable, realistic changes.'
He noted that 'there's not a lot of compelling research' supporting EMF-blocking devices, though he has found the faraday technology effective.
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What's important is not going overboard and creating an 'EMF bubble.'
'Having stress and anxiety around EMF isn't good for your health,' he said. 'We want to be proactive, but not overly reactionary.'
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