When I first learned that everything “Bluetooth” uses the same Radio Frequency (RF) Radiation that a microwave oven uses to cook food, I began to look more into its safety. So I started looking up and reading all the independent scientific studies I could find on the topic.
What I learned really surprised me. The RF Radiation emitted by Bluetooth Headsets does cause brain tumors. Scientific studies show that there has been an increase in cancer in the temporal lobe of the brain since people started using cell phones and Bluetooth headphones.
And there are literally multiple hundreds of independent peer reviewed scientific studies that link RF Radiation (which Bluetooth radiation is) to things like cancer, brain tumors, crib death, DNA damage (especially in infants and fetuses) and infertility.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) was finally forced to classify RF Radiation as a “possible carcinogenic” in 2011. This puts RF Radiation in the same WHO classification as the cancer causing chemical DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) that has been banned. Everything “Bluetooth” (like your cell phone and your car stereo) uses the same 2.45 GHz frequency microwave ovens use. The amperage may be different than in a microwave oven, but it is the exact same radiation.
Bluetooth Radiation Misinformation
In the article by the medical website newjersey.jeffersonhealth.org entitled “Myth or Truth? Bluetooth Earbuds and Brain Cancer Risk” a “Dr. Glass” is quoted saying “There’s currently no significant evidence that would lead us to believe these devices – or any other non-ionizing radiation sources – have adverse effects; if they were harmful, we would say so”.
“There’s currently no significant evidence”, apparently Dr. Glass has never read any of the hundreds of independently funded scientific studies I have spoken about above. They are not hard to find. Dr. Glass just isn’t looking very hard; or he is lying.
Likewise in the article “Do Bluetooth Headphones Cause Cancer?” the medical website verywellhealth.com discusses this topic. At least this article acknowledges many of the health problems the independently funded scientific studies find, but then they spend the rest of the article down playing those findings. I have read the findings. As I describe above they linked serious illness to RF Radiation. It is not something to be downplayed or taken lightly.
In the below video Barry Trower, an expert on this radiation, discusses the many health issues he witnessed it causing in his career.
Bluetooth Earbuds Tested With A Meter
In this below video I actually test the amount radiation emitted from a regular 4G cell phone, and a set of Bluetooth earbuds, with a meter. If you watch it you will be surprised at how much RF Radiation they emit. And they were just turned on. I was not testing them while making a call. They emit at full power when sending or receiving a call. I really recommend that you take a minute and watch the below video. It is short. But knowledge is power and seeing is believing. It is worth watching for sure.
As shown in the above video, there are now protections that you can use to protect yourself to cell phone and Bluetooth radiation. Most people are not going to give up their cell phone. But the protections shown in the video are great alternatives to a Bluetooth headset or earbuds, and there are shields that can shield much of the cellphone radiation from entering your body.
If you go to the “Cellphone Radiation Protection Items” page of this website I show you the protections you need and the best places to get these protections. You might also be interested in our related article entitled “How To Protect Yourself From Bluetooth Radiation“.
Safe Alternative To Bluetooth Headphones
One thing that makes Bluetooth headsets or earbuds particularly dangerous is because we stick them in a hole in our head. That is right, our ear. Then there is only soft tissue between this microwave radiation source and our brain. A corded headset (by itself) is not really any better. The RF Radiation from your cell phone runs right up the corded headset like an antenna into your ear.
A cell phone emits 2.4 GHz frequency RF Radiation. So it is microwave radiation as well. Radio waves from the frequencies of about 1 GHz all the way up to 300 GHz are considered microwaves. And in this area of the electromagnetic spectrum, the higher the frequency, the more dangerous RF Radiation is to living organisms. So holding a cell phone up to your ear is just as bad.
Safest Option
So what can you do? By far the safest way to talk on a cell phone is to use an “Air Tube Headset” with a Ferrite Bead on the bottom of the cord right next to the cell phone. (And it is important to keep as much distance as possible between your body and the cell phone.) An air tube headset works similar to the way a stethoscope works. You get great sound, but there is no wiring going all the way up to your head.
The reason that you need to have a ferrite bead on the bottom of the cord is because the RF Radiation will still travel up the cord of an air tube headset until the air tubes start. The cord will be an RF Radiation antenna and will be emitting radiation into any part of your body that it touches.
But a ferrite bead produces a magnetic field that will absorb all of the RF Radiation traveling up the cord. About 95% of the RF Radiation is absorbed off. So if you put a ferrite bead on the part of the cord closest to your cell phone, it makes the headset very safe.
Second Best Option
Some people complain that an Air Tube Headset is too heavy and clunky. If that is the case then the second best method is to use your normal corded headset with a Ferrite Bead on the cord just like you would do with an air tube headset. You will still get some RF Radiation traveling up to your ear, but it will be reduced by 95%.
The image on the left shows my ferrite bead placed on the bottom of my corded headset. The image on the right shows a ferrite bead that computer manufacturers often put on the cords we use to charge up our laptops. Computer companies do this to prevent the high frequency spikes and surges from going up the cord and harming your laptop.
This same technology works in blocking most of the RF Radiation from traveling up your cell phone cord and into your ear. This technology is nothing new. It is used in hundreds of applications on all different scale uses in the electronics industry. It is a great protection we can use against cell phone RF Radiation.
Aulterra Bluetooth Neutralizing Sticker
This is one of those safety products that I used to dismiss without a second thought because I assumed they were just a feel good “placebo” type of a product. I thought there was no way they could do anyone any good. I mean what can a small sticker placed on the back of your cell phone do to block Bluetooth RF Radiation? Then I read the science.
For my full review where I go over all of the science behind this product please see my article entitled “Aulterra EMF Neutralizer Products Review“. The one thing I can honestly say is there are not many products on the market with as much scientific research done on them as the Aulterra stickers. You can check out the price here on their website at Aulterra.com.
Kim Dandurand developed this technology in 1996 when he was working on a major environmental project where this technology was used to neutralize chemical and radioactive waste from landfill sites. Then Kim paid to have studies done on this technology to see if this technology would also neutralize RF Radiation emitted from cell phones.
The way they describe it in the studies is that the paramagnetic minerals within the Aulterra stickers form a magnetic field that changes the man-made waves emitted by a cellphone into a more natural form. This reduces the harm Bluetooth RF Radiation causes by about 95%. The studies are pretty fascinating to read.
It is my humble opinion that we should use both types of products. I think it is important to keep as much RF Radiation from reaching our bodies as possible. And, since we know some RF Radiation is still going to reach us, we should use the products that reduce the harm this RF Radiation will cause. Both approaches are important. At least this is my personal approach.
Importance Of A Shielding Cell Phone Case
If your goal is to protect yourself and your family from both Bluetooth and regular cell phone RF Radiation, you really cannot do without a cell phone case that shields you from the radiation. The big problem with carrying a cell phone, even if you get rid of your Bluetooth headset, is the close proximity we often keep them to our bodies. Women carry them in their bras. Men stick them in their front pockets.
Now I don’t ever recommend holding your cell phone up to your ear as shown in the image on the left. But if you must, if you have a shielding cell phone case the amount of RF Radiation entering you head will be reduced. Some RF Radiation will still go around the case and into your body, but it will block a great deal of it.
My favorite case is the one by SafeSleeve. It is an excellent quality case that is not too expensive. It is the best bang for the buck. You can check out its price here on Safesleevecases.com. My second favorite case is the one by DefenderShield. This case is a bit more expensive but really good as well. Check out its price here on Amazon.
Finally, always try to carry your cell phone in a purse or lower side pocket of a loose jacket. The idea is to create as much distance between your cell phone and your body as possible. And try to always place the phone with the shielded side of the case facing your body. Again, some RF Radiation will still go around the case and into your body, but it will block a significant amount.
Briefly, before I get back to Bluetooth headsets, there are a couple more very important ways to protect yourself from cell phone RF Radiation that I would like to mention:
Steel Mesh Bucket Protection
“A Steel mesh bucket? What?” That is the reaction I usually get when I bring this subject up! But it is a known scientific fact that the RF Radiation emitted by both Bluetooth devices and cell phones has trouble going through parallel lines of conductive metal. RF Radiation is not like X-Ray or Gamma-Ray radiation where you need a lead barrier to block the radiation.
Most of us use our cell phones as our alarm clocks now. And our cell phones are replacing analog land lines every day. So in our modern world it is not practical to turn our cell phones off or put them on airplane mode at night. We need to be able to get phone calls and have our cell phone alarms ring.
Hence the two images on the left and the right. Both are steel mesh buckets or baskets that will block 95% of the RF Radiation emitted by your cell phones and Bluetooth devices. The bucket must be placed higher than your body when you are sleeping and be at least 4 to 6 feet away from you while you sleep. These are also good to put Bluetooth devices like baby monitors, Alexa and Echos in, if you have them.
My wife keeps her cell phone in a WaveCage on top of our tall dresser that is about 5 feet away from her at night. I keep my cell phone in my WaveCage that is about 6 feet away from me up on an armoire we have in the other side of our room.
You can check out the price of the WaveCage on this website: lessemf.com. This link takes you to the home page of their website and then you have to click on “Cellphone Shields”, and then scroll about half way down the page to find them. You can also check out the price of a steel mesh waste basket here on Amazon.com.
Now back to more about Bluetooth technology and its dangers:
Bluetooth: Some Scientific Studies
Bluetooth headsets first rolled out as a way to keep your conversations going without the distractions of physically holding a phone. Bluetooth headsets are basically a wireless extension of your cell phone. Cell phones and Bluetooth both emit levels of radiation that some believe are unsafe and have to the potential to cause cancer and a whole host of other problems. When you test the radiation emitted from these devices for yourself, this seems obvious.
“While it is true, Bluetooth generally operates at lower intensities then cellular signals, wireless headphone are designed to be placed directly in the ear, next to the head for a long period of time. This increases the contact time that EMF radiation has to your head and brain tissue. Your head is an ideal antenna as it is filled with conductive soft tissue and salty fluid. Your cells communicate through electrochemical signals, which can be interrupted by external electromagnetic fields,” Defendershield.com
Okay. So all this disruption in the flow of the brain, what does it really mean? According to Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy, an leading researcher and doctor in the biological effects of radiation, it can mean an increased risk of cancer, ADHD, headaches, depression and tinnitus. Now, that’s scary stuff. Let’s take a closer look at the correlation between Bluetooth headset use and tumors/cancer. “Short wavelengths, as well as the rapid rise and fall of the pulses emitted by Bluetooth and cell phones, can damage human cells by throwing off calcium ion signaling and causing ion channels to leak. The cellular disruption can cause irreparable DNA damage, which can increase cancer risk,” said Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy.
Even though the FDA has approved this technology, it doesn’t necessary mean it’s safe to use. A recent study published by the Swedish National Institute for Working Life reveals “ cell phone users have a 240% greater risk of developing brain tumors on the same side of the head where they use their phone. Bluetooth headsets function in the same radio wave frequency as cell phones.”
Did you hear about the groundbreaking study recently completed by the U.S. National Toxicology program? The $25 million study is the first of its kind to make a direct correlation between cell phone radiation and tumors. “High levels of radiation were linked to an increased risk in a few types of tumors, such as a benign nervous system tumor known as schwannoma, as well as malignant brain tumors known as gliomas,” –Livescience.com
Bluetooth And Brain Tumors
So now do Bluetooth earbuds cause brain tumors? What do you think now? Do you still have your Bluetooth in? I tossed mine out the moment I started researching about the potentially health hazards of using a hands-free earpiece. According to rfsafe.com, “brain tumors are now the leading causes of death in children and the rate of adults getting brain tumors on the same side of their head as their mobile is held now has many question cell phone radiation safety. . . if these assumptions are true and cell phone radiation is hazardous and even deadly- we could be facing an epidemic of cancers in 30-40 year olds in the near future, because the explosive growth in smart phone usage among teen.”
A recent article in The Atlantic is reigniting a public debate about correlation between cell phones and other wireless technology, such a Bluetooth headsets and brain tumors. “Senator John McCain’s brain cancer diagnosis is likely to revive a persistent and complex question about the safety of wireless technologies, like cell phones, that emit electromagnetic radiation.
A 2010 paper in the International of Epidemiology, for example found people with the highest level of cellphone use, about 30 minutes a day over a 10-year period, had a 40 percent risk for glioma, compared with those who used cellphones less frequently. One could reasonably expect that politicians would be toward the higher end of the cellphone spectrum, for example,” –The Atlantic
So, what are you supposed to do? Toss your phone and go back to writing letters to communicate? While the idea sounds tempting, it’s not realistic. There are several products available that can help you stay hands free and radiation free all at the same time. I know Amazon has several options to reduce the radiation exposure to your head.
It’s clear based on research and extensive studies, there is a correlation between cell phone/ Bluetooth radiation and an increased risk of cancer and tumors. Even so, some experts in this field believe we won’t see the full impacts of all this modern day technology for decades. Now, that is terrifying. We need to make changes to our daily habits and how we communicate now. There’s no time to wait.
According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, he’s sticking with a wired earpiece and for good reason. “It may be too early to say for sure. The latency period or time between exposure and recognition of a tumor is around 20 years, sometimes longer. . . .The European Environmental Agency has said cell phone could be a big health risk as smoking, asbestos and leaded gasoline,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta. In that same article, the doc says he’s choosing to text and email more to avoid unnecessary radiation. Perhaps, you should too!
Final Thoughts
My advice: Don’t use Bluetooth. Turn it off on your cell phone and in your car stereo settings. Don’t use a Bluetooth baby monitor or any other Bluetooth device in your home. Unless you like microwaving yourself there is just no reason (in my opinion) to use anything Bluetooth. Just throw your Bluetooth headset or earbuds in the trash.
If you are wanting to make your home “smart”, doing it wirelessly is just microwaving yourself. Smart devices can be hard wired together. When done this way they are faster and don’t give off RF Radiation. They do cause Dirty Electricity in the circuits of your home where they are installed, but this can be easily mitigated by using Dirty Electricity filters. If you are considering making your home smart my article entitled “Smart Home Device Safety – What You Need To Know” will help you do so while staying safe in the process.
For more information on the different RF radiation dangers in our homes please see our article entitled The 7 Worst Radiation Dangers In Your Home. For information about the RF radiation emitted from the Bluetooth in your car please see our article entitled Is The Bluetooth in My Car Dangerous?
I really hope that this article was helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it. I wish you the best in everything you do!
