RF Safe

Melatonin: a Potential Shield against Electromagnetic Waves

Current neuropharmacology · 2021 · Mixed · Insufficient evidence

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MixedInsufficient evidencePaper 1010

This review summarizes evidence on relationships between melatonin, non-ionizing EMF (RF/ELF), and oxidative stress, noting inconsistent results across studies. It proposes a mechanistic model in which melatonin may protect against RF/ELF-EMF-induced oxidativ…

Study snapshot

PublicationCurrent neuropharmacology · 2021
Study typereview
Reported directionMixed
Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Melatonin: a Potential Shield against Electromagnetic Waves Maya Jammoul, Nada Lawand. Melatonin: a Potential Shield against Electromagnetic Waves. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021 Jun 9. doi: 10.2174/1570159X19666210609163946. Abstract Melatonin, a vital hormone synthesized by the pineal gland, has been implicated in various physiological functions and in circadian rhythm regulation. Its role in the protection against the non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF), known to disrupt the body's oxidative/anti-oxidative balance, has been called into question due to inconsistent results observed across studies. This review provides the current state of knowledge on the interwoven relationship between melatonin, EMF, and oxidative stress. Based on synthesized evidence, we present a model that best describes the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of melatonin against RF/ELF-EMF induced oxidative stress. We show that the free radical scavenger activity of melatonin is enabled through reduction of the radical pair singlet-triplet conversion rate and the concentration of the triplet products. Moreover, this review aims to highlight the potential therapeutic benefits of melatonin against the detrimental effects of EMF, in general, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), in particular. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typereview
Effect directionmixed
PopulationNot supplied
Sample sizeNot supplied
ExposureRF/ELF
Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

This review summarizes evidence on relationships between melatonin, non-ionizing EMF (RF/ELF), and oxidative stress, noting inconsistent results across studies. It proposes a mechanistic model in which melatonin may protect against RF/ELF-EMF-induced oxidative stress via free radical scavenging enabled through reduction of the radical pair singlet-triplet conversion rate and the concentration of triplet products, and discusses potential therapeutic benefits including for EHS.

Outcomes measured

  • oxidative stress
  • oxidative/anti-oxidative balance disruption
  • melatonin protective effects
  • electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

Limitations

  • Inconsistent results across studies are noted in the abstract.
  • No specific exposure parameters (frequency, SAR, duration) are provided in the abstract.
  • No specific populations, study designs, or sample sizes of included studies are described in the abstract.
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF/ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "oxidative stress",
    "oxidative/anti-oxidative balance disruption",
    "melatonin protective effects",
    "electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This review summarizes evidence on relationships between melatonin, non-ionizing EMF (RF/ELF), and oxidative stress, noting inconsistent results across studies. It proposes a mechanistic model in which melatonin may protect against RF/ELF-EMF-induced oxidative stress via free radical scavenging enabled through reduction of the radical pair singlet-triplet conversion rate and the concentration of triplet products, and discusses potential therapeutic benefits including for EHS.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Inconsistent results across studies are noted in the abstract.",
    "No specific exposure parameters (frequency, SAR, duration) are provided in the abstract.",
    "No specific populations, study designs, or sample sizes of included studies are described in the abstract."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "melatonin",
    "electromagnetic field",
    "EMF",
    "RF",
    "ELF",
    "oxidative stress",
    "free radicals",
    "radical pair mechanism",
    "electromagnetic hypersensitivity",
    "EHS"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666210609163946
PubMed: 34635042

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