Monday July 28, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new French study suggests that using mobile phones or cell phones often may increase risk of developing brain tumors.  The risk was particularly higher among heavy users.The carcinogenic effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in humans could be involved in the etiology of some types of brain tumors, early studies suggest.   But not all studies are consistent.The current study shows that the heaviest mobile phone users were 189% and 157% more likely to develop gliomas and meningiomas, respectively.  Heaviest mobile users were defined as those who used mobile phones for a total of 896 hours or longer in their lifetime.The risk of developing brain tumors was found higher for occupational and urban mobile phone use.  Gliomas and temporal tumors were more often diagnosed than others.Regular users were at 24% higher risk for gliomas but the risk was not statistically significant.The case-control study involved a total of 253 cases of gliomas, 194 cases of meningiomas and 892 matched controls selected from the local electoral rolls in four areas in France in 2004–2006.The stud concluded "These additional data support previous findings concerning a possible association between heavy mobile phone use and brain tumours."Comment:  The study indicates that using mobile phones is harmful.  Brain tumors are linked to high exposure to the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.  But damage to the brain does not require high exposure to the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.  Any exposure can cause damage to brain tissues although the damage may not necessarily be clinically significant.Also it should be kept in mind that the study does not imply that the development of brain tumors can only occur after using mobile phones for a a life-long cumulative 896 hour duration.  In other words, some brain tumors can develop after exposure to mobile phones for less than 896 hours.Early studies indicates that exposure to mobile phones can increase oxidative stress among other things.  Because of that, it could be possible that supplementation with antioxidants may benefit mobile phone users.  (David Liu)Reference: Gaëlle Coureau, Ghislaine Bouvier, Pierre Lebailly, Pascale Fabbro-Peray, Anne Gruber, Karen Leffondre, Jean-Sebastien Guillamo, Hugues Loiseau, Simone Mathoulin-Pélissier, Roger Salamon, and Isabelle Baldi,  Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study, Occup Environ Med, Published Online First 9 May 2014

Foodconsumer.org is conducting a review of studies on how dietary supplements may be used to reduce the damaging effect of cell phone radiofrequency.  Interested readers may send an email to foodconsumer.org@gmail.com to receive the notice after the review is completed.  Your email address will be kept confidential and will be used only once to notify you of the publishing of the report, and then it will be deleted.