You might have heard rumors circulating the internet about concerns surrounding Bluetooth Headphones, petitions being signed by “scientists” and other unscrupulous reporting – but you still want to know – can headphones actually cause cancer?
The good news is that the answer is no (as far as I can tell). Most scientists agree that wireless technology is totally harmless to people – read more about the environmental effect and recycling headphones here.
The biggest anti-Airpod petition, signed by anyone who claimed to be a scientist, was started in 2015 – a year before AirPods were officially introduced to the public and while there may be warrant for more research, your Bluetooth headphones deliver a lower-frequency than your smartphone actually does. So, it seems you don’t have to take out the tinfoil hat just yet.
But how does it actually work and is there any reason to be concerned? We’ll dive deeper into that throughout this article, but basically, when you use your smartphone, laptop, headphones – anything that has wireless capabilities, it’s constantly sending and receiving signals from somewhere, it could be a cell tower, a satellite dish or another device. These can be thousands of meters away or a few centimeters.
The distance Bluetooth signal has to travel is very short and technically, these radio frequencies are all around us – if you’re using Alexa, if your house has smart capabilities, if you watch TV… it all words with frequencies.
So why the concern with Headphones? Well, for one, it’s attached to your head, and any concentrated radiation could potentially have some effect.
But, the fact remains that no evidence has yet to prove it, and the Bluetooth radio frequency your headphones emit is MUCH lower than your smartphone, TV, and everything else in your house, which means you’re probably safe.
Disclaimer – I’m not a medical professional or a scientist, these are my own opinions, and if you are concerned, please consult a doctor. If you’re curious like me – continue reading.
What kind of radiation do headphones emit?
First off, when we say radiation while speaking of Headphones, we mean EMFs – electric and magnetic fields. EMFs are just invisible energy fields and are associated with the use of electricity and various other forms of light and man-made technology.
EMFs can be divided into two categories according to their frequency:
- Non-ionizing: This is low-level energy radiation and is generally perceived as harmless to people at least according to cancer.gov.
- Ionizing: This is the one you should be cautious of – high-level energy radiation has the potential for cellular and DNA damage.
Great, now that we’ve cleared that up, headphones emit non-ionizing radiation. As do many other common household items all around us – cell phones, computers, smart TVs, etc.
Some research has noted that while this radiation can’t cause DNA or cell damage, as we’re constantly surrounded by it, it could indirectly lead to cancer in other ways.
One example is by somehow reducing the level of melatonin in the body, which can lead to the growth of certain tumors.
I can kind of get this; you enjoy your tech so much you never get in the sun anymore? Put the new PS4 down and GET OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN!
So, there seems to be some division amongst scientists, and it’s an ongoing debate. While most research on headphones is inconclusive, a study in 2011 demonstrated some correlations between heavy cell phone users and an increased risk of glioma (a mostly malignant brain tumor).
This research prompted the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to classify EMFs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.
This classification sparked numerous studies and in 2018, the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) released the results of two studies carried out on mice and rats that examined the effects of cell phone radiation in living beings.
After much anticipation, the NTP studies, which lasted for two years, proved that RATS AND MICE SHOULD NOT USE SMARTPHONES. No more cute pet videos, please!
I kid, but before I discuss the results of the study, I need to reiterate – animal models are often poor predictors of human reactions, and thus far, we have yet to gather reliable conclusive evidence in human studies.
In other words, we need to do more research. Having said that, the findings are significant enough to raise skepticism about the harmlessness of smartphones (which release a higher dose than headphones).
The studies revealed the following:
In rats and mice, the clearest evidence of carcinogenic activity was all dose-related (higher = bad). Higher doses increased incidences of malignant masses, and at worse, caused malignant schwannomas in the heart. A Schwannoma is a painless lump and rarely cancerous.
There was some evidence that cell phone radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure could increase the incidences of malignant gliomas in the tiny rat and mouse brains.
They also picked up higher incidences of benign or malignant (all harmless) pheochromocytomas in their adrenal medullas.
There were also a whole lot of ambiguous results, which basically mean they might or might not have been caused by the cell phone radiation.
The study also concluded that the rats and mice had an increased risk of heart conditions, DNA damage, and lower birth weights of baby rats born during the trials.
Long-term studies on humans will be needed to make any definite conclusions, but for now, don’t sleep with your cell phone under your pillow, and in fact – use headphones when taking calls, as the frequency is so much lower, the risk is also lower.
How much radiation do Bluetooth Headphones emit?
Depending on the Bluetooth Headphone brand that you have, it could be spared 10 to 400 times less power density exposure than compared to a cell phone. I, for one, prefer the 400 times less exposure – this is why I buy quality always.
As the radiation transmitted by your headphones is typically less than most other things, it would be very hard to do long-term studies where everything else in our lives doesn’t add to the radiation exposure.
The fact remains that while many things in our lives release radiation, our bodies are somewhat of a natural shield. So just how much radiation is emitted, and how much can we handle?
The amount of radiofrequency our bodies absorb from the devices around us is described as the specific absorption rate (SAR). And while it’s true that Bluetooth and wireless headphones emit the lowest levels of radiation, their proximity to our heads is a bit concerning to some health experts.
This becomes significant when we consider cheaper brands of headphones that may emit more radiation than quality brands.
Due to the distance of the device from your head, and continuous use, you could eventually be exposed to as much as half of the radiation emitted from your cell phone – and it all adds up.
There are guidelines in place to protect consumers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has stipulated that wireless devices’ SAR may not exceed 1.6 watts per kilogram.
Luckily, quality brands like the Apple AirPods only emit about 0.466 watts per kilogram.
The only concern many still have is the prolonged exposure, and that this wasn’t taken into account when the guidelines were first stipulated. The fact remains that much more research is required to finally answer this question.
Can Bluetooth Headphones cause brain tumors?
The honest truth is that more and more people are getting brain tumors, there is absolutely no way to connect these to headphones, but cell phones do seem a likely culprit. A rise in the frequency of tumors developing on the side people are most likely to hold their phone is even less encouraging.
A 2010 study reported that people who spend a lot of time on their phones, around 30 minutes a day over a 10-year period (I mean I probably spend around 4 hours a day), had a 40 percent higher risk of developing a glioma, compared with those who used cell phones less frequently.
However, MayoClinic reports that gliomas are most likely to be caused by microwaves and powerlines, while they conclude that the likelihood of developing a glioma from cell phone, or headphone use for that matter, is very unlikely.
So, what can you do? You could try using your phone less, and you definitely should rather opt for a higher quality Bluetooth headphone set to keep you further away from your phone or audio device.
Apparently, there are even devices out there that reduce the radiation exposure to your head.
We probably won’t know the full extent of the impact of modern-day technology for decades, so, for now, the best option is to consider the facts and keep yourself safe.
While it is possible, it does seem highly unlikely, and I guess it’s all up to your personal risk factor.
If you smoke, live an unhealthy lifestyle, or live in an area with high pollution levels, you might have more to worry about than your cell phone and headphones.
What are some of the precautions you can take?
As we mentioned, it’s impossible to truly link any of the recent studies on the carcinogenic effect of EMFs to headphones. That being said, you can take precautions to avoid any potential health risks.
● Spend less time on your electronic devices
I’m guilty; this is hard to do. I spend hours on my phone and laptop (which is equally bad, if not worse).
The only advice I can offer is to use quality headphones that emit far less radiation and to choose a bulky headset that you’ll take off when not using. If you’re really worried, don’t go wireless.
● Take calls via your speaker or headphones
This keeps your phone away from your head. Put your phone on speaker, or if you need privacy, connect your headphones. The same goes for listening to music or podcasts.
● Limit the amount of time spent your kids spend on the phone
Kids are way more vulnerable; they’re still developing and could be more sensitive to radiation. It’s crucial that you limit the amount of time your kids spend staring at the phone, because the effects are often only realized 20 years later.
Also, keep an eye on them when they are permitted to use the phone; it starts off 10 inches away from their faces and ends up touching their noses.
● Distance is key – keep your cell phone about 10 inches from your face
The further you keep your phone from your face, the better. Make use of your headphones when watching YouTube, and set it down on the table – not your stomach, your organs are also affected by radiation.
● Never use your phone when the reception is poor
This one shocked me – you would expect it to be the opposite way around. It seems that poor reception can increase your radiation exposure by up to 10,000 times!! Man, I’m screwed.
Put simply; your phone emits way more radiation to reach the cell phone tower when the signal is poor.
As a rule, steer clear of your phone (or turn on flight mode) when the signal is under two bars.
What about wired Headsets and Radiation
This may be the safest option – I wrote an entire article about it recently, explaining exactly why wired headsets are the safest option.
While wired headsets still emit radiation, the radiation that is needed to carry the electric current is extremely low and difficult to detect, even with sensitive equipment.
Using a wired headset remains one of the safest solutions available for cell phone users, but you should definitely check out my post about the side effects of earphones and headphones.
Then there is the ferrite bead (this is gonna be one of those AHA moments – trust me)
We’ve all seen that little black bead at the end of our charger cables, and probably never even gave it a second thought. Well, as it turns out, these nifty little things can actually protect you.
Their function is to reduce the radiation output traveling through any cord as much as possible, and serve as an antenna that produces the lowest needed frequency to get the job done.
It’s thus a good idea to keep the ferrite bead away from your body, as that’s essentially where all the radiation is going.
If your cord doesn’t have a ferrite bead built-in, don’t worry, you can get one here (Amazon link). This little miracle is made of iron and ceramic, allowing it to absorb harmful radio waves.
Use Air Tube Headsets
The newest Air tube technology was developed by people who care about EMF radiation and want to make sure that none of it reached their ears. Rather than traditional wires or Bluetooth frequencies, the hollow air tubes conduct the sound from your cell phone, or other devices, using “sound waves” that travel through the air tubes.
When you buy your Air tubes, you’ll notice a partially wired bottom component and a section of the hollow flexible air tube, replacing the wire before it reaches your ears.
The electric signal travels through the wire and hits two external speakers (dangling around your collar bones).
The speakers transform the signal to sound waves that travel up the hollow air tube (completely metal-free as no electricity is being conducted), and the sound then reaches your ears.
Notably, people have complained about lower sound quality, but this is usually due to buying lower quality brands, the best ones I’ve found so far are these (Amazon link).
So, Should You Be Concerned?
The coin flips both ways. Ultimately, there is probably nothing to worry about, but as more and more research is being carried out, and long-term study results emerge, we might be seeing a different picture.
The biggest concern lies with cheap headphones and other budget devices that usually don’t comply with regulations.
Some people are far more sensitive to EMFs than others, and it is highly recommended that if you are prone to headaches or any other tech-related health issues, to protect yourself in whichever way possible.
We can’t just put the devices down, but we can make sure that we get exposed to the least amount of radiation as possible.