Bluetooth What You Will Learn Nowhere Else – Is It Really Dangerous?

Posted by Lloyd on August 24, 2010 under Bluetooth radiation | 2 Comments to Read

A few days ago I received this message from one of my readers, Craig, who is worried about  Bluetooth radiation:

Hi Lloyd,
I have a quick question, or maybe not such a quick question.
What’s the best way to reduce radiation when listening to streaming audio on a cell phone:
– A  Bluetooth headset?
– Does Bluetooth drastically cut down on radiation as compared to having the cell phone near my ear?
– A physical wired headphone?
– Does the radiation transmit up the headphone cable that’s physically plugged into the phone?
– Those “thick protector stickers” that you apply to the outside of your cell phone?
Unfortunately, I depend on the internet, and consequently cell phone, for the majority of my news; and tune into my favourite radio stations while driving for work, at the gym, or doing chores around the house.
Do you have a chart or is there an article you can direct me to that contrasts/compares methods of getting the most sound to your ears with the least amount of radiation?
Thanks for a great site and newsletters!
Craig

Here is the answer I sent him :

Hi Craig

Thanks for your great question. Below is my not so quick answer :

Bluetooth Radiation – Why It Is Important To Understand It

Bluetooth is the name of a wireless technology that uses pulsed radio frequency signals. Anybody that has been following my website will have just felt their ears prick up as I said the word “pulsed”. Not good. Because when we talk about pulsed radio frequency signals we are of course talking about radiation,or in this case Bluetooth radiation. Read on….

Bluetooth is now used extensively in today’s world, in cell phone headsets, computer accessories such as keyboards, printers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal media players, GPS, gaming equipement, and also various medical health and wellness devices.

This Bluetooth technology is used for more and more personal and commercial applications. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group now lists over 6000 products that utilize Bluetooth technology.

All the more reason that we should be really clear as to what the potential dangers are with Bluetooth radiation.

Is All Bluetooth The Same?

No

Bluetooth transmits at frequency levels in the 2.4 GHz band. There are three power classes and it is these power classes which are your best indicator as to what level of Bluetooth radiation you are exposing yourself to :

Class 1 transmitters — are the most powerful, have a range of 100 meters and peak transmission power of 100 mW (milliwatt)

Class 2 transmitters — are usually found in mobile devices and they have a range of 10 meters and operate at 2.5 mW peak transmission power

Class 3 transmitters — these are the weakest and operate in a range of less than 10 meters and have a peak transmission power of 1 mW

So the first thing to look at is check what class of transmitter your Bluetooth headphone is, this you will find in the manufacturers specification.

Many headsets are class 2 such as the Bang & Olufsen EarSet 2 Bluetooth Mobile Device but some are class 1, for instance the Callpod Dragon is a class 1 Bluetooth headset.

So you can stand right down the end of the street from your cell phone to be clear of its cell phone radiation. What about Bluetooth radiation?

The radiation from your Bluetooth earpiece will get you just the same because Class 1 Bluetooth headsets can cause exposure to radiation at the same level as your cell phone if they are operated in close proximity to the body

What Does Science Say About Bluetooth Radiation?

The science is a little bit all over the place on Bluetooth radiation, as it is on the cell phone issue, again because of the amount of money that the cellphone industry spends to protect its interests. Various studies support (American Cancer Society 2008, Martinez & Burdalow 2009) the view that Bluetooth headsets when used in conjunction with cellphones decrease the overall levels of SAR exposure to the head. Whereas other studies show a diversity of hazards from cell phone use, as well peripheral devices such as Bluetooth  headsets. Their high-frequency electromagnetic fields can lead to a significant increase in blood pressure and affect biological processes in the body just the same as cell phones. Just two hours of exposure to high-frequency EMFs from a cell phone or Bluetooth headset, can cause irreparable DNA damage.

So to answer your questions Craig:

Does Bluetooth drastically cut down on radiation as compared to having the cell phone near my ear?

Yes Bluetooth does drastically cut down radiation exposure compared to having the cell phone next to your ear, if you could be sure that you were only exposing yourself to Bluetooth radiation. The problem is that when you use a Bluetooth headset that the transmission strength from the cell phone itself is not decreased. If for instance you are putting the phone in your pocket or clipping it to your belt then you are at the same time exposing your internal organs to radiation. The Swiss Federal Office of public health recommends that cell phones should not be carried in a front trouser pocket when making calls and that it may be safest to hold the phone away from the body to reduce radiation. Studies (Whittow 2008) have also found that metallic objects situated near your waistline, such as coins, a belt buckle, rings, keys etc increased the SAR in the body at different frequencies. Interestingly, Bluetooth devices do not require measuring and reporting of the SAR (Specific Absorbtion Rates) values, so the consumer is completely in the dark as to radiation exposure levels.

Does the radiation transmit up the headphone cable that’s physically plugged into the phone?

Yes, it can. The headphone can act as a sort of antenna for your cell phone giving the radiation a fast route into your brain. The science is sketchy on this but in my view, having tried wired headphones, they are not the solution to reducing your radiation exposure. This is now widely accepted and yet wired headphones continue to be sold by the boatload to the population at large.

Do you have a chart or is there an article you can direct me to that contrasts/compares methods of getting the most sound to your ears with the least amount of radiation?

I do not know of any comparative resource on this topic but to answer your question “What’s the best way to reduce radiation when listening to streaming audio on a cell phone”  I believe that if you want to continue using your cell phone an airtube hands-free kit offers the best solution on the market. There is no wire connection between your cell phone and your head and you are able reduce your cell phone radiation without increasing your radiation from other sources, as is the case with Bluetooth.

What are the downsides to using airtube hands free kits?

The principal disadvantage of an air tube cell phone connection is that your cell phone is still in close proximity to your body! I can feel a cell phone in operation within a distance of 3 to 4 meters depending on the atmospheric conditions and my personal sensitivity on the day. Using my emf meter I get readings when a cell phone is in use from about 8 -10 meters away. So for the airtube to be really effective it would have to have a 10 meter tube on it. But then it does cut out altogether the issue of Bluetooth radiation

Airtubes are a step in the right direction but while ever your cell phone is operating within a few meters of your body they are not giving you total protection from EMFs.  As a side note, airtubes are also reputedly quite fragile, if you are considering buying one you need to go through a reputable company.

Do cell chips offer protection from cell phone radiation?

In my experience no. I have tried several of these devices from different suppliers I remain unconvinced as to the protection these devices offer.

Conclusion on Bluetooth radiation–  are Head Sets Dangerous?

Yes, they use pulsed radio frequencies. The frequency power of wireless headsets is the same as that of microwave ovens, which also operate at 2.4 GHz, though admittedly microwave ovens use much higher power levels. However Bluetooth headsets are dangerous because they are held within centimeters of the brain and they are used in conjunction with a cell phone. So you’re getting double exposure. If you use Bluetooth in a car the effects are multiplied due to the Faraday cage effect.

So Craig, the bottom line is avoid wired headsets, avoid Bluetooth radiation, prefer an airtube hands free kit but be aware of its limitations.