Bluetooth Health Risks

By 2006, it was not uncommon to see people in public places, like supermarkets and shopping malls, walking along talking loudly to themselves. They were wearing an ear piece called a Bluetooth, a wireless technology used to connect a cell phone with a cordless headset. Because the hands-free device was convenient, many consumers rushed to purchase it.

Concern

• Speculation quickly arose regarding the safety of having a radio transmitter, such as the Bluetooth, inches from the brain. However, according to Stephen Wildsrom in a 2006 Bloomsberg Businessweek article, “The data on health hazards . . . [were] equivocal, with some studies showing a measure of risk and some showing no problems.”

Comparison

• Bluetooth technology is generally considered safer than using a wireless phone. Both mobile phones and Bluetooth devices emit non-ionizing radiation typically at frequencies from 1 to 2.5 gigahertz. While a phone needs to transmit with enough power to reach a base station antenna a couple of miles away, a Bluetooth generally transmits at a range of no more than 30 feet. Since radio energy dissipates at a rate proportional to the square of the distance, the transmission power of a Bluetooth is lower than that of a mobile phone. One study cited by Wildstrom in another Bloomsberg Businessweek article found that a typical Bluetooth generated a SAR of just 0.001 watts per kilogram.

Standards

• As a precaution, regulatory bodies have set exposure standards regarding the radiation emitted by wireless technology. A specific absorption rate, or SAR, is the standard of measurement used for radiation that reaches body tissue. The U.S. and Canadian governments set the maximum SAR at 1.6 watts per kilogram, while the European Union permits a slightly higher level. A Bluetooth radio typically generates a SAR of just 0.001 watts per kilogram.

Critics

• Critics of Bluetooth technology argue that total radiation exposure is increasing even without the use of these devices. Therefore, they believe that emission and absorption of even small amounts of radiation should be avoided. They further argue that close-range, electromagnetic frequencies, or EMFs, which are emitted from wireless devices, are detrimental to the human body’s bioelectrical systems because they inhibit the body’s natural energy flow. Proponents of this theory suggest that inhibited energy flow leads to congestion which results in pain and other discomfort such as nausea. They further contend that when congested energy flow is not properly addressed, it can lead to health problems, ranging from weight gain to brain tumors.

Scientific study

• The potential health hazards of wireless signals continue to be debated and studied. The World Health Organization established the International Electromagnetic Fields Project for the ongoing study of health concerns related to wireless technology. As of 2009, scientific evidence had not linked exposure to radio frequency energy from mobile devices with any health problems. Because evidence is inconclusive on the extent and nature of health concerns, consumers are left to decide for themselves if the radiation emitted from a Bluetooth is a risk to their health.