Do you spend hours on your smartphone, endlessly scrolling through social media or for work? You might want to rethink how you use that time. For, a new study suggests that regular mobile phone use is associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially among current smokers and individuals with diabetes. The research, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology by Elsevier, highlights this concerning connection.
Researcher Dr. Yanjun Zhang from the Division of Nephrology at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, warned, “Mobile phone use is so prevalent in modern life that understanding its health impacts is crucial. Radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile phones can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cause inflammation, and induce oxidative stress, potentially affecting heart health and blood vessels.
“However, the exact link between mobile phone use and cardiovascular disease remains uncertain.”
Co-investigator Dr. Ziliang Ye from the same University added, “Our study aimed to evaluate the link between regular mobile phone use and cardiovascular diseases while examining how sleep and mental health might mediate this risk. We found that those who use their phones regularly face a significantly higher risk of developing such conditions compared to non-regular users.”
The research analyzed data from 444,027 individuals in the UK Biobank who reported their mobile phone use frequency from 2006 to 2010. Regular use was defined as making at least one call per week. Over a median follow-up period of 12.3 years, the study assessed the incidence of stroke, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Researchers also explored how sleep patterns, psychological distress, and neuroticism contribute to this association.
Co-investigator Xianhui Qin, MD, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, added, “We found that sleep patterns, psychological distress, and neuroticism may be potential mechanisms of the association between mobile phone use and cardiovascular diseases.
“A poor sleep pattern and poor mental health may adversely affect the development of cardiovascular diseases through disrupted circadian rhythm, endocrine and metabolic disruption, and increased inflammation.
“In addition, chronic exposure to RF-EMF radiation emitted from mobile phones could lead to oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Therefore, RF-EMF radiation exposure from mobile phones in combination with smoking and diabetes may have a synergistic effect in increasing cardiovascular diseases risk,” he said, underscoring the importance of balancing technology use with activities that promote heart health.
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