Evaluation of Levels of Macro- and Micro-Nutrients in Workers Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields and Comparison with Levels of Patients with Leukemia

There have been much speculation and debate concerning the effect of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on body systems. Various reports have implicated excessive exposure to EMF to certain forms of leukemia. It has also been reported that EMF may cause alteration in the levels of certain macro- and micro-nutrients such as copper, zinc, selenium, calcium and iron. We have undertaken this study to determine the status of these elements in workers exposed to EMF for more than 10 years and compare these levels with those of patients with leukemia and both groups to a set of matched controls. Statistical analysis revealed meaningful differences in the serum levels of the nutrients under study both in terms of comparison of workers and patients to controls and in comparison of workers to patients. Mean Zn levels in both patient (P 0.0002)and worker (P 0.006) groups were significantly higher than that of controls. However, statistical analysis of patients to workers revealed no meaningful variation. Selenium in both study groups also showed decreased levels when compared to controls. These results were statistically significant in comparison of patients to controls (P 0.0001) and workers to controls (P0.0001). Evaluation of patients to workers also resulted in a significant finding (P0.05). While we do not claim these results to be definitive, they do reflect the possibility that regular evaluation of the status of these elements in workers consistently exposed to EMF may be beneficial in terms of determining the heightened risk of these workers to development of leukemia.