{ "abstract": "The introduction of the latest mobile communications standard of the fifth generation (5G) is accompanied by controversial discussions about potential health risks due to radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of experimental and epidemiological studies investigating the physiological and health-related effects of 5G-relevant radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in humans and mammals. The review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022374434) and the review conforms to the PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias and the quality of included studies were assessed using the recommended approach by the Office of Health Assessment and Translation of the National Toxicology Program. A total of 100 experimental animal and seven human controlled studies were included, analyzed, and evaluated. Narrative summaries were performed for a total of 23 topics (e.g., effects on cognition, male fertility, and thermoregulation). However, investigated species and outcomes in studies were very heterogeneous. Additionally, most studies had substantial methodological weaknesses. Only 11 studies showed a low risk of bias. In summary, for most topics, the current scientific data were inadequate to draw any conclusions about the physiological and health-related effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in the investigated frequency range of 3–30 GHz. However, moderate evidence below the limit values was found for cytokine secretion in mice and low evidence was found for structural changes in the hippocampus of rats above the limit values, when taking the exposure limits presently recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection as the basis. Therefore, we strongly recommend high-quality systematic research. Particular attention should be paid to reasonable hypotheses, experimental studies on effects on the skin, eyes, and temperature increase, exposures to different frequencies and field strengths, as well as epidemiological studies with separate consideration of 5G (if possible).", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Research Center for Bioelectromagnetic Interaction (femu)-Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany", "Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany", "Electromagnetic Compatibility & Optics, Seibersdorf Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 11, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Lambert Bodewein", "orcid": "0000-0002-5912-832X" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Dagmar Dechent" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Tanja Emonds", "orcid": "0000-0002-0665-5177" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "David Graefrath" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Anna Sophia Keller", "orcid": "0009-0002-4216-1657" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Julia Krabbe", "orcid": "0000-0003-4205-9783" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Lavender Morgan", "orcid": "0009-0006-5106-6327" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Philine Johanna Scheelhaase" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Gernot Schmid" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Pia Schneeweiss" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Sarah Driessen", "orcid": "0000-0002-5551-2762" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9h9hk81k04v1n.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361104", "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13734471/", "id": "9h9hk81k04v1n", "issns": [ "1932-6203" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361104", "language": "en", "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Animal Behavior" ], [ "heading", "Animal Studies" ], [ "heading", "Behavior" ], [ "heading", "Biology and Life Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Body Temperature" ], [ "heading", "Cell Biology" ], [ "heading", "Electromagnetic Fields" ], [ "heading", "Electromagnetic Radiation" ], [ "heading", "Electromagnetism" ], [ "heading", "Epidemiology" ], [ "heading", "Medical Risk Factors" ], [ "heading", "Medicine and Health Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Microwave Radiation" ], [ "heading", "Oxidative Stress" ], [ "heading", "Physical Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Physics" ], [ "heading", "Physiological Parameters" ], [ "heading", "Physiology" ], [ "heading", "Psychology" ], [ "heading", "Research Article" ], [ "heading", "Research Assessment" ], [ "heading", "Research and Analysis Methods" ], [ "heading", "Social Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Systematic Reviews" ], [ "heading", "Zoology" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Oxidative stress" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological parameters/Body temperature" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Behavior/Animal behavior" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animal behavior" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Epidemiology/Medical risk factors" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Physics/Electromagnetic radiation/Microwave radiation" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Physics/Electromagnetism/Electromagnetic fields" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Research assessment/Systematic reviews" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Psychology/Behavior/Animal behavior" ] ], "openalex": null, "pdf_url": null, "pmcid": "PMC13734471", "pmid": "42981375", "published": "2026-11-04", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9h9hk81k04v1n.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:20:11Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361104", "source": "plos", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361104" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-08T12:23:58Z", "native_id": "PMC13734471", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361104" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "heading:Cell Biology", "subfield": "cell-biology" }, { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:animal behavior", "subfield": "zoology-behaviour" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "heading:Epidemiology", "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "heading:Physiology", "subfield": "physiology" }, { "field": "physics", "origin": "heading:Physics", "subfield": "general" } ], "title": "Physiological and health-related effects of 5G-relevant radiofrequency fields: A systematic review of experimental studies in humans and mammals", "title_text": "Physiological and health-related effects of 5G-relevant radiofrequency fields: A systematic review of experimental studies in humans and mammals", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-08T12:23:58Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9h9hk81k04v1n", "venue": "PLOS One", "versions": [] }