It has been established that the hormone melatonin has a far-reaching effect on the human system. Digestion, moods, sexual and reproductive cycles and the immune system all depend on the supply of this important hormone. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland during the hours of darkness.

Exposure to EMFs from any source that produces a field level of from 2 to 12 milliGauss can reduce melatonin production. Abnormally low levels of melatonin have been in found older people with insomnia and Alzheimer's disease.

Quoted here from the Journal of Pineal Research 14, "Incidence of selected cancers in Swedish railway workers, 1969-79" ; p89-97, March 1993

"These results provide the first evidence that ELF frequency magnetic fields can act at the cellular levels to enhance breast cancer cell proliferation by blocking melatonin's natural oncostatic action. In addition, there appears to be a dose threshold between 2 and 12 milliGauss. The mechanism(s) of action is unknown and may involve modulation of signal transduction events associated with melatonin's regulation of cell growth."

Ref;(1) Title: ELF magnetic fields, breast cancer, and melatonin: 60Hz fields block melatonin's oncostatic action on ER+breast cancer cell proliferation. Authors Liburdy RP. Sloma TR. Sokolic R. Yaswen P. Journal of Pineal research 14(2): 89-97, March 1993.

Refs:

In June 1996 at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS), the following three replicated studies were presented. They have important implications in the treatment of breast and other types of cancer.

(1) J.Hartland and R. Liburdy. Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory, University of California,

(2) C.Blackman, S.Benane, D.House, and J.Blanchard. National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Each of these studies found that 12 milliGauss electromagnetic fields can reduce or completely block the growth inhibitory action of melatonin and can reduce the action of anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen on human breats cancer cells, in culture.

(3) S.Afzal and R.Liburdy. Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory, University of California, found that a 12 milliGauss field, similar that emitted by a computer monitor screen, can inhibit the oncostatic action of melatonin in vitro.

Comment:

Bird and Plant Life and Light

The effects of over-exposure to light has for many years been exploited by the poultry industry, when it was found that light entering the eye of the bird stimulated the pituitary gland and increased egg production. The pituitary gland is believed to be the 'balance wheel' of the entire glandular system.

Even the Zygo Cactus from the plant kingdom will not form flower buds if exposed to night light illustrating its need for a normal light-dark cycle to function normally.

Humans and Exposure to Light

For light stimulation to this gland to have such profound effects on the hen, indicates the implications for these same effects on the human biological system. Therefore any night time environment where artificial light or magnetic fields may have an impact on the biological system, should be treated as potentially harmful to that system's normal function, due to the interference of melatonin production. It follows that the sleep period in humans, so important for the repair and regeneration of the body's cells, should be as free from EMR as is possible.