When writing about cell phone radiation, we said that it is better to use a wired or Bluetooth device so that you are not affected by cellphone radiation. Questions arise that since Bluetooth communication, too, is a form of radio communication, shouldn’t there be something called Bluetooth radiation? Is Bluetooth radiation also bad for humans? Is it as worse as in the case of cell phones?
Is Bluetooth Radiation harmful or safe?
When speaking of cellphone radiation, we are talking about high-frequency radio waves that start from your cellphone and have to go through a maze of cellphone towers before your voice actually reaches the person whom you called on the phone.
In the case of Bluetooth radiation, the waves start from one of your devices that is directly connected to another Bluetooth device. The good thing about Bluetooth is that its range (distance) is small. Working on extremely high frequencies, these waves cannot penetrate a concrete wall. It is usually a few meters in the case of Bluetooth radio waves. Thus, the danger of Bluetooth radiation, if any, is reduced to a small area.
This is in contrast to a cellphone. When you make a call, the radio frequencies should be powerful enough to reach a cellphone tower. With cell phones, you need one or more cellphone towers for making calls or sending data over the cellphone Internet. Thus, cellphone radiation is riskier compared to Bluetooth. To learn how radio waves affect humans, read our article on the dangers of cellphone radiation.
Much has been studied about the potential of a different range of radio waves to ascertain health problems. A cellphone-in-use is dangerous. The study on Bluetooth radiation has, so far, given varying results. But if you apply logic, Bluetooth cannot be much harmful as it works in a small area, doesn’t require powerful radio antennas, and thus reduce radiation. The studies conducted by Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) mark Bluetooth as no-danger.
“The majority of studies published have failed to show an association between exposure to radiofrequency from a cell phone and health problems”, says FDA on Bluetooth radiation
“Headsets can substantially reduce exposure since the phone is held away from the head in the user’s hand or in approved body-worn accessories.”, – FDA
The same studies have shown that Bluetooth radiation effects would be a thousand times less than talking into cell phone directly. In the former case (where you are using a Bluetooth earphone), your phone is not directly touching any body part. Of course, wired earphones will be safer than Bluetooth data transfer, but I do not recommend them as they would block out external sounds that are necessary when driving and doing similar things.
Bluetooth Radiation: Summary
There is no proof that Bluetooth radiation can be dangerous to humans. Most Disease Control Centres mark Bluetooth as safe. The main reason is that though riding on high frequencies, the amplitude of Bluetooth waves doesn’t have much strength to pass through objects, walls, and other similar obstacles. So one can generally say that using Bluetooth headphones or speakers is safe if used within limits. But long-term exposure could potentially cause health issues.
We’re living in a world where pretty much everything is dependent on radio waves – from baby monitors to communications to entertainment to GPS and more. We can’t – as of now – replace radio waves with any other medium of communication. Bluetooth radiation health effects are much lower compared to other forms. While the future may see some alternatives, I believe that human bodies will adapt to the world full of radio waves – or react to it!
Read next: Dangers of WiFi Radiation.
