Can SAR Ratings Help You Choose a Safer Cell Phone?

Cell phones do emit a type of electromagnetic field (EMF) called radio frequency radiation or microwave radiation. This radiation is absorbed by our bodies. How much damage this radiation does to the human body has been a hot topic of debate.

Thousands of independent research studies have linked cell phone radiation to a number of adverse biological effects, such as DNA damage, Blood-Brain Barrier damage and disruption of cell metabolism. These biological effects may translate into symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, headaches, digestive disorders and cancer.

Even the very conservative World Health Organization, which is a division of The United Nations, has classified cell phone radiation exposures as a “possible Class 2B carcinogen.”

It is my opinion to err on the side of caution and to try to minimize cell phone radiation exposure. One way to do that it to buy a phone that emits less radiation.

The U.S. government, through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), requires all cell phone models sold to be tested for their Specific Absorption Rate, or SAR.

The SAR measures the maximum amount of microwave radiation absorbed by the head or the body. The FCC requires that every new cell phone must have its SAR determined under laboratory conditions.

The SAR, measured in watts per kilogram, represents the maximum amount of energy absorbed in any one gram of tissue in the test model. In the United States the legal limit is 1.60. That’s to say all cell phones sold in the U.S. must have a SAR value of below 1.60 W/kg.

SAR Values of the 10 Best Selling Smartphones in the U.S.:

This list is from InsiderMonkey.com of the 10 best selling smartphones in the U.S. and the SAR data below. This list came out before the iPhone 7. This analysis shows two levels of SAR values: at the head and at the body. There doesn’t appear to be a correlation between the two. A low head SAR doesn’t necessarily mean a low body SAR. It is an interesting side note that the SAR values are lower on the phones sold in the European Union (EUR) than for the exact same models sold in the U.S.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6

Head SAR: 1.15 W/kg

Body SAR: 1.16 W/kg

2. iPhone 6

Head: 1.14 W/kg

Body: 1.16 W/kg

3. LG G4

Head: 0.921 W/kg

Body: 0.517 W/kg

4. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Head: 1.58 W/kg

Body: 1.34 W/kg

5. HTC One M9

Head: 0.56 W/kg

Body: 0.35 W/kg

6. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

Head: 0.979 W/kg

Body: 1.12 W/kg

7. Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Head: 0.21 W/kg

Body: 1.04 W/kg

8. iPhone 6 Plus

Head: 1.14 W/kg

Body: 1.16 W/kg

9. Sony Xperia Z3

Head: 0.885 W/kg

Body: 1.501 W/kg

10. Google Nexus 6

Head: 0.86 W/kg

Body: 0.36 W/kg

Here are some more reasons NOT to exclusively rely on SAR when choosing your next cell phone from The Truth About Cancer:

• SAR is particularly unreliable for children − a child’s brain absorbs twice as much radiation as an adult’s brain.
• The artificial head used for SAR testing does not contain any metal – many people have dental fillings, earrings, piercings, or glasses with metal frames which can increase the radiation absorption significantly beyond what the SAR testing reflects.
• “The FCC assumes that people carry their cell phones in a ‘manufacturer-approved holder’ that keeps the phone a minimum distance from the body” explains Joel M. Moskowitz, PhD, of the University of California, Berkeley. However, most people do not keep their phone away from their body in a cell phone holder.
• Another problem is that SAR measurements only tell us about radiation absorption when your phone is in use. As Dr. Martin Blank of Columbia University explains, “SAR ratings tell us nothing about how much radiation is absorbed when the phone is on but not in use – in your pocket, though still in on-going communication with nearby cell towers.”

1. Use a headset or a speaker. A blue-tube headset is ideal.

2. When in use, hold the cell phone away from your body, not by your ear.

3. When not in use, don't keep your cell phone on your body.

4. Avoid cell phone use in weak coverage areas.

5. Text more and call less.

6. Keep cell phone calls as brief as possible.

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