If you search for how to reduce exposure to your phone’s EMF emissions, chances are you’ll be greeted with an advert for an EMF-blocking phone case.
These products claim to protect you from the risk of carrying your phone in your pocket. And while it’s true that carrying a cell phone in your pocket is dangerous to your health, most EMF shieldingEMF shielding refers to the practice of reducing the electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure in a particular area by blocking or altering the electromagnetic waves with barriers made of conductive or... solutions for cell phones don’t work as intended or can even exacerbate your EMF exposure. Why?
That’s what I am going to explain in this post. You’ll learn how an EMF-blocking phone case works, the scientific reasons behind why we don’t recommend using them, and actually effective measures you can take to protect yourself from your cell phone’s EMF emissions.
So, let’s begin.
Cell Phones and Pockets: A Dangerous Combination
You might not have heard the term “nomophobia,” but there’s a good chance you’ve experienced the phenomenon. It’s also known as smartphone separation anxiety.
Imagine this. You’re in your house, and your phone’s not near you. Maybe it’s in another room. How would you feel?
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Anxious, stressed, worried that you may be missing something?
Let’s take it up a notch and say you left your home without your phone. How would you feel then?
Nomophobia or No Mobile Phone Phobia is a psychological condition where individuals fear being detached from mobile phone connectivity.
Smartphone use has become so ubiquitous that three-quarters of Americans keep their phones switched on 24/7.
And because we like to have our phones so near, we frequently keep them in our pockets. And it’s a dangerous habit, say experts.
Effects On Male Fertility
One of the most conclusive and well-researched effects of electromagnetic fieldIn the context of electromagnetic fields (EMF), the term "field" refers to a region in space where electric and magnetic forces are exerted. An electromagnetic field is generated by electrically... (EMF) radiation"Radiation" in the context of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) refers to the process by which energy is emitted and transmitted through space or a material medium in the form of electromagnetic... is damage to fertility. Numerous studies show that radiation from cell phones is detrimental to reproductive health.
For example, a 2014 study from the University of Exeter reviewed ten different studies covering 1,492 sperm samples. And this systematic review found one crucial issue: sperm suffer when exposed to RF radiation.
As lead researcher, Dr. Fiona Matthews concluded: “This study strongly suggests that being exposed to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiationElectromagnetic radiation refers to the waves of the electromagnetic field, propagating through space, carrying electromagnetic radiant energy. It includes a wide range of electromagnetic waves, from very long radio waves... from carrying mobiles in trouser pockets negatively affects sperm quality.”
Besides lowering sperm quality, researchers suggest that cell phone EMF exposure is a common cause of erectile dysfunction (ED).
In 2013, for example, the Central European Journal of Urology (CEJU) published a paper showing a significant correlation between cell phones and reduced erectile function (EF) in men.
The study found that men with ED carried their cell phones in their pockets for significantly longer than men without ED.
Women Are Also at Risk
Effects of heavy EMF exposure from cell phones aren’t limited to men. Consider pregnant women, who are one of the most vulnerable groups.
Research by Dr. De-Kun Li of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute found that women exposed to higher levels of EMF have a 2.72 times greater risk of miscarriage than women who try to avoid EMF exposure during pregnancy.
One 2018 study published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology says that:
“The effect of EMFs (non-ionizing radiations) on human gametes and, more in general, on female fertility is still poorly understood, but it seems to correlate with higher miscarriage rates and birth defects.”
Learn more about the link between EMF and miscarriage in my post, “The Connection Between EMF And Miscarriage Risk: Scientific Study Breakdown.”
Now, this is not to say that women should carry their phones near their reproductive organs while not pregnant. Numerous animal studies have shown that EMF exposure has a toxic effect on female ovaries and directly leads to decreased ovarian follicles.
Carrying a device in your bra is hardly an ideal solution, either. As discussed in this post about cell phones in bras, many compelling studies link EMF exposure to cell damage and breast cancer.
In short, regardless of whether you keep your phone in your back pants pocket, front pants pocket, breast pocket, or bra, it’s harming you.
The EMF Blocking Phone Case: An Imperfect Solution
Since the cell phones in our pockets are zapping our delicate reproductive organs with radiation, it’s justifiable for people to be concerned.
Enter the EMF-blocking cell phone case: something that can get rid of the radiation, making it perfectly safe to carry your phone wherever you want.
It’s a great idea, isn’t it? Get rid of your phone radiation and, with it, the problems that tag along.
Except this is not the case at all.
Completely Blocking Radiation isn’t A Good Idea
Before moving further and understanding why an EMF-blocking phone case isn’t the perfect solution that it seems to be, you need to first understand how your cell phone works.
Cell phones use radiofrequency radiation to connect with the network tower, enabling them to send and receive signals using which you can make phone calls, use the internet, and exchange text messages.
Visit my post, “EMF in Simple Words,” to learn more about the many types of EMF radiation.
So put it simply, your phone depends on EMF radiation to transfer these signals wirelessly. If you block this radiation from your phone, no signals can be sent, and your phone will stop working.
And you don’t need a high-tech brick in your pocket.
And that’s what EMF-blocking phone cases that try to completely get rid of the radiation from your phone make your device— a high-tech, super expensive brick.
These Cases Can Even Amp Up Your EMF Exposure
All cell phones, ranging from flip phones to modern-day smartphones, are designed to provide network coverage even in the remotest areas. So, to do that, companies encode a radiation boost feature in your phone in case of a weak signal.
This is why we recommend turning your phone into airplane mode if you lose signal bars. It’s when your phone’s EMF emissions are at their highest.
If your EMF blocking phone case isn’t a perfect faraday cage, and it allows even a little bit of EMF to pass through, your phone can detect this weak opportunity and boost its radiation emissions to better connect with the tower.
So, in some cases, using an EMF blocking phone case can cause you to face an increased level of EMF emissions.
More Problems with EMF Blocking Phone Cases
Another problem with such phone cases is that they implicitly encourage the notion that it’s somehow “safer” to hold your phone against your head if you use their product.
If you take only one thing from this post, let it be this: It’s never safe to hold your phone against your head unless it’s in airplane mode or switched off.
SYB never advocates holding your phone against your head, even if you are using protection. Always use a wired headphone, air tube headset, or the speakerphone feature in your phone.
Is it Facing the Right Way?
And finally, it’s too easy to put some EMF-blocking phone cases in your pocket facing the wrong way. They don’t have clear signs or indications showing where exactly you should place the shield.
This can be a huge problem because if your shield is in the wrong position, it can actually lead to increased EMF exposure.
See, all science-based EMF shielding products work on the foundation of the Faraday CageA Faraday cage, named after the English scientist Michael Faraday who invented them in 1836, is a structure used to shield its contents from external electric fields, including electromagnetic fields...: If you place a conductive material in electricity’s (or EMF’s) way, it will deflect the energy"Energy" is a fundamental concept in physics, often described as the ability to do work or cause change. In everyday terms, it's what is needed to move things, heat them... or absorb it to a degree.
Take our SYB 5G"5G" refers to the fifth generation of wireless communication technology, a step up from the previous 4G, 3G, and 2G networks. It's designed to provide faster internet speeds, more reliable... Phone Shield, for example. You place the shield in your pocket between your phone and your body, and the shield will deflect the incoming EMFs from your phone in the opposite direction.
However, if you keep the phone between the shield and your body, the shield will actually deflect the EMFs towards your body, increasing your exposure. (Don’t Do This)
That’s why all SYB cell phone products are designed in a way that can’t be misused.
So, What Can You Do Instead?
There’s a simple way to avoid the adverse effects of EMF radiation without messing with your phone’s network connectivity:
Don’t carry your phone in your pocket.
You can carry a bag and put your phone in it. This will create some distance between your body and your phone, and as we’ve mentioned many times in this blog, distance is your friend when it comes to EMF protection.
Remember—Every millimeter matters!
Read my post “EMF: What’s a Safe Distance? Every Inch Matters” for more information.
But we also understand that carrying a bag every time you carry your phone isn’t feasible for everyone.
So, if you’re in this situation, we recommend looking for a research-backed, lab-tested, and scientifically sound product.
This means you should only ever consider EMF-blocking products that allow your phone to keep outputting radiation.
How do they work, then? By acting as a shield between your phone and your body.
2019 research that placed this type of shield between a WiFi router and human sperm found that the negative effects of radiation were dramatically reduced.
So, here’s the bottom line: Effective EMF shields don’t stop the radiation from occurring. Instead, they deflect it away from what needs protecting.
How To Choose an EMF Shield That Works
So now you know how a truly effective EMF shielding product should work. It cannot block or stop EMF from occurring – it can only deflect it.
Even so, there are numerous EMF shielding products on the market that claim to do this. Still, many don’t have any scientific proof of their efficacy.
So, how do you differentiate between genuine EMF shielding products and those that are ineffective (or, worse, that actually amplifies EMF emissions)?
The first thing you can do is find out the product’s building materials. If you look at SYB’s product pages, they all contain information on the materials we use to build that product.
Check to see if the product contains powerful conductive materials. I added “powerful” because some metals are more electrically conductive than others.
For instance, silver is the most electrically conductive of all metals. This is why we use silver in almost all of our products.
Copper, aluminum, gold, and steel are also highly effective in shielding EMF.
If you don’t find this information readily available, you can contact the manufacturer or the seller for details on the materials they use.
What If You’ve Already Purchased the Product?
If you’ve already purchased the product, you can test it using an EMF meter to see if the manufacturer’s claims are valid.
You can easily purchase a consumer-grade EMF meter online, and they are more than enough to show if a product works.
However, remember that there are different kinds of EMF, and one meter can’t test all the fields. So, make sure you understand what type of meter will be the best fit for your test. (To make this easier, we have a free eBook covering everything you need to know about how to test EMF shielding products. It also includes information on different EMF meters and recommendations based on your situation. You can download the eBook by visiting our EMF testing content hub.)
Five Best Alternatives to An EMF-Blocking Phone Case
SYB’s products use technology that’s designed based on centuries-old, tried, and tested principles. Like a Faraday Cage, they use super-fine conductive materials to repel electromagnetic fields – but they only do this as a barrier between your body and your device so as to not interfere with its signal.
This means that you can keep your phone in your pocket without loss of signal or battery life while protecting yourself against harmful radiation. We have five products that best fit this purpose – all of them lab-tested and with lifetime warranties.
The SYB 5G Phone Shield
The SYB 5G Phone Shield is a simple product that you can place between your phone and your body to protect yourself from your phone’s harmful emissions.
You can simply slide the 5G Phone Shield into your pocket in between your phone and your body, and it will deflect up to 99.9% of wireless EMF radiation away from your body.
The SYB 5G Phone Shield shields only on one side. This means it won’t interfere with your phone’s reception or battery life. It will simply do what it’s designed to do.
The SYB Phone Pouch
The SYB Phone Pouch works in the same way the SYB 5G Phone Shield does, except this is a pouch. We designed it to be a simple and convenient way to carry your cell phone on your belt or in your pocket.
Once again, the shielding is woven into one side only so as to not interfere with your phone’s reception or battery life.
The SYB Sling Bag
If you tend to carry more than one small device, the SYB Sling Bag would be the perfect addition to your EMF protection arsenal.
With a convenient size of 7.9” x 11” tall (20 x 28 cm), you can carry cell phones, tablets, and other portable devices while you’re on the move.
Made with SaferBody™, this product deflects 99.9% of the EMFs coming in your direction, making it safer for you to keep your devices close for a prolonged period.
The SYB Boxer Briefs
To really protect your reproductive health. These men’s briefs offer 360-degree shielding from all types of EMF radiation.
That means they protect against pocket devices as well as ambient radiation from laptops, WiFi, and any other EMF bouncing around in your environment.
Do You Need a Product at All?
All of that said, our number one goal is for you to be able to use technology more safely. That’s why we always say that the best EMF protection is completely free.
Any chance you have to limit your usage of EMF-emitting devices, take it. Any opportunity you have to maximize your distance from your devices, use it.
Limiting your use and maximizing your distance from electromagnetic radiation is the best protection you can get. And it costs nothing at all.
Of course, I get that that isn’t always possible. For the times when you do need to use your phone or carry it with you, you may opt for added protection. Provided you’re choosing the right shielding, it can’t hurt to play it safe.
Final Thoughts
EMF is complicated, and protecting yourself and your loved ones from it requires dedication and awareness. And if you do that, consider one part of the problem solved.
Why only one part?
Because EMF isn’t the only threat that tags along with modern technology. Experts say that prolonged tech use affects you physically, mentally, psychologically, and emotionally.
And protecting yourself from all that requires additional efforts from your end.
Now, if you throw away all your electronic gadgets and electrical appliances, and live as people lived centuries ago, all of these problems will be solved. But we can’t do that now, can we?
Modern technology has become an integral part of our lives, and the best solution is not to throw away our devices but to build a healthier relationship with them.
To learn how to do that, visit The Healthier Tech Podcast, where experts from different industries discuss strategies to use modern technology in a safer, healthier way.
