The effects of long‐term exposure to extremely low‐frequency magnetic fields on bone formation in ovariectomized rats

Abstract

The effects of long-term extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) exposure on bone formation and biochemical markers were investigated in ovariectomized rats. Sixty mature female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four different groups (n = 15): (i) unexposed control (CTL); (ii) ovariectomized only (OVX); (iii) non-ovariectomized, exposed (SHAM + ELF-MF); and (iv) ovariectomized, exposed (OVX + ELF-MF). The third and fourth groups were exposed to 1.5 mT ELF-MF for 4 h a day for 6 months. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined using dual energy X-ray absorption (DEXA) measurements. The formation and resorption of bone were evaluated using bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), osteocalcin, osteoprotogerin, and N-telopeptide. After 6 months of ELF-MF therapy, BMD values were significantly lower in the OVX group and higher in the OVX + ELF-MF and SHAM + ELF-MF groups than they were before therapy (P < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference in BMD values among the groups before therapy, the BMD values increased significantly after 6 months in the OVX + ELF-MF and SHAM + ELF-MF groups and were reduced in the OVX group compared to the CTL group (P < 0.001). The concentrations of BAP, osteocalcin, osteoprotogerin, and N-telopeptide in the three experimental groups also changed in a significant way compared to the CTL group. The results of the present study suggest that osteoporosis can be inhibited by ELF-MF stimulation treatments. It was also concluded that ELF-MF may be useful in the prevention of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.

Examination of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on orthodontic tooth movement in rats

“…[ 9 ] Indeed, EMF had been used for the past 25 years to approach different types of osteoporosis in both animal and clinical experiments. [ 10,11 ] Although it is known that orthodontic tooth movement is accompanied by site-specific bone remodelling,[ 12 ] limited number of studies [ 5,6 ] evaluated the effects of EMF on tooth movement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a 50 Hz extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) affects the extent of orthodontic tooth movement in rats.…”

The Effect of Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Field on Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review

“…ELF-MFs include stimulation in the range of 0-300 Hz frequency and have biological effects on tissues. There are data showing that ELF-MFs cause functional changes in muscle, neural tissues and bones [12,13]; some researchers even claim that ELF-MFs may impair the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to replicate and attack host cells [14]. It is indicated that ELF-MFs have a beneficial impact on brain tissue and its functions [15][16][17], suggesting that this stimulation method could be advantageous for patients after a stroke.…”