Editing Specific absorption rate (section)

== Criticism ==

SAR limits set by law do not consider that the human body is particularly sensitive to the power peaks or frequencies responsible for the [[Microwave auditory effect|microwave hearing effect]].<ref name="frey2">{{cite journal |journal=Journal of Applied Physiology |volume=17 |pages=689–692 |year=1962 |title=Human auditory system response to modulated electromagnetic energy |last=Frey |first=Allan H. |pmid=13895081 |issue=4| doi=10.1152/jappl.1962.17.4.689 |s2cid=12359057 }}</ref><ref name="frey-headaches">{{cite journal |last=Frey |first=Allan H. |title=Headaches from cellular telephones: are they real and what are the implications? |year=1998 |volume=106 |publisher=[[National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences]] |journal=[[Environmental Health Perspectives]] |pmc=1533043 |issue=3 |doi=10.1289/ehp.98106101 |pages=101–103 |pmid=9441959|bibcode=1998EnvHP.106..101F }}</ref> Frey reports that the microwave hearing effect occurs with average power density exposures of 400&nbsp;μW/cm<sup>2</sup>, well below SAR limits (as set by government regulations).<ref name="frey2" />

Notes:

In comparison to the short term, relatively intensive exposures described above, for long-term environmental exposure of the general public there is a limit of 0.08&nbsp;W/kg averaged over the whole body.<ref name=icnirp/> A whole-body average SAR of 0.4&nbsp;W/kg has been chosen as the restriction that provides adequate protection for occupational exposure. An additional safety factor of 5 is introduced for exposure of the public, giving an average whole-body SAR limit of 0.08&nbsp;W/kg.

=== FCC advice ===
The FCC guide "Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) For Cell Phones: What It Means For You", after detailing the limitations of SAR values, offers the following "bottom line" editorial:
{{Blockquote|ALL cell phones must meet the FCC’s RF exposure standard, which is set at a level well below that at which laboratory testing indicates, and medical and biological experts generally agree, adverse health effects could occur. For users who are concerned with the adequacy of this standard or who otherwise wish to further reduce their exposure, the most effective means to reduce exposure are to hold the cell phone away from the head or body and to use a speakerphone or hands-free accessory. These measures will generally have much more impact on RF energy absorption than the small difference in SAR between individual cell phones, which, in any event, is an unreliable comparison of RF exposure to consumers, given the variables of individual use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/guides/specific-absorption-rate-sar-cell-phones-what-it-means-you |title=Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) For Cell Phones: What It Means For You |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |date= 2011-05-19|access-date=2013-12-22}}</ref>}}

=== MSBE (minimum SAR with biological effect) ===
In order to find out possible advantages and the interaction mechanisms of electromagnetic fields (EMF), the minimum SAR (or intensity) that could have biological effect (MSBE) would be much more valuable in comparison to studying high-intensity fields. Such studies can possibly shed light on thresholds of non-ionizing radiation effects and cell capabilities (e.g., [[Oxidation response|oxidative response]]). In addition, it is more likely to reduce the complexity of the EMF interaction targets in cell cultures by lowering the exposure power, which at least reduces the overall rise in temperature. This parameter might differ regarding the case under study and depends on the physical and biological conditions of the exposed target.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sefidbakht |first1=Yahya |last2=Moosavi-Movahedi |first2=Ali Akbar |last3=Hosseinkhani |first3=Saman |last4=Khodagholi |first4=Fariba |last5=Torkzadeh-Mahani |first5=Masoud |last6=Foolad |first6=Forough |last7=Faraji-Dana |first7=Reza |title=Effects of 940 MHz EMF on Bioluminescence and Oxidative Response of Stable Luciferase Producing HEK Cells |journal=Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences |date=April 2014 |volume=13 |issue=7 |pages=1082–1092 |doi=10.1039/C3PP50451D |pmid=24886806 |bibcode=2014PhPhS..13.1082S |url=https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/PP/2014/c3pp50451d |access-date=26 November 2014|url-access=subscription }}</ref>