By naturopath Margaret Jasinska

New research has uncovered a link between prolonged daily use of Bluetooth earbuds and thyroid nodules. This is likely due to long-term exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation close to the thyroid gland.

Your thyroid gland is very sensitive and susceptible to harm caused by radiation. Thyroid nodules have been extremely common for many years; long before Bluetooth earbuds and similar devices became available. Earbuds are very popular with teenagers. I think people will start developing thyroid nodules earlier in life. This is a problem because long term, thyroid nodules have the ability to become cancerous, or start producing excess hormones and creating hyperthyroidism.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports was an observational study. That means it showed a strong correlation between longer daily use of Bluetooth earbuds and the subsequent development of thyroid nodules. This study isn’t definitive proof of causation. I see it more as a warning. I also think it’s not likely we’ll see much research linking Bluetooth devices to health problems because the tech industry is too financially reliant on them.

Bluetooth devices emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF), which is a type of non-ionizing radiation. The thyroid gland is a highly sensitive organ located close to where these devices are worn. So too is your brain. I recommend you use your phone’s speaker mode or wired headphones when possible, to increase distance of radiation from your body.

Thyroid nodules are extremely common

By the age of 60, more than 50% of the population has at least one thyroid nodule.  Luckily most thyroid nodules are not cancerous; only approximately 5 to 10% are. Thyroid nodules can be solid or fluid inside; sometimes they produce thyroid hormone and sometimes they don’t.  It is important to find out as much information about the nodules as possible, as this determines their treatment.

If you’ve been diagnosed with thyroid nodules, your doctor may offer a range of treatments: surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, or no treatment at all.  Often thyroid nodules are left alone and the patient is advised to have them monitored regularly.

If you’d like to take a more proactive approach to looking after your thyroid gland, see our book Your Thyroid Problems Solved.

Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38906901/