Microwaves do not cause cancer.

Question

According to the link, microwaves use a form of radiation known as non-ionizing radiation, which has not been related to cancer.

Comments

Microwaves do not cause cancer. The reasoning behind this is because microwave ovens use microwave radiation to heat food, but this does not mean that they make food radioactive.

Source: https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/does-radiation-from-microwaves-cause-cancer

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It seems from the claim that "Microwaves do not cause cancer" is truthful or its not misleading. In the article that it links below it talks a lot about how the radiation emitted from the microwave isn't directly linked to causing cancer. The evidence that microwaves increase the risk of cancer though is very little and theres not much to support that. The article says that microwaves are a low type of frequency radiation and its classified as non-ionizing. Non-ionzing radiation is not linked to cancer. They provide other examples of radiation that is associated with cancer and is higher-frequency such as gamma radiation and x-rays.
All in all, this claim proves truthful and provides the necessary evidence to counter a lot of peoples beliefs that microwave radiation directly causes cancer.

Answer 1

An article made by the Cancer Council backs up this claim as it says that "microwaves are not known to to cause cancer".

Comments

Don't forget to add hyperlinks to your sources.

Answer 2

Despite most people believing they cause cancer, in reality the radiation waves produced do not correlate to giving someone cancer. Microwaves  "only have enough energy to vibrate the water molecules in our food." Besides having the e,bier that reheating food in the microwave can cause it to be cancerous, a lot of people believe standing close to the microwave will harm you. The article reported that "while we can decrease our exposure to microwaves by standing further from the device while it’s on, the waves emitted from this device are not dangerous to humans at any distance."

https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2021/12/01/do-microwaves-cause-cancer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=do-microwaves-cause-cancer

Answer 3

According to cancer.org, microwaves do not cause cancer. According to the organization, microwaves are a non-ionizing radiation that does not irradiate food.

As long as you are not inside of a microwave, you are safe. The microwave is a household appliance that is solely designed to cook and heat food at a rapid rate.

https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/does-radiation-from-microwaves-cause-cancer#

Answer 4

The microwave is kitchen tool used for heating and preparing meals, the microwave, does not cause cancer. Microwaves produce microwaves, which are electromagnetic radiation that are absorbed by water molecules in food and cause them to vibrate and produce heat. The food cooks or reheats as a result of this heating impact. While it is true that electromagnetic radiation has the potential to cause cancer, microwaves produce very low levels of radiation that are not thought to be harmful. Microwave ovens must adhere to safety regulations issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to be used in the home without risk.

https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/does-radiation-from-microwaves-cause-cancer

Answer 5

Based on this article and other sources, science seems to say that microwaves themselves do not cause cancer, however, concerns arise in talking about their usage both in terms of content, duration used, and amount of energy exerted.

Overall, it seems that there have been very few studies done to explore this topic, and none that suggest there is a clear link between microwaves and cancer. The studies that have been done seem to be about carcinogens, which, if I understand correctly, are not directly tied to microwaves causing cancer. 

Here are some additional articles that legitimize this claim and one scientific review that discusses potential cancer growth attached to long-term microwave radiation exposure:

https://www.americanoncology.com/blogs/do-microwave-ovens-cause-cancer-unveiling-facts-and-busting-myths

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/what-to-microwave-ovens-health

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/radiation-exposure/radiofrequency-radiation.html

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21716201/

Answer 6

The article headline Microwaves do not cause cancer is True. The article explains that “Microwaves are a type of low-frequency radiation classified as non-ionizing. Non-ionizing radiation is not linked to cancer.”  This article was written by Lynn Eldridge, MD . I went to the website VeryWellHealth.com it said that board certified physician verify the accuracy of the articles on their site. I looked at the Physicians on their board and they all had a MD and are Board Certified. Most are practicing Doctors.   https://www.verywellhealth.com/do-microwaves-cause-cancer-5077367

Answer 7

The claim and common misconception that microwaves cause cancer is false.

Many believe that radiation from standing near a microwave can cause cancer, while there is radiation that can, microwaves use a type of non-ionizing radiation that should not be a safety hazard.

even though many believe it, there has been no concrete evidence that microwaves cause cancer.

https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/does-radiation-from-microwaves-cause-cancer

Answer 8

Microwaves do not cause cancer. The statement the writer makes says just that, very bluntly and very direct. They provided a link to very well health, which on the page says that it's medically reviewed by Benjamin Leach. The title of the article itself reads, "Can microwaves cause cancer?" So, what the author of the news detective claim states, is that what they found from the article agrees that cancer cannot be caused by microwaves. Knowing this, I began finding important pieces of information from the article that helped me support that claim. In the first sentence, the article states that there isn't any actual evidence that there are cancer risks that come with being around microwaves and the radiation caused by them.This raditaion, according to very well health, is called low-frequency radiation and also non- ionizing. Because of this, it's nearly impossible to get cancer soley based off of the usage of a microwave. The article states that the radiation known to be associated with cancer is in fact ionizing, known to be associated with X-rays, ultraviolet light, etc. The idea between the radition used to heat food and the radition involved with the possibility of cancer hasn't been transparent, and therefore why so many people believe this myth. However, the article also mentions how there's a possibility to recieve cancer over time indirectly from a microwave. Some possibilites of this, according to very well health, may be microwaving food in a plastic/ not microwave safe container and consuming it. However, the conclusion I came up with is that the claim is in fact true, microwaves themselves do not cause cancer. Cancer can be caused indirectly depending on how one chooses to use their microwave/ consume food. 

Another exmple I have to support this evidence is from AOI (the American Oncology Institute). Known as a cancer care and treatment center, the AOI clarifies that cancer caused by microwave radiation is in fact a myth. They state, "There is no concrete evidence suggesting that microwaves from the appliances that we use to heat our food can cause cancer." I believe it's also significant to take under consideration the fact that the AOI is a cancer treatment center, meaning that they're experts in their field and know to tell the difference betwen myth and truth. 

https://www.americanoncology.com/blogs/do-microwave-ovens-cause-cancer-unveiling-facts-and-busting-myths

https://www.verywellhealth.com/do-microwaves-cause-cancer-5077367

Answer 9

The article that is provided states that inherently microwaves do not cause cancer, but that plastic exposed to radiation may stem carcinogens, which can cause cancer through DNA manipulation. Furthermore, it is provided by the FDA in the article that even small accidental radiation energy outside of a microwave is way below the level that is harmful to humans. 

According to information published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), microwaves are non-ionizing radiation, which means that it does not pose the same threat as x-rays or other machines. Microwaves are categorized as “electromagnetic” radiation, which means there are waves of electrical and magnetic energy moving in space at the same time. This energy is the same radiation in radios and short gamma rays, which further prove the low risk to human contact. The only time where radiation is dangerous, is if it is classified as ionized. Ionized radiation has the power to knock electrons out of atoms and molecules which can alter cells in organic matter. X-rays are a type of ionized radiation, which is why some may get confused in thinking that microwaves are as well. 

While microwaves do not cause cancer, exposure to high level microwave radiation can cause burns on the skin through heating of the body tissue. Additionally, the eye may be a vulnerable location to intense heat, and may lead to cataracts if microwave radiation and heat is sufficient enough. However, these are very rare cases, and would only result from lack of knowledge with this cooking and heating tool.

https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/resources-you-radiation-emitting-products/microwave-ovens 

The only evidence that I could find that undermines my claim, is from an article published by the National Library of Medicine. This short article states that “long-exposure to low-intensity microwave radiation may have carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effects” (I Yakymenko 1, E Sidorik, S Kyrylenko, V Chekhun). The researchers found that during an experiment with rodent exposure to microwave radiation, there was a significant rise in cancer rates after 17-24 months. These cancerous signs include overproduction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and activation of enzymes which supports tumor growth. This article seems to take a very aggressive stance on microwaves, and seeks to debunk the general paradigm on the safety of the machine. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21716201/ 

Yet, while this information seems worthwhile to dive into, there is just not enough supportive evidence and findings to make the claim that microwaves cause cancer.

Answer 10

The claim that microwaves use non-ionizing radiation, which hasn't been related to cancer, is mostly true according to current scientific evidence. Microwaves do emit non-ionizing radiation, a type of electromagnetic energy that lacks the power to ionize atoms or directly damage DNA, unlike ionizing radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays. Because of this, normal exposure from household microwave ovens is not considered a cancer risk. Regulatory agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set strict safety standards to ensure microwave ovens do not leak harmful levels of radiation, and safety features such as automatic shutoffs when the door is open and helps minimize exposure. So far, no consistent or credible evidence has shown that using a microwave oven increases cancer risk. However, it is important to note that saying microwaves “have not been related to cancer” is somewhat correct. But, a more accurate phrasing is that there is no convincing scientific evidence linking typical microwave use to cancer. While some studies have explored possible biological effects from high or prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields, these do not reflect the safe, low-level exposure people receive from everyday microwave use.

https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/resources-you-radiation-emittingproducts/microwave-ovens?

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet?

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/radiation-exposure/radiofrequency-radiation.html?