I have heard that standing near a microwave and absorbing the radiation it emits can cause serious damage to a woman’s health. How true is this?

Pam

Dear Pam,

Microwave ovens are really very convenient for cooking and heating precooked food. Use is economical both in terms of time and power saving.  Hence, more than 90% people in developed countries use microwave for their cooking. This trend is catching up fast in urban areas in developing countries as well. More and more people are buying and using microwave. 

However, their use is not absolutely free from health hazards.  Microwave ovens heat the food in a short time using radiation energy to rotate and heat the water molecules present in food, thus heating up food. Though manufacturers claim that amount of radiation emitted is negligible, still, a miniscule risk exists. The food is heated at a very high temperature. Hence, just handling it directly or consuming it immediately can scald the tongue and body. 

Microwaves encourage use of stale food. Food cooked once during the weekend or any free time is heated multiple times before eating. Heating any food item many times leads to loss of nutrients and introduces cancer causing substances (carcinogens). Studies show that cooked eggs lose over 10% of nutrition when reheated times in microwave. 

Heating and serving food in plastic containers causes harmful chemicals to leak in it and enhance risk of cancer. As such, if the microwave oven is leaking or door is kept open, radiation can leak and affect a person standing very close to the oven. Studies show that most of the ovens become, ‘leaky” after 2 years of use. 

Using microwaved food also exposes one to risk of infection as well. The heat generated varies as per the size of food particles and its state, hence, it may not be sufficient to kill all bacteria. Some bacteria like listeria, salmonella, and some viruses are not killed in refrigeration and may survive if not exposed to sufficient heat. Consuming such kind of food carries risk of infections like diarrhoeal diseases, typhoid, hepatitis A, and et cetera. 

In women, microwave ovens pose additional risk of causing hormonal disruption. This manifests as menstrual irregularities and infertility. During pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage. There may be genetic abnormalities in the unborn baby. 

Many studies dispute these findings claiming that the radiation caused by microwaves is in very small quantity and is not harmful in any way. But it is prudent to be vigilant to avoid health issues.

Try to cook and use fresh food every day. If difficult, heat up the food in a quantity which would be consumed that time. Avoid plastic containers for cooking and serving. Avoid standing very close to the microwave, when in use. If the door is lose or it is very old, plan to change it.

Dr. Rachna   Pande is a specialist in internal medicine.