AirPods and other Bluetooth earbuds emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation (microwaves) while they sit in or near your ears. The radiation is absorbed by tissues in the ear, skull, and brain. Because these devices emit continuously, the exposure is constant,  even when you are not actively using them. This radiation exposure adds up to hours of cumulative exposure over years of use.

Bluetooth earbuds—such as AirPods and other brands—emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation, the same type of wireless radiation used by cell phones. While RF is non-ionizing radiation, a substantial body of published research reports adverse biological effects at very low exposure levels, including at levels emitted by Bluetooth-devices. 

Studies have linked RF exposure to genetic impacts, oxidative stress, cancer, and more. In 2011, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified RF radiation as Group 2B: “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Since then, many scientists have published peer-reviewed research concluding that RF radiation now meets criteria to be considered as a probable or even proven human carcinogen.

Numerous medical doctors and scientists recommend minimizing unnecessary sources of RF radiation near the head, including Bluetooth earbuds. 

What scientific research studies have been done on Airpod radiation or Bluetooth level exposures? 

A 2025 study by Yale researchers published in Cell Reports found that exposure to wireless radiofrequency (RF) radiation at Bluetooth frequency and power —exposure levels 4,000 times lower (0.025%) than the U.S. FCC’s RF limit — interfered with neurodevelopment and increased the expression of autism-related genes in laboratory models of the fetal brain.

A 2024 study by Zhou et al. published in Scientific Reports reported that prolonged daily use of Bluetooth headsets was strongly linked to a higher risk of thyroid nodules.

Apple’s wireless AirPods, for example, ‘communicate with one another using a magnetic induction field, a variable magnetic field [one] sends through your brain to communicate with the other,” stated Dr. Joel Moskowitz, Director, Center for Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, UC Berkeley. Further, he documents on his website saferemr.com how several studies indicate low-intensity microwave radiation, similar to Bluetooth exposures, can open the blood–brain barrier—a protective layer that helps limit pathogens and toxins from entering the brain.  

Do government limits ensure Airpods and Bluetooth devices are safe? 

No. Government limits are only set to protect against overheating effects. After all, RF radiation is microwave radiation, and it can heat brain tissue. U.S. FCC and ICNIRP limits for cell phones, cell towers, and Bluetooth devices are not set to protect against health risks of long term exposure reported in the scientific literature. There is no premarket safety testing for Bluetooth devices before they are brought to market.

In 2022, Dr. Henry Lai and B. Blake Levitt published an extensive review of the research on the biological effects of wireless radiation which calls for stronger limits on radio frequency radiation exposure to protect human health. Their review of 112 low-intensity studies found that biological effects of RFR could occur at a median specific absorption rate of 0.0165 W/kg. 

A 2023 study by a team from the Air Force Bioeffects Lab in Texas found epigenetic effects in experiments using very low RF radiation exposures, less than 0.01 W/Kg, a  fraction of 4W/kg which is the level that current FCC RF exposure limits assume to be the threshold for harmful RF effects. The study published in Bioelectromagnetics by Cantu et al. 2023 found 114 genes  “significantly differentially methylated,” in human skin cells after a single, one-hour exposure. DNA methylation has been described as “a major epigenetic factor influencing gene activities and improper methylation of a single gene can have “drastic consequences.”

“Low” Bluetooth Radiation Doesn’t Automatically Mean “Safe”

It’s common to hear that Bluetooth is “low power.” But “low power” does not necessarily equal “risk-free,” especially when a device is pressed against the head for hours a day. AirPods and Bluetooth earbuds use a frequency of about 2.45 GHz (2,450 MHz) which means the signal oscillates about 2.45 billion times per second, or about 147 billion oscillations per minute.

Some research reports non-linear effects, where certain biological responses can appear at lower intensities rather than increasing steadily with higher intensities. Researchers have also reported effects involving the blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Safer Alternatives to Reduce Bluetooth RF Radiation Exposure

If you want to cut down on cellphone radiation exposure while still taking calls or listening to audio, consider these options:

• Use speakerphone whenever possible, with the phone resting on a table (not in a pocket, bra, or on your lap).
• If you need a headset, choose a wired air-tube headset (often recommended because it reduces electrical conduction to the head).
• For the lowest-exposure voice calling option, use a corded landline phone rather than a mobile phone or cordless phone.

If you have a loved one who says they cannot give up their earbuds, you can see if they might take a first step by not keeping them in their ears all day long. Removing the earbuds as soon as one is done using them will at last reduce RF exposure when not in use.

More easy ways to reduce cell phone RF radiation:

• Distance phones, laptops, and other wireless devices away from your body. 
• Avoid placing devices on laps, especially for children and during pregnancy. 
• Airplane mode can stop radiation from wireless antennas on your cell phone – but only if you ensure that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are also turned off in the settings. Use Airplane mode with wireless functions turned off more often. 
• Create a Sleep Sanctuary: Keep all electronics, including phones, tablets, and chargers, out of the room or powered off completely.