Technology is amazing. Who knew that we would eventually get to a point where human beings could be able to read their health statistics with a simple glance at the wrist? These amazing fitness-oriented smart watches are really sweeping modern society as more and more people are staying conscious of their health and fitness.
However, technological devices have also been getting a bad rap as of late because of the potential harm that their radiation emissions might cause. So, is that new Fitbit really going to be healthy for you or not?
You might have noticed that your clothes have been getting a little tight as of late. You take a look at yourself in the mirror and you see a little piece of flab hanging over the sides of your belly. You know that you’re packing on the weight and you want to do something about it.
So, what do you do? You might consider buying a Fitbit because you’ve heard about how effective they can be at helping people lose weight. Naturally, with this new purchase, you are getting excited about the prospect of getting fitter and healthier. However, you might encounter a few articles or anecdotes from people around you telling you that Fitbits have harmful EMF radiation emissions.
What do you do? Is there any truth to this? Well, let’s delve deeper into the matter, shall we?
If you prefer watching, here’s a video summary of the article:
What Is A Fitbit?
Fitbits are smart watches that are designed to have health and wellness features that promote fitness for wearers. These are fitness trackers that are worn on the wrist and possess the ability to track the movement and health habits of people. These are just some of the common features that are built into Fitbit watches:
1. Step Tracking
2. GPS-tracking
3. Heart Rate Monitoring
4. Music Player Control
5. Calorie Tracking
6. Sleep Monitoring
7. Date and Time Monitoring
8. Caller ID Display
Fitbit also offers its users the ability to create individual profiles that will document their health and fitness data history. These fitness trackers also connect to smartphones wirelessly through Bluetooth. Again, people are paying closer attention to their health these days. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to most people that Fitbit sold around 14 million units in 2018 alone.
However, given that Fitbit is an electronic device that offers wireless productivity features, does that mean that it also emits harmful EMF radiation? And if so, does that mean that the Fitbit isn’t good for your health and wellness after all? Before we answer those questions, we have to be further oriented with the Fitbit brand first by exploring its most famous models.
Basic Fitbit Models
Fitbit understands the necessities of addressing the different needs of a diverse market. So, they don’t just make a single model. There are simpler models that are merely designed to track the number of steps that you take on any given day. The higher-end models are able to track other details like heart rate, distance covered, and sleeping patterns as well. Some Fitbit models even have smartphone functionality capabilities. Here are a few different notable Fitbit models that are popular on the market:
Charge 3
The Fitbit Charge 3 might be the most popular model that the company produces. It has a sleek and attractive design that doesn’t take up too much real estate on the wrist. It’s water-resistant and has a really large display without looking too bulky. It also offers great battery life when compared to competitors within its price range. The Charge 3 manages to cover all the basics of fitness tracking with features like step counting and heart rate monitoring. However, it does miss out on GPS tracking which might leave a particular group of people in want. For a more in-depth review of the Charge 3, check out this video below:
Versa
The Versa is probably considered to be Fitbit’s most basic smartwatch. While the Charge 3 was designed and marketed to be purely a fitness tracker, the Versa takes things to another level with its smart capabilities. It has support for Amazon Alexa and Spotify while still carrying all the basic features of a Fitbit device for fitness tracking. It’s also much cheaper than the leading device in the smartwatch space, the Apple Watch 5. However, just like the Charge, the Versa line of Fitbits don’t have GPS tracking features.
Alta
As far as looks are concerned, the Fitbit Alta might be the best-looking Fitbit out of the entire collection. Like the Charge, it has a very attractive sleek design that looks both modern and elegant. It also has sleep analysis features and it’s very comfortable to wear on the wrist. Like the Charge, the Alta also boasts of an impressive battery life. However, it only offers basic fitness tracking without any GPS functionality. At the very least, it managed to retain the heart rate monitor without having to compromise on the thinness and sleekness of the watch.
Ionic
For the more serious athlete or fitness enthusiast, the Fitbit Ionic is the way to go. It has a built-in GPS function which makes for more accurate tracking of runs or swimming laps. This means that this would make for a great watch for serious runners or swimmers who train for competitions and races. Aside from that, the watch stays incredibly lightweight in spite of all its features and it has a fairly impressive battery life as well. It also carries some very basic smartwatch features via integrated functionality with smartphones. You have the convenience of being able to check notifications from your phone right on your wrist.
Ace
For the last model on this list, we have the Fitbit Ace. The Ace is designed to be the most simplistic and most accessible model that the company produces. It’s a fitness tracker that is mostly designed for kids. From its hardware design to its software interface, the Ace is really targeted to a younger audience. It might not have as much functionality as other models from the Fitbit collection, but it does the job for its target audience. Not too many kids would be too keen about finding out their 10km running pace anyway.
Fitbit EMF Radiation Risks
Typically, in order to sync fitness data from the Fitbit to the Internet, it’s going to have to connect to paired smartphones via Bluetooth connections. Theoretically, it’s okay for people to use these Fitbit devices on their own, but they would be depriving themselves a lot of the functionality of the Fitbit service like being able to track statistics and metrics.
However, the very fact that Fitbit devices have Bluetooth functionality is a sign that these are devices that emit EMF energy.
For those who don’t know, Bluetooth has been classified to be an electromagnetic wave or a microwave. This means that it is a type of radiofrequency radiation that falls within the electromagnetic spectrum. The energy that is emitted from Bluetooth devices has very high frequencies and low wavelengths.
In layman’s terms, this means that they have the kind of energy that is able to penetrate human tissue and impact bodily functions and processes. Granted, the radiation that is being produced by a Fitbit tracker at any given time isn’t really all that large. However, prolonged exposure or contact with such energy over a drawn-out period of time can be very damaging.
Aside from the RF radiation that comes from the device, Fitbits also have sensors that are embedded into their hardware. This means that there is a generation of electric current in the device which in turn produces an electromagnetic field as well. The reason that the radiation that emanates from your Fitbit device is problematic is the fact that it exponentially intensifies the harmful effects of EMF energy.
The bad effects might not be felt right away. However, over time with prolonged exposure, the effects might turn out to be devastating. Depending on the model of the Fitbit and the person who is using it, there are documented cases of people already showing some really bad side effects from prolonged Fitbit usage.
Understandably, you purchase a Fitbit with good intentions. You want to be able to take care of your health. But you still need to stay wary of the dangers behind it as well.
Alta
The Fitbit Alta is one of the smallest available Fitbit models. So, a lot of EMF-conscious people might be duped into thinking that it would produce the lowest levels of EMF radiation. While that may seem true on the surface, it’s not. The size of a device has no bearing whatsoever on the amount of radiation that it is able to produce. In this case, the cliche rings true.
Big things do come in small packages. With the Fitbit Alta, prolonged exposure can be a serious problem for people in the long run. There have been documented cases of users lamenting dizziness and headaches as a result of prolonged usage of the Fitbit Alta. There are also some rare cases of people saying that they have experienced palpitations and erratic heart rates as a result of using the device.
Charge
The Fitbit Charge is a feature-packed Fitbit model and it’s one of the larger models in its collection. The Charge is capable of tracking calories, heart rate, steps, and more. They are also known to be waterproof which makes them really handy for water activities. However, when it comes to the complaints and side effects of the Fitbit Charge, it differs from those of the Fitbit Alta.
Plenty of people have reported cases and instances of them receiving electrical shocks from their Fitbit Charge watches. Some people have even experienced static shocks after touching another item immediately after taking their watches off. Others have also said that they developed rashes and tingling sensations on the part of their wrists where the watch is worn.
Aria
The Fitbit Aria is a very advanced Fitbit model that boasts of body fat percentage functionality. This means that it is a fitness device that is capable of monitoring your BMI and making sure that you have more lean muscle mass as opposed to unhealthy body fat. However, in order to gain a more accurate scan of the makeup of your body, it makes use of EMF energy.
Some people might say that these body scans only emit EMF energy during the actual scanning process and that they are safer that way because they aren’t always on. But the amount of EMF energy that this kind of process needs to emit is indeed a cause for alarm. Some people have complained of lightheadedness after making use of this feature.
The people at Fitbit themselves even say that the Aria isn’t fit for use for pregnant women or kids under 13 years of age.
How Fitbit Radiation Impacts Quality Of Sleep
One of the most popular features of Fitbit is the fact that some of its models are able to track data and information surrounding a person’s quality of sleep. It carries various sensors that monitor your body’s heart rate and movement while you sleep so that you are given information about your sleep cycle.
However, in order for this function to be carried out, the user must be wearing the Fitbit on their wrist even as they sleep at night. This means that you would be prolonging your body’s exposure to EMF in such close quarters. This can be very dangerous when carried out consistently.
It’s been known that EMF can really affect a person’s quality of sleep due to the fact that it inhibits the body from being able to produce melatonin. This is a chemical that is responsible for inducing drowsiness in a person.
So, without a healthy level of melatonin, a body wouldn’t really be able to achieve the proper quality of sleep that it needs to be functional and productive. In that sense, the Fitbit’s monitoring of your sleep cycle to enhance your sleeping patterns is counterintuitive due to its EMF emissions.
The brain interprets any absorbed EMF energy as a form of light. Whenever that happens, it doesn’t produce melatonin. Essentially, the body is tricked into believing that it’s still daytime and that it isn’t time to go to sleep just yet.
This is the reason why so many people struggle to fall asleep when EMF-emitting light is on in the bedroom. Wearing your Fitbit while you try to go to sleep might actually cause you to have lower-quality sleep for that night.
Does The Fitbit Put You At Risk Of Cancer?
Regardless of what lens you choose to analyze the issue, any prolonged exposure to EMF radiation opens one up to the risk of cancer. And Fitbits are known sources for EMF emissions. So, if you put these facts together, then prolonged Fitbit usage does open one up to the possibility of contracting cancer.
However, no definitive studies have been concluded on the impact of Fitbits in particular on the probability of cancer development in the human body.
Fitbit’s Defense
There are indeed a lot of concerns surrounding the EMF risks of Fitbit devices. So, as a company, Fitbit has felt the need to respond to these concerns in order to protect their brand and defend their legitimacy as a service.
Fitbit has always asserted that the radiation that is being emitted by their devices isn’t enough to cause any unwanted harm and damage to its users. However, they still do acknowledge that their devices do emit EMF radiation.
Fitbit also banks on the fact that their devices comply with all the FCC policies and regulations around Bluetooth technology. They also claim that the power output of their Fitbit devices doesn’t even amount to 1% of the power output of cellphones. If you want to know more about fitness trackers that don’t contain Bluetooth, check out this article.
However, what they fail to take into consideration is that cellphones are typically kept at a distance from a user for most of the time. On the other hand, a Fitbit is in close contact against the body for the whole day. Sometimes, the Fitbit can even stay on a person for multiple days at a time.
Surely, this kind of close encounter has to be taken into consideration when talking about radiation exposure and contact. Also, the length of time in which the Fitbit stays on a person’s wrist is significantly much more than the amount of time that a person uses their cell phone on a daily basis.
Ditch The Bit
In this day and age, EMF radiation is really rampant. However, that doesn’t mean that you should just give up and allow this radiation to impact your health and wellness. Wherever you are able to make a difference, you need to grab that opportunity to do so. If you are able to get rid of devices that emit EMF radiation, then do so. Devices like the Fitbit might be causing you a lot more harm than good.
Yes, the Fitbit can be a great tool for you to monitor your weight and make sure that you’re staying active throughout the day. Weight control is a very real issue for a lot of people these days as obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer as well. However, you just need to be able to weigh the pros and cons.
If you feel like the Fitbit would be truly beneficial to you in spite of the many risks that it poses, then that’s your prerogative. After all, no one should ever get to tell you otherwise. But if you feel like you are able to achieve your fitness goals without it, then you are minimizing your exposure to harmful EMF radiation.
