Low freuency infrasound can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, heart fibrosis, cognitive damage, among other serious risks
A real health hazard. Image: Vernunftkraft.de
An article published by German online TKP sums up a recent scientific review titled “Infrasound and Human Health: Mechanisms, Effects, and Applications” (published in the journal Applied Sciences by MDPI).
The biological and health risks associated with the infrasound (low-frequency sound below 20 Hz) produced by wind turbines can indeed be profound.
1. Biological mechanisms: cellular “stress”
Low frequency infrasound from wind turbines acts on the body even when it cannot be heard. It triggers a process called mechanotransduction, where cells convert mechanical pressure waves into biological signals. High-intensity or chronic exposure can cause oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the accumulation of calcium within cells.
In extreme or prolonged cases, these stresses can lead to programmed cell death (apoptosis) in various tissues.
2. Effects on the heart and cardiovascular system
The TKP article highlights that the rhythmic, impulsive nature of wind turbine infrasound is particularly stressful for the heart. Research suggests that high sound pressure levels of infrasound can lead to the thickening of heart tissue (fibrosis).
It may affect blood pressure and the integrity of the vascular system by disrupting the “pressure-sensitive” ion channels (like PIEZO1) in the walls of blood vessels.
3. Impact on the brain and nervous system
The scientific review teported by TKP notes that the brain is highly sensitive to the vibrations of infrasound, which can be transmitted through the skull or the inner ear. Prolonged exposure is associated with reduced concentration, impaired memory, and difficulties with “higher-order” cognitive tasks (like logical reasoning).
Animal studies cited in the review showed that intense infrasound could trigger inflammatory responses in the brain.
Moreover, infrasound can disturb the inner ear’s balance organs, leading to dizziness, nausea, and the “sea-sickness” sensation often reported by residents near wind farms.
4. Comparison to natural infrasound
The article emphasizes a critical distinction: natural infrasound (like wind or ocean waves) is usually “harmonious” or random. In contrast, wind turbine infrasound is pulsating and repetitive. This rhythmic nature prevents the body from “tuning out” the stimulus, leading to chronic physiological stress.
TKP reports that current safety regulations are outdated and inadeqaute. Most noise regulations use the “dBA” scale, which filters out low frequencies to mimic human hearing. The article argues this is useless for infrasound because the damage is biological, not auditory.
Based on the findings, some experts cited in the article suggest that safety distances for wind turbines should be significantly increased (potentially up to 5–10 kilometers) to protect public health.
I’ve experienced “pulsating and repetitive” sound-energy in a moving car with a window partly down. It is not a good feeling.
I wonder if certain styles of wind-blades cause this and others don’t. There are turbines about 10 miles from me, and there are houses within 1/2 mile (0.8 km) of those. If any of those folks have encountered issues — it has not made local news.
“Most noise regulations use the “dBA” scale, which filters out low frequencies to mimic human hearing”.
DBA does not mimic human hearing.
DBA assumes the very low frequencies cause far less hearing damage than higher frequencies. dba is down 50.5db at 20 Hz. relative to 1000 hz compared to an unweighted measurement (Z‑weighted) dbz
based on infrasound experiments i participated in during the 1980s and 1990s only 10% to 20% of people are extremely sensitive to infrasound
wind turbine blade noise (Amplitude Modulation at the Blade Passing Frequency from 1 to 200 hertz can bother people, not just below 20 hertz
sleep deprivation is the initial health problem
Occupational health frameworks utilize dBC (down 10 dB at 20 Hz) to regulate high-intensity “peak” or “impact” noises (such as gunshots, heavy drops, or machinery strikes) … but not windmills
It is counter-intuitive, i.e., odd, that rhythmic nature of wind turbine pulsating and repetitive infrasound would prevent the body from “tuning out” the stimulus, in contrast to the randomness of natural infrasound (like wind or ocean waves).
Visual impact of wind turbine blades turning: when among the first turbines were built in North Wales in the 1980s I think it was, I found looking at them turning made me feel sea-sick. A scientifically-trained friend who lived nearby told me that this was because nothing in nature looks like those turning blades, and our brains etc haven’t evolved to cope with this sort of visual movement. I continue to find turbines visually nauseating (as well as auditorily upsetting, plus horrifyingly destructive of landscape quality), but have never heard any more about this negative aspect of modern wind power. NB I don’t get this effect with old-fashioned, multi-blade windmills: perhaps it’s the 3-blade effect which is distressing?
It is easy to see how wind turbines have caused whales to kill themselves. Sound travels farther in water. Don’t believe the journals getting money from the hot air crowd, those touting the turbines. https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/2024/1/18/wind-industry-activity-strongly-correlated-with-whale-deaths-new-study-finds
can you post a link to actual study data please!?