Brain inflammation after stroke
In mice with induced stroke and in lab-grown brain support cells, the authors reported that PEMF reduced inflammation through a specific receptor pathway (α7nAChR/STAT3).
Research library
Scientific articles on PEMF.
Studies and articles about PEMF from medical journals and other sources, described briefly in our own words, with a link to each original.
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These studies concern specific medical devices, settings and treatment plans, and many were done in the laboratory or on animals. They show what researchers are investigating, not what OlyLife products do.
OlyLife products are wellness devices and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a health problem, talk to your doctor.
Brain and nerves
Brain bleeding model in mice
In mice with induced brain bleeding and in cultured immune cells, the authors reported faster clearance of the blood clot, less inflammation and better movement scores with PEMF, linked to the receptor CD36.
Magnetic coil cap and severe depression
A 2010 news article on a small Danish blinded study of a coil cap in 50 people with drug-resistant depression. The researchers reported larger drops in depression scores with the active device; further studies were planned.
Heart and circulation
Blood pressure and blood vessel function
Small controlled study of 12 weeks of PEMF in adults with high blood pressure. The authors reported modest drops in blood pressure and improved vessel dilation versus controls, and called for further research.
Magnetic fields and diabetic blood vessel complications
Review of earlier research on static and pulsed magnetic fields in diabetes, covering blood flow, wound healing and nerve problems. The authors describe some findings as promising but give no firm clinical recommendation.
Heart function after heart attack
In rats with an induced heart attack, the authors reported that PEMF was linked to better pumping function, less cell death and more small blood vessels; lab tests on blood-vessel cells pointed the same way.
Bones, joints and cartilage
Osteoarthritis symptoms: a meta-analysis
This review pooled 11 randomized trials, mostly in knee osteoarthritis. The authors reported less pain and stiffness and better function with PEMF than comparison groups, and called for more research.
Joint inflammation in osteoarthritis
In 18 rats with surgically induced knee osteoarthritis, the authors reported less joint lining inflammation and cartilage damage after 12 weeks of PEMF, along with lower levels of an inflammation pathway.
Bone loss and bone blood vessels
In mice with bone loss after ovary removal, the authors reported that 8 weeks of PEMF reduced bone loss and increased a type of blood vessel linked to bone formation, possibly via HIF-1α signalling.
Meniscus tear healing in rats
In 72 rats with a meniscus tear, the authors reported better tear healing and less cartilage wear and joint inflammation after eight weeks with PEMF, especially with one signal type.
Hydrogel scaffold and cartilage repair
The authors developed an injectable gel scaffold and reported that adding PEMF improved lab-grown cartilage tissue and cartilage repair in a rat joint defect model.
Radiation-related bone loss in animals
In rats, mice and lab cells, the authors reported that a specific PEMF setting reduced radiation-related bone loss by acting on bone-building cells, apparently without affecting the tumour cells tested.
Stem-cell exosomes and cartilage in rats
Exosomes from stem cells exposed to PEMF were tested on cartilage cells and in 39 rats with induced osteoarthritis. The authors reported better cartilage protection, strongest at 75 Hz; some animal results were not statistically significant.
NASA patented device for cartilage
NASA technology listing for a patented PEMF device intended for joints. It describes lab tests where field waveform affected gene activity in cartilage cells from osteoarthritis patients; no animal or clinical results are reported.
Muscles, tendons and back
Nerve pain from a lumbar disc
In a randomized trial of 40 patients comparing PEMF with placebo for three weeks, the authors reported greater improvements in pain, disability scores and nerve-signal measures with PEMF.
Muscle activity during cycling
Single-blind pilot study in 20 cyclists comparing active and inactive PEMF during exercise. The authors reported higher muscle activity at low intensity and higher blood lactate with PEMF switched on.
Rotator cuff healing in rats
In rats with surgically repaired rotator cuffs, the authors reported that PEMF changed early healing, with more bone-forming and fewer scar- and inflammation-related signals at the tendon–bone junction.
Disc degeneration in the spine
Lab study on degenerated human disc cells plus a rat tail-disc injury model. The authors reported that PEMF supported disc matrix production via SIRT1 and autophagy, and less disc degeneration in rats.
Time of day and disc degeneration
In 20 rats with injured tail discs, the authors reported that daytime PEMF slowed disc degeneration more than night-time PEMF; lab tests on disc cells showed a similar time-of-day pattern.
Pain
Chronic pelvic pain in men
Small placebo-controlled pilot trial in 21 men with chronic pelvic pain. The authors reported lower symptom scores at 3 months and 1 year in the active group but not with placebo; the sample was small.
Pain after back surgery
Small pilot study without a control group: 10 of 30 completers reported at least 30% less pain with home PEMF over 45 days. The authors noted a placebo effect cannot be excluded.
Bladder pain syndrome and PEMF
Review of PEMF trials in other pain conditions, used to argue for testing PEMF in bladder pain syndrome. The authors conclude that clinical trials in this patient group are warranted; no new data were collected.
Pain sensitivity and the nitric oxide pathway
In 72 rats, the authors reported that 15 days of low-frequency PEMF reduced pain responses in heat tests, and that drugs acting on the nitric oxide pathway changed the effect, suggesting this pathway is involved.
Nerve pain in diabetes
Clinician-written overview of mostly small studies on PEMF for diabetic nerve pain. Results were mixed: a larger sham-controlled trial cited found no significant difference in pain scores, and the authors call for longer studies.
Skin and wounds
Eczema-like skin inflammation in mice
In 20 mice with chemically induced eczema-like skin, the authors reported smaller lesions and thinner skin layers in PEMF groups than in sham-treated mice.
Skin with reduced blood supply
Experimental study of PEMF stimulation in a skin model with reduced blood supply. See the original article for methods and results.
Burn wound healing
Experimental study of pulsed magnetic fields and the healing of burn wounds. See the original article for methods and results.
Teeth and jaw
Tooth movement during orthodontic treatment
Small randomized split-mouth trial in 19 orthodontic patients, with one side exposed to PEMF. The authors reported about 31% faster canine tooth movement on the exposed side.
Jaw joint bone changes in rats
In a rat model of early jaw joint osteoarthritis and in lab bone cells, the authors reported that PEMF reduced bone loss under the cartilage, possibly via the Wnt signalling pathway.
Infections and recovery
Rehabilitation after COVID-19 pneumonia
Russian study adding low-frequency magnetic therapy to standard rehabilitation after COVID-19 pneumonia. The authors reported better breathing measures and quality of life than in the control group; randomization was not described.
Fatigue after COVID-19
Single case report of a 55-year-old woman given ten PEMF sessions for post-COVID fatigue. The authors reported improved fatigue and wellbeing scores, but with no control group other factors may have contributed.
Bacterial biofilms and antibiotics
In lab cultures, the authors reported that PEMF reduced biofilm growth by a common skin bacterium and strengthened the effect of antibiotics on the biofilm; they noted that animal studies are still needed.
Cancer research
Low-frequency PEMF and brain tumours: a review
A literature review of proposed mechanisms of low-frequency PEMF in glioma brain tumours and early clinical use. It discusses possibilities rather than reporting new results.
Breast cancer cells, chemotherapy and PEMF
In lab cells, chick embryo and mouse models, the authors reported that PEMF combined with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin shrank tumours more than either alone, and that the protein TRPC1 predicted response.
Bone-healing PEMF signals and cancer cells
Testing PEMF signals used for bone healing on cancer cells and in mice, the authors reported small reductions in cancer cell growth; results in mouse tumours were mixed.
Animals and plants
Cloned buffalo embryos in the lab
A conference abstract reporting that PEMF exposure of buffalo cells and cloned embryos in the lab modestly raised embryo development rates and altered gene activity; sample sizes were not reported.
Seed treatment and broad bean growth
In a two-year field trial, the authors reported that treating broad bean seeds with PEMF before sowing improved germination and plant growth, but did not change seed yield.
PEMF in veterinary medicine: a review
A review of PEMF use in animals. The authors described the evidence as mixed and noted that many veterinary studies are small or lack sham controls; it is not specific to horses.
Clinic report of PEMF in a dog
A Norwegian clinic page describing one dog treated with PEMF alongside laser, exercise and massage; the owner reported improvement. As a single case with other treatments, it cannot show what PEMF itself did.
PEMF use in pets
A veterinary clinic blog describing how it uses PEMF devices for pets with issues such as arthritis and wounds; it is a clinic's own account, and it notes that research is ongoing.
Research databases
Here are the three most important research databases for investigating PEMF technology (pulsed electromagnetic fields):
1. PubMed
Medical research and clinical studies
Search for studies on PEMF, pain, osteoarthritis, bone healing and other treatment areas.
2. PubMed Central
Free access to full-text articles
Here you can read many research articles in full, including methods, results, limitations and conclusions.
3. Cochrane Library
Systematic reviews of medical research
Cochrane assesses research as a whole to examine how well documented the effect of different treatments is.
The descriptions are our own short summaries of the original sources. Read the original before you draw conclusions.