Impacts of Geomagnetic and Man-Made Electromagnetic Fields on Heart Rate and Its Variability in Healthy Adults: A Scoping Review

Geomagnetic and man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been reported to influence blood pressure and to represent a cardiovascular risk factor for various conditions. However, the effects of these fields on heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) remain inconclusive, with reports both supporting and refuting these effects. This scoping review aims to synthesize current evidence on the impact of exposure to geomagnetic and man-made EMFs on HR and HRV in healthy adults. A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted using the Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Eligible studies included English-language, peer-reviewed observational, experimental, or analytical cross-sectional designs published from January 2000 to June 2026 that assessed HR or HRV responses to these fields in healthy or asymptomatic adults. Database searching was supplemented by reference review and an updated search of the same databases. After two-stage screening and duplicate removal, 29 studies were included, which varied substantially in exposure type, field intensity, exposure duration, HRV metrics, sample size, and analytic approach. Reported effects were inconsistent and were often limited to transient changes in selected HRV indices rather than consistent changes in HR. Geomagnetic and local magnetic field studies more often reported associations with HRV, hemodynamic variation, or HR/HRV synchronization, but these findings were heterogeneous and of uncertain clinical significance. Overall, evidence from the studies reviewed does not confirm a consistent effect of geomagnetic or man-made EMF exposure on either HR or HRV in otherwise healthy adults.