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Science-backed reasons to question the safety of digital fitness trackers like the Fitbit and how to protect yourself if you choose to use one.
A Fitbit is a type of electronic device used for personal activity tracking. These wireless-enabled, wearable devices measure data such as the number of steps walked, quality of sleep, and other personal metrics.
The Fitbit was developed by the company of the same name founded and managed by James Park and Eric Friedman.
Since then, a proliferation of various styles and models have taken the workout world by storm. There are now similar knock-off devices crafted for every personality and need.
The very simple Fitbit Zip, which is about the size of a quarter, tracks only steps taken, distance traveled, and calories burned. The sophisticated Fitbit Flex, which is worn 24 hours a day even while showering and swimming, tracks all its wearer’s movement including sleep patterns.
There are Fitbit apps for the iPhone and Android too which allow fans to log their food, activities, water intake, and weight, as well as track their fitness goals throughout the day even while offline.
While these types of devices may seem like a very helpful tool to keep people motivated and moving toward exercise goals, I don’t personally use one. I also don’t recommend them to people who ask me about them (by the way, a fascia blaster isn’t healthy either).
Here are my science-backed reasons.
Exercise is About Relaxation, Movement and Stress Reduction
For me, exercise is primarily about movement, relaxation, and stress reduction. It frees the mind from the cares of the day for a short period of time.
Adding a lot of data and personal activity tracking to the mix is decidedly un-relaxing to me. I don’t want my every breath, step and heartbeat chronicled, tracked, and categorized as I go through my workout whether it be a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood or a high-intensity rebounding session on our outdoor trampoline.
Tracking my steps around the house as I do laundry, cook, and wash dishes seems very over the top and rather invasive too. Can’t we just enjoy our exercise and daily activities without having to micromanage and examine every aspect under a microscope?
This takes much of the joy, relaxation and ultimately, health benefits out of it, in my opinion!
Exercise is not primarily about weight loss either at least to me. It’s about getting the blood pumping to facilitate the body’s detoxification mechanisms and to build and maintain muscle, fitness, and balance. Simple burning of calories may help you lose weight but this alone never got anyone healthy, so why bother tracking exercise at such an elementary, two-dimensional level?
While some may find Fitbits helpful to the exercise process, to me, they detract from the psychological benefits of exercise enjoyment by micromanaging what should be experienced in an expansive manner.
Fitbit: Unnecessary Exposure to EMF Radiation
There are pictures available that show actual wireless radiation surrounding a person using a wireless-enabled device. You can see photographer Luis Hernan’s incredible photos here.
While it is basically impossible to get away from the constant bathing of the body in wireless radiation while at work or in a public place, exercise particularly in the outdoors offers a prime opportunity for rest and release from the onslaught of electromagnetic fields (EMF) for a brief period of time.
It makes no sense, at least to me, to be hooked up to a device like a Fitbit that emits any sort of EMF radiation while exercising which is already putting the body under physical stress from sweating and detoxification.
A Fitbit that people wear while sleeping seems most dangerous of all. There is absolutely no data proving the safety of these devices during sleep even though the user manuals claim that “This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment.”
Quality sleep is very important for maintaining a healthy weight. Research has shown that poor quality sleep causes weight problems. Even just a few nights of poor sleep can lead to almost immediate weight gain. (1)
Are Fitbit night wearers undoing daytime weight loss efforts?
In fact, sleep and good health are so inextricably linked that many holistic medical practitioners recommend turning all wireless sources off at night with some going so far as to recommend flipping the entire house breaker until morning! The reason? The EMF radiation swirling around you may negatively affect sleep in a very profound way over the long term.
I’ve written before about how wireless baby monitors aren’t a good idea for sleeping babies. Fitbits worn during sleep transmitting data via wireless are a bad idea for similar reasons.
According to PowerWatch, a wireless baby monitor at less than 1 meter away from the baby’s crib was roughly equivalent to cell tower radiation standing only 150 meters (about one-tenth of a mile) away. (2)
How much worse would a wireless-enabled Fitbit be that is worn on your physical person as you exercise or sleep?
Metal in Your Mouth Can Make the Problem Worse
Interestingly, if you have dental amalgams (silver fillings) or titanium implants, this may make the wireless radiation from constantly wearing a digital fitness device even more problematic. According to Lina Garcia, DDS, DMD:
When considering the numerous reasons for the increasing prevalence of chronic illness in our society, I think that we should not overlook the possibility that metal-containing dental work, especially titanium implants, could be acting like antennas for the microwave [which includes wireless] transmissions going on between our cell phones and all of the cell phone towers in our 21st century environment.
… it is important to be aware that metal dental restorations and implants have already been shown to cause galvanic and electromagnetic stress for the human body. Galvanic and electromagnetic stress occurs when an unnatural electric current is generated by metal ions interacting with the electrolyte-rich fluid known as saliva. (3)
If you doubt that you are surrounded by very strong wireless radiation while wearing a wireless-enabled device be it a cell phone or a Fitbit, you can now download an app that will give you a colorful visual on those waves invisibly surrounding you with blue indicating the strongest wireless radiation down to red which indicates the weakest signal.
Heavy Metal Exposure?
In March 2014, the Consumer Product Safety Commission officially recalled the Fitbit Force due to injuries to an estimated 9,900 people. These customers suffered from skin irritations such as blisters, rashes, and peeling skin after the continual wearing of the Fitbit Force for a period of time. Fitbit stated that after consulting with medical professionals, the general assessment is that the skin problems were likely allergic reactions to nickel, an alloy in the stainless steel or adhesives used to assemble the Fitbit Force.
While it is well known that ingesting heavy metals like nickel can cause health problems, what is less well known is that the skin can absorb heavy metals too. (4, 5)
Cooking acidic foods in stainless steel is known to leech alloys like nickel into the food, but could stainless steel placed on the skin which is normally acidic at a pH of 4.5-5.5 leech metals too? Even minute amounts of heavy metals in the body can have negative health consequences so this is far from a trivial concern. (6)
Until there are more research and definitive answers to this question, it seems prudent to be wary of products like the Fitbit Force that expose the skin to heavy metals for extended periods of time.
Must Have a Fitbit?
If you find that despite any health concerns, you simply must have a digital fitness device to track personal activities, my suggestion would be to seek one of the older models that work mechanically rather than digitally.
For example, a basic mechanical pedometer counts steps by measuring how much the body shakes. An internal object moves up and down with the motion of the person wearing the pedometer, which senses the vibrations of feet hitting the floor. As the ball moves, it activates a switch that clicks the counter forward.
You can tell that you have a mechanical pedometer as it will work simply by shaking it even without any walking involved.
My Experience Using a Fitbit Scale
While I don’t wear a Fitbit like device for the reasons cited above, I did use a Fitbit scale once a few months back. These devices measure BMI, body fat and other health statistics by sending an electrical signal through the body.
While the companies making these scales insist the signal shot through the body to gather the data is safe, the scale isn’t recommended for pregnant women, children under 10, or anyone with an implanted medical device.
Mmmmm.
While I do not consider myself EMF sensitive in any way, I felt immediately light-headed and fatigued after having my health statistics gathered by the Fitbit scale. The experience really surprised me, as I didn’t expect a single-use to produce such a reaction. I didn’t feel right until a number of hours later.
Needless to say, I won’t be using a Fitbit type of scale again in the future!
Electronic Weight Loss Device Use is a Personal Decision
While choosing to use products like the Fitbit ultimately is a personal decision like whether or not to put a cellphone up to your head, in my book, it seems important to learn to switch off from our constant exposure to electronic devices and EMF radiation.
Exercise and sleep are the most obvious times to give yourself both a mental and physical break from EMF exposure.
Do you use a Fitbit? What are your reasons for doing so and do the potential health risks concern you?
References
(1) Lost Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain
(2) Strength of Microwave Technologies
(3) Has Your Dental Work Turned You Into a Walking Antenna?
(4) Heavy Metal Toxicity Raises Risk of EMF Sensitivity
(5) The Health Hazards of Heavy Metals
(6) Toxic Metals Is This Why You’re Feeling Sick?
More Information
Are AMR Devices Safer than Smart Meters?
The Dangers of Induction Stoves (and what to buy instead)
Reducing Exposure to Dirty Electricity
Harvard MD Speaks Out about the Health Dangers of Smart Meters
How to Protect Yourself from a Smart Meter
I’ve had my fitbit charge HR for 4 months now, I’ve lost nearly a stone, I’m fitter, more motivated and actually have a clue about getting enough sleep, the right nutrition and exercise in my normal day.
I’ve had no reactions to the band, the HR light or anything really and i sleep well.
Unsure if all of this is unfounded unproven nonsense? If you have your bluetooth off the device isn’t attempting to communicate with anything.
As for baby monitors, again who knows how much is true but on this I’d say why risk it, just go for a 40Mhz analogue voice activated monitor – proven to be MUCH safer.
Can anyone recommend a good reliable mechanical pedometer that also counts calories along with the steps?
I’ve had my fitbit charge for 4 days, I don’t wear it to sleep and I’m not a moron and know I didn’t just “wear it too tight. ” I literally have what I can only describe as nerve pain in my wrist and hand. Static, tingly, and mildly bruised. W T *!
I have been wearing a fitbit HR for for 6-7 months. It was uncomfortable at first since I have a very small wrist. It was pokey and really hard to sleep with, but I was adamant in trying it. (I wore it loosely eventually got used to it but it was still a little annoying.) I loved the idea about tracking my calories, sleep, weight, heart rate, etc, etc,. I’m a statistics hoarder. I lost about 6 pounds, which I have kept off all this time and I learned a lot. I learned about the intensity of my workout and what it feels like for my heart rate to be at a certain level. I learned what it feels like to go several days without reaching 10,000 (bleh…) vs. reaching 15,000 (great!). I learned what eating a certain number of calories felt like, and how calories from different foods satiate you. All good stuff. I’m glad I tried it. HOWEVER……..Recently my thumb started to have nerve pain. I couldn’t hold a waterbottle in my left hand (the hand I wore the HR) without my thumb hurting. I thought maybe I have arthritis? I ignored it. During spin class i wanted to get a more accurate reading of my steps, so I put the HR under my tights just below my knee and tucked the capris in under it. This worked well, but after a few spin classes, my left knee started to hurt. So I switched to my right knee. Then my right knee started to hurt. Hmmm pattern here. Just this week, I had a freezing/burning sensation in my left palm under my pinky and ring fingers. I wouldn’t go away. I thought it could be bc of my posture and I was possibly pinching a nerve that went down my arm so I uprighted myself more consciously and stretched a lot. no change in the pain. I took off the watch and ask my husband to massage my hand and wrist, which he did for about 5 minutes. It felt better. So I put the watch back on. The pain returned. I finally came to my senses and just took off the watch for good. BUT, I decided to use it in spin class. I put it in my sock around my ankle. 15 minutes into class, my knee began to hurt. I took it off. The pain went away.
For those of you thinking of buying a fitbit HR, please realize it can have a detrimental effect on you. Perhaps it won’t show up right away, but even if you think it isn’t doing you any harm, it is and it just creeps up on you. Kind of like potato chips…. but that’s another story.
I have SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) which is under control with medication, The first few hours of wearing my activity tracker I felt off, but thought it could just be me. I was awaken in the middle of the night with severe SVT attacks and heart palpitation. Trying to think what could have brought this on, the only change was my activity tracker. I took it off. Within an hour I was back to normal. I have tried wearing it several times since, but have the same result after a couple of hours. My Cardio has no explanation and honestly either do I.
I have also had toe same issues with the palpitations pretty bad. I’m set up to go see my cardiologist this Friday to run some tests.. In the mean time, I let my 11 year old son wear it to school Friday to show his friends and had a seizure and possible heart thing going on. I wonder if this is the cause of the problem with him. I will definitely bring it up to the neurologist and cardiologist.
Wore FITBIT HR for almost a year. I finally decided I was tired of being a slave to it. I would stress me out if I didn’t do a certain amount in a day. I’m already extremely active!! I agree that exercise should be stress free and the Fitbit was adding stress. I also got a strange rash under it. I’m Fitbit free and still moving!!
I wear fitbit since May. In July I started to have wrist pain and I did not associate it with fitbit until few days ago. Then I took it off. Pain is slowly going away. I had a full blown physiotherapy and wrist cast and all. Nothing helped until I took the fitbit off. Also, I have developed a muscle bump just at the place fitbit rested on my arm. Beware of Fitbit! I need to tell my husband and anyone around to take if off too.
Fitbit is a useless piece of jewelry.
All it does is tell me that I have slept and walked today.
DUH.?….I know that.
So how about suggesting things that might change the program?
Otherwise do not waste your money.
I first got my FitBit in July, wore it for a week or two and became very sick. Light headed, confused, heart palpitations and heavy chest I actually thought I was having a stroke with speech loss and issues with my words. Not ever thinking there was an issue with the fitbit. I am 44 , 5’2 and weigh 135, rather healthy normally. I took the fit bit off only because I was not feeling well. Started feeling better, got back to having energy and put it back on since I felt good enough to move and exercise. Again in a few days I felt AWEFUL again and ended up taking it off for a few days while I had a cat scan and stress test. No negative findings there and still never thought this was a fit bit issue but my fit bit sat on my dresser for months. Last week I charged it up and said its time to get back to moving more. I wore it for 3 days only during the day time and I have had the same issues, NOW I am wondering if the fit bit is an issue. I called and mentioned it to my Dr. Who said no it must be a coincidence. I will take my fit bit off yet again and see how I feel in a few days and try it one more time. Just thought I would share this in case there was anyone else with these issues.
I can’t believe your doctor said it was a coincidence. How? I highly doubt it was a coincidence.
Can I take a guess that you were conscious of “so called” side effects with wearing a fitbit? You should go to the website anxietyzone.com , Im not suggesting anything but its worth a look around as many people underestimate the physiological effects that can be induced by your brain.
I wanted to share my experience…it is very similar to Pat’s. Though I really like the information my FitBit HR Charge has provided me over the past 5 weeks, I think I should stop wearing it. Like Pat, after 2 weeks of wearing my FitBit I began having periods of significant chest pressure (yes it hurts), breathlessness, dizziness and after about 4 in a row, weakness. I decided to not wear my FitBit for a few days as that was the only thing I could think of that was causes my symptoms (besides possible indigestion). I have high blood pressure so I am very conscience of what is going on with me physiologically. After 2 days the bouts of pressure in my chest discontinued. I decided to begin wearing my FitBit again after 4 days but only during the day. So far so good. So, I began wearing it again full-time. After 2 days – the chest pressure, shortness of breathe and dizziness started again. I was thinking I should see my doctor and have a stress-test done. But since I saw that someone else had similar concerns/symptoms…I will see how I feel over the next few days. I may try the FitBit one more time….just to confirm the correlation. I do not think it is coincidence.
I bought a Fitbit flex about a month ago and I’m really pleased with it so far. I was looking for a way to keep fit but I don’t like jogging or going to the gym but I do love walking. The lights light up every 2000 steps and it reminds me to walk more, I’ve bee getting out for a walk after work every day when I can to try and reach 10000 per day. The lights coming on are really motivating. I’m not using it for weight loss as I am naturally slim. I haven’t had any sleep problems or weight problems.
After my requests to the Fitbit company were ignored, I stated this petition asking them to implement an off button for the bluetooth so we may control how much radiation we absorb. Your article was one of several I read that prompted me to return my Fitbit for a refund. Please support and share this petition:
change.org/p/james-park-founder-ceo-and-chairman-eric-n-friedman-founder-cto-and-eo-fitbit-implement-capability-to-turn-off-bluetooth-emissions-from-your-fitness-trackers?recruiter=13327691&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink