The PEMF Podcast - Episode 79

What Does PEMF Do to Your Blood? Before & After Under the Microscope

About This Episode

What actually happens to your blood after a PEMF session and can you see any of those changes under a microscope?

 

In this educational episode of The PEMF Podcast, Andy Smith and Joshua Roberts look at before-and-after blood samples taken around PEMF sessions, beginning with the rouleaux effect, where red blood cells appear stacked together like coins. They discuss observations from Andy’s own testing showing visibly greater separation between cells following PEMF.

 

They then move beyond the microscope images to look at the research that may help explain some of PEMF’s effects on circulation and inflammation, including nitric oxide signalling, vasodilation, adenosine receptors and inflammatory pathways such as NF-κB. 

 

The episode also explores research into blood-vessel formation and white blood cell production, before discussing why PEMF should be viewed as something used consistently rather than expecting one session to permanently change how the body functions.

What You’ll Learn

• What the rouleaux or “coin stacking” effect looks like
• What Andy observed in his own blood before and after PEMF
• Why red blood cell separation may influence circulation
• How PEMF research links to inflammatory signalling
• The role adenosine receptors in PEMF’s anti-inflammatory effects
• How nitric oxide may help explain changes in blood flow
• What research says about PEMF and vasodilation
• How PEMF has been studied in relation to new blood-vessel formation
• What was observed with white blood cells after a PEMF session
• Why consistency matters more than relying on one treatment

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Meet Our Host - Andy Smith

Andy Smith is the host of The PEMF Podcast and the founder of NewMed and CELLER8. After discovering PEMF through his own personal health journey, Andy founded NewMed in 2014 with a mission to make the technology easier to understand through honest, practical education. For full transparency, Andy later developed CELLER8 after nearly a decade of working with different PEMF systems. However, both NewMed and The PEMF Podcast have always been guided by the same principle: education before promotion. Through conversations with researchers, clinicians, engineers and industry leaders, Andy aims to explore PEMF fairly, separate genuine evidence from marketing hype, and help people make more informed decisions.

 

NewMed: https://www.newmedltd.co.uk/

CELLER8 - Worldwide: https://celler8.com/

CELLER8 - US & Canada: https://celler8.us/

Meet The Co-host - Joshua Roberts

Josh Roberts is the producer and creative mind behind The PEMF Podcast. Having worked in the PEMF industry for over three years, Josh saw early on how much conflicting information surrounded the technology and wanted to create a space where people could learn about it in a clear, engaging way. That idea became the foundation for The PEMF Podcast, turning complex science into honest, accessible conversations about wellness, recovery, and longevity. Behind the scenes, Josh handles research, editing, and guest coordination, and occasionally joins Andy on-air for condition-focused episodes. A curious learner and lifelong wellness enthusiast, he also manages the CELLER8 and NewMed websites, ensuring every piece of information shared is accurate, engaging, and easy to understand.

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Can You See PEMF’s Effect on Blood?
Andy and Joshua introduce the before-and-after blood testing used throughout the episode and explain why this is a particularly visual topic.


01:30 – Red Blood Cells & the Rouleaux Effect
What rouleaux formation looks like and the differences Andy observed between blood samples taken before and after PEMF sessions. 


03:23 – Why Red Blood Cell Separation Matters
How greater separation between red blood cells may influence how freely cells move through circulation and the surface area available for gas exchange.


04:47 – PEMF & Inflammation
A look at dry-blood observations following PEMF and the research into pathways including SIRT1 and NF-κB that may help explain PEMF’s effects on inflammatory signalling. 


07:10 – Adenosine & the Anti-Inflammatory Response
How PEMF has been studied in relation to A2A and A3 adenosine receptors and why this represents another potential pathway through which PEMF may influence inflammation. 


09:19 – Oxygen Delivery & Vasodilation
The visual changes seen in the blood samples and research into nitric oxide, microcirculation and widening of small blood vessels following PEMF exposure.


12:38 – Can PEMF Support New Blood-Vessel Formation?
Andy discusses research into angiogenesis and how PEMF affected endothelial cells involved in developing new vascular structures. 


14:34 – What Happens to White Blood Cells?
What was observed in the live-blood samples after PEMF, followed by research examining white blood cells and immune-cell production in animal models. 


17:34 – Why One PEMF Session Isn’t the End Goal
Why immediate changes should not be interpreted as permanent and why repeated use is a recurring feature across PEMF research and practical application.

Products or Therapies Mentioned

PEMF, Blood Flow & Circulation

PEMF’s effects on blood go beyond what can be seen on a microscope slide. Our full guide explores research into nitric oxide, vasodilation, microcirculation, oxygen and nutrient delivery, and angiogenesis the process through which the body forms new blood vessels.

Explore PEMF & Blood Flow

PEMF & Inflammation

PEMF has been studied across several pathways involved in the inflammatory response, including adenosine receptors and NF-κB signalling.Our inflammation guide takes a deeper look at the research and why PEMF’s effects appear to involve more than one biological mechanism.

Explore PEMF & Inflammation

Explore Educational Episodes

See Episodes

The Transcript

Andy Smith 00:00 
A quick disclaimer, before we begin, the PEMF podcast does not contain any medical advice and the content provided is for informational purposes only. If you have any health concerns, please visit a healthcare professional. Welcome back to the PEMF podcast. Today's episode is a fun one because we're talking about something you can actually see, which is PEMF's impact on the blood. From helping red blood cells unstack and move more freely, to boosting white blood cell activity, to visibly reducing signs of inflammation. This is one of the few areas where PEMF changes show up right under the microscope. We're going to break down what these visuals really mean, why they happen and how they link into circulation, oxygenation, immune function and things like over wellbeing.

 

Joshua Roberts 00:54 
So, yeah, for this episode, if you had the ability to watch, that would be advised. But we will explain everything audibly as well if you are only going to be listening. So you won't be missing out either way. But it does help a little bit if you can see the visuals. But let's go over the first section of this and the most kind of commonly seen and kind of spoken about effect that PEMF has on the blood, which is the rouleaux effect. If you're into PEMF or if you've been in the industry for a while, you might know what this is. And you've probably seen an example, as I say, just for anyone who hasn't. What actually is this?

 

Andy Smith 01:30 
So it's called the rouleaux effect, sometimes also called coin stacking. It's when the red blood cells start stacking together like little stacks of coins. A small amount of this is completely normal but factors like long periods of sitting, being sat near wifi, stress, dehydration, chronic illness or even just being sat indoors all day can make things like stacking more noticeable in a live blood analysis sample. When the cells are stacked like this they don't move as freely and the blood looks denser and more sluggish under the microscope. One of the most interesting things people often see with PEMF is that these stacks break apart. We actually tested this in our office after 8 hours of sitting at my desk. We took a blood sample of my own blood and we looked at it visually and it was very clumped together with very few freely spaced cells. Then I sat on hertz and when we looked at it again the difference was really really visually clear. The cells were far apart, they're more separated, more rounded and much more evenly spread out across the slide with a much bigger surface area. That wasn't just a one-off either. I did this test with Dr Henning who's been on the podcast recently. He was actually one of the reasons I got a darkfield microscope myself because at the time I used PEMF mat for 20 minutes and the visual results were almost identical. The before slide shows a very heavy stacking and the after slide shows the cell spaced out moving a lot more freely in the sample. 

Andy's Test

Test with Dr Henning

Joshua Roberts 03:05 
Yeah, no, it's amazing how literally just a 10 minute session of PEMF can significantly unstack yourselves and yeah, have that such night and day difference. But some people might be listening to this now and going, it sounds great, like your blood cells are now separated, but really what does that actually mean and what benefit are you getting from that?

 

Andy Smith 03:23 
So yeah, when your red blood cells unstack, everything in your blood just moves better. Instead of dragging along in thick clumps, the cells have more space between them so they're able to move through the bloodstream a lot easier. That means better circulation and less resistance inside the vessels. Unstacked cells also have a much bigger surface area exposed which naturally allows for better oxygen exchange. When the cells are clumped together, only the outer layer is doing any of the work and the ones in the middle of the stack are just basically along the ride. Because the blood can now flow into the smaller capillaries more freely, tissues get better delivery of whatever they need, whether that's oxygen or simply nutrients.

 

Joshua Roberts 04:07 
And yeah, exactly. So just better oxygen delivery, better circulation, better nutrients, delivery, quite a few benefits just from that one little process. Um, but we actually had saw quite a few other, um, things that are happening in the blood. Besides this, we got Philly from the wellness way podcast to do, uh, some live blood analysis on her blood after using PEMF. Uh, and she found some really interesting things that aren't actually spoken about as much in the PEMF world. I think it's because this one is, or these tests are more, or slightly more challenging to run than the one that we just did. Um, so she actually saw that inflammation dropped in her blood. Can you just explain this a little bit?

 

Andy Smith 04:47 
Yeah, this is a really interesting one. So just to give some credit where credit's due, this analysis was done by Shirah Mustardé, a live and dry blood analysis from Vitalize Nutrition. She looked at Philly's blood before and after using my PEMF mat, the CELLER8, and the changes were really clear on the side. Before the PEMF session, her dry blood sample showed loads of these white irregular shapes that analysts often associate with inflammation. It basically indicates that the body is dealing with some kind of inflammatory load. Then after the 20 minute PEMF session on the morning mode that runs from 12 to 30 Hertz frequencies, those white areas had reduced massively. The sample looked cleaner, calmer, and much more organized. 

Joshua Roberts 05:32 
And as we know and have covered in other episodes, PEMF has a great effect on inflammation and we've kind of gone into how this works. But just for anyone who might have missed some of our previous episodes or might just be new to PEMF, this could be their first episode. And if it is, make sure you like, subscribe and leave us a five-star review on whatever platform you are. Just tell us what actually is or how can PEMF actually reduce inflammation.

 

Andy Smith 05:55 
Yeah, when we talk about PEMF and inflammation, there are some specific mechanisms behind it. One lab study took human joint cells, deliberately inflamed them with IL-1 beta, one of the body's big inflammatory signals, and then added PEMF. Normally, the IL-1 beta pushes these cells into full damage mode. They pump out inflammatory chemicals and start breaking down the tissue around them. With PEMF applied, that whole response was dialed down. Inflammatory markers dropped, and the cells made more of the good structural proteins that keep the joint matrix healthy. The mechanisms behind this were the PEMF switched on a protein called STIR1, which in turn helped shut down the NFKB, which is one of the master pathways that drives information. When they blocked the STIR1, PEMF stopped working, which is a pretty strong clue that the STIR1 and the NFKB route is a big part of how PEMF exerts its anti-inflammatory effect.

 

Joshua Roberts 06:58 
That's one way how PEMF's effects on inflammation can be explained. There is one more pretty kind of key one and widely spoken about one. What one is that as well?

 

Andy Smith 07:10 
Yes there are other ways and the other really important piece is adenosine which is your body's own built-in anti-inflammatory signal. Adenosine works by binding to receptors on the outside of the cells especially the A2A and A3 receptors. What the adenosine research shows is that low frequency low intensity PMFs actually increase the number of A2A and A3 receptors on cell surface in blood cells, joint cells and even nervous system cells. The receptors don't change their nature so PEMF doesn't alter how they bind it, it just puts more of them on the membrane and makes them more responsive. That means your existing adenosine suddenly has more docking stations we call them to work with so its natural anti-inflammatory effect is amplified. In practical terms that's been shown to reduce five pro-inflammatory cytokines while increasing IL-10 which is one of the body's calming anti-inflammatory cytokines. So if you zoom out PEMF works on inflammation from two directions at once, it turns down a major pro-inflammatory pathway the NFKB and it turns up your own internal anti-inflammatory system via the adenosine receptors. That combination helps explain why in real world tests like Philly's dry blood analysis you can actually see those white inflammatory zones shrinking after a session. You're not just feeling less inflamed, the signaling environment inside the body is genuinely shifting towards repair rather than attack.

 

Joshua Roberts 08:50 
Yeah. So PEMF doesn't just have one way it positively impacts inflammation. It has multiple mechanisms that actually help it achieve that result, which is why it might actually be so effective for inflammation and a wide range of other areas. Um, because that is actually a constant theme, kind of similar to oxygenation and kind of oxygen levels. There are many different ways that PEMF can actually help improve these. Um, but before we kind of get onto that, what did the live blood analysis or dry blood analysis show?

 

Andy Smith 09:19 
When you look to the oxygen side of things in filly's blood samples, the visual difference was actually really striking. In the before image, the dry blood had a noticeably pale tone. In this type of analysis, that lighter colour is usually interpreted as a sign that the red blood cells aren't carrying oxygen as effectively as they could be. After the session, the sample changed to a much deeper, richer red. That darker, fuller colour is what you'd expect when the cells are better oxygenated. So even though we're just looking at the static images, the shift in colour gives a clear visual clue that the blood was holding and delivering oxygen more effectively after the PEMF session. 

Joshua Roberts 10:02 
Yeah, as you say, it is quite striking the difference between the two blood samples. If you're watching, you'll be able to see it is quite a pale kind of reddish color and then it is almost quite a bright, red, intense color. And if you're listening, they were the major kind of two differences. But really for PEMF and oxygenation, how does it actually achieve this result?

 

Andy Smith 10:21 
So one of the biggest reasons PEMF helps with oxygenation is its effect on blood vessel behavior, especially the tiny micro vessels that control how easily blood can flow through tissues. A key part of this is nitric oxide, specifically endothelial nitric oxide, which is produced by the cells lining your blood vessels. Nitric oxide is a natural vasodilator, meaning it tells the vessels to relax and widen. When vessels open even slightly, blood can move more freely and oxygen delivery becomes more efficient. There's an interesting animal study that demonstrates this. Researchers applied a PEMS signal directly to the creemaster muscle of rats and observed the anteriolas, the very small vessels that control blood flow into tissues. What they saw was rapid and measurable vasodilation. Within just two minutes, the vessels widened by about nine percent, and after an hour of stimulation, the dilation remained almost identical. Importantly, nothing else changed. The rat's heart rate, blood pressure and tissue temperature stayed the same. So the vessel widening wasn't caused by heat or stress. It was a direct local effect of the PEMF signal on the microvasculature. This kind of vasodilation ties back to the nitric oxide signaling. PEMF has been shown in various studies to influence endothelial function, helping the vessel walls release more nitric oxide. When that happens, the vessels relax, circulation improves, and oxygen can move into tissues with far less resistance. So when we see blood samples shift from pale to richer red after the PEMF session, this microvascular response helps explain why it's not just the cells themselves, it's the delivery system. Wider vessels plus smoother flow means more oxygen is able to reach the tissues effectively, which lines up with what we've seen visually in that blood work.

 

Joshua Roberts 12:29 
Yeah, so we now know the PEMF can help with vasodilation, helping the blood vessels actually get wider, but can that actually help support them in any other way?

 

Andy Smith 12:38 
Yeah, this is a fascinating area, actually. There was a study that looked at how PEMF affects angiogenesis, which is the process of forming new blood vessels, something the body relies on heavily when it's healing or repairing tissue. Researchers used human endothelial cells and exposed them to a PEMF signal at around, well, sorry, strength around 40 gauss and 80 hertz frequency. They saw that the cells became much better that are growing and forming new vessel structures. But the really interesting part is how it happened. PEMF actually shifted the way those cells produced energy. Normally, endothelial cells rely on a mix of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis, but respiration can generate a lot of reactive oxygen species, basically cellular exhaust fumes that can limit healing. Under PEMF, the cells switched towards cleaner, faster glycolysis, which reduced oxidative stress and gave them more usable energy. They also noticed changes inside the mitochondria themselves. The PEMF triggered mitochondrial fission, which is a normal adjustment the cell makes to stay energized and healthy. This shift is mitochondrial behavior helped the cells stay in optimal state of growth and repair. So overall, the study suggests that PEMF doesn't just help vessels open up. It may also help the body build new micro vessels, which is a huge part of how tissues restore oxygen, nutrients and proper circulation.

 

Joshua Roberts 14:16 
Yeah, no, that's great. And this just shows that PEMF doesn't actually just affect the blood itself, actually affects how the blood is transported and the roots of transport almost. But we've spoken a lot in this episode about red blood cells, but there are also white blood cells. Did we have any blood analysis for this?

 

Andy Smith 14:34 
Yeah, absolutely. And this part was actually really interesting. When she relates at the white blood cells before and after PMF, there were only a few visible in the sample. And the ones that were there seemed almost quite static. They weren't really moving or interacting with their environment, which can be a sign that they're not particularly energised or active. After the PEMF session, the picture was completely different. There were noticeably more white blood cells visible in the sample, but the biggest change was their behaviour. They were moving with far more energy and purpose, and you could actually see them roaming across the slide, changing shape, and doing what healthy white blood cells are supposed to do. That increase in motility is often interpreted as a sign of better activity and responsiveness. So while most people talk about PEMF and red blood cells, the white blood cell side of things is just as fascinating, because it gives you a glimpse into how PEMF might support general cellular activity and immune function on a micro level. 

Joshua Roberts 15:35 
Just like with the red blood cells, it's really interesting to see how such a short session of PEMF can actually dramatically change the blood cell behavior. But now, more kind of broadly, are there any kind of research into PEMF effects on white blood cells and anything kind of, yeah, more research based around that?

 

Andy Smith 15:53 
Yeah there is actually and it lines up really surprisingly well with what we saw in her blood sample. One of the most relevant studies looked at how PEMF affects hematology and immune cell production in mice. Instead of just looking at the blood itself the researchers went a step deeper and examined the bone marrow, the place where the white blood cells are actually made. What they found was that when the mice exposed to PEMF there was a clear increase in total white blood cells and lymphocytes in the bloodstream. But the interesting part is why? When they looked at the bone marrow they saw a rise in something called CFUGM which are basically early stage immune cells like the star colonies. The cell that eventually develops into granulocytes and macrophages. So PEMF wasn't just affecting the blood it was already there. It seemed to stimulate the early production line that creates immune cells in the first place. They also measured a cytokine called GMCFSF which is a natural growth factor in that tells the body to make more white blood cells. In the mice receiving the PEMF exposure GMCFS levels went up which matched the increase in immune cell production. Taken together it matches what we saw under the microscope before PEMF. White blood cells were sparse and sluggish and after PEMF they were more numerous and actively moving. Studies like this help explain why PEMF might be supporting both the activity of the white blood cells in the moment and the production of new ones behind the scenes.

 

Joshua Roberts 17:34 
And yeah, hopefully each one of these breakdowns has helped you understand more on how PEMF actually achieves all of these effects and kind of maybe a little bit more on what's going on in the background. Um, but some people might be thinking now, if I lay on the PEMF map for 20 minutes, is my blood going to look like this forever? Is it just kind of a one and done? I've done my PEMF and now my blood's going to be healthy for life. Uh, is that the fact or is there, do you need to do kind of continuous sessions? Or as I say, is it just kind of a one and done kind of scenario?

 

Andy Smith 18:05 
Yeah, that's a great question because the changes we've talked about today, like unstacking the red blood cells, improving oxygenation, reducing those inflammatory markers or just seeing the white blood cells become more active, are all things you can see very quickly and quick changes straight after PMF, but they're not permanent. One PEMF session doesn't magically lock your blood cells into an optimized state forever. These effects tend to last up to eight hours because just like anything else in the body, those changes will gradually drift back towards the baseline as you go about your normal life. What PEMF research consistently shows is that these effects stacked with repeated use, almost every study follows the same pattern. A single session gives a notable shift, but it's then the repeated exposures daily or, you know, using them over a period of weeks that lead to deeper, more sustained changes. Some trials saw improvements after just a week, some after two and others kept improving for four to six or even eight weeks. So the goal isn't to just do one session and expect everything is going to stay perfect for life. The goal is to create a routine. Most people start like 20, 30 minutes at once, once a day or longer sessions in the morning and then shorter one in the evening, for example. This keeps the blood moving well, keeps inflammation, signaling karma and supports the nervous system consistently rather than just an isolated bursts.

 

Joshua Roberts 19:29 
So yeah once again like anything with PEMF consistency is key and the more consistently you use a system or a device the more benefits you're going to get and it will hopefully compound more and more over time. But I hope everyone enjoyed this episode if you've got any questions about it or any feedback please leave it below. While you're down there like, subscribe, believe us a five-star review and whatever audio platform you're listening from it just helps us make more and more of these episodes in the future.

 

Andy Smith 19:54 
Thanks for listening to today's episode of PEMF Podcast. 

References

NFKB study: 

https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-025-03492-0 


A2A study: 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5309410 


Vasodilation study: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14656663/ 


White blood cell study:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2019/3628956 

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The information shared through The PEMF Podcast and this website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any health concerns or before starting new wellness practices.