THREE AUTHORS ON THE SCIENCE BEHIND RED LIGHT THERAPY
Several books have been written about
red light therapy based on scientific research. We highlight some striking quotes from three of them . – Ari Whitten – The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy (2018) – Mark Sloan – Red Light Therapy – Miracle Medicine (2018, second edition) – Stephanie Hallett – Healing with Red Light Therapy (2020)
Ari Whitten – The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy (2018)
In his book, American biohacker Ari Whitten cites research by Harvard professor Michael Hamblin, PhD, showing that red and near-infrared light therapy reduces signs of skin damage and limits DNA damage 77 and UV-induced aging . It also accelerates wound healing by improving skin tissue repair and skin cell growth .
In the scientific journal Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, research can be read in 2013 that summarizes dozens of studies . The conclusion is that therapy with red and near-infrared light can reduce the signs of aging.
Accelerated Wound Healing with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy Whitten writes: Red and near-infrared light therapy are fantastic for wound healing. That was one of the original findings of the NASA study that really put red light therapy on the map. In fact, red and near-infrared light therapy has been shown to help close wounds 20 percent faster and with less scarring , even the types of wounds that don’t heal quickly . Red and near-infrared light therapy has also been shown to reduce the appearance of facial scars.
Red light also increases blood circulation and the formation of new capillaries in the skin . Increased blood circulation and the formation of new capillaries ensures that the injured area receives more of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to start and maintain the healing process. Red and infrared light accomplishes this in several ways , namely clearing away dead and damaged skin cells , increasing ATP in skin cells, giving cells more energy to heal themselves , increasing fibroblast production increasing blood flow, giving the wound more of the oxygen and nutrients it needs for healing , stimulating collagen production , extracellular matrix health , stimulating lymphatic activity, and stimulating the formation of new connective tissue and blood vessels on the surface of the wound . Increased Bone Healing with Red and Near Infrared Light Therapy Animal and human studies have shown that red and near infrared light therapy greatly aids in the healing of fractures, breaks, and bone defects. In broken bones, ATP production is interrupted and cells begin to die from lack of energy. Red and near-infrared light have been shown to:
– Stimulates energy production in bone cells
– Increases bone growth factors
– Improves blood vessel formation and blood flow to the damaged area
– Limits inflammation
– Improves the adhesion and production of collagen and pro – collagen and stimulates the growth of bone cells , which accelerates the bone repair process
Overall, bone exposed to near-infrared wavelengths shows increased bone formation and collagen deposition. Red and near-infrared light therapy is becoming popular in sports where fractures, sprains and breaks are common – from horse racing to football.
Improve Joint Health, Fight Arthritis with Red Light Therapy Studies show that red and near-infrared light therapy can help people with osteoarthritis [arthritis can lead to osteoarthritis] . It does this through four mechanisms:
– Reduce pain
– Limiting inflammation (decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines) and increasing anti – inflammatory cytokines)
Increasing circulation to the area
Stimulate wound healing and cellular repair mechanisms in the damaged joint
Here’s what Michael Hamblin, PhD, wrote in his 2013 review of the scientific literature on this red-light therapy, also called LLLT, Low-level laser therapy : ‘ LLLT has been used clinically for osteoarthritis for many years, but is still considered controversial. Although a Cochrane review reported mixed and conflicting results, a subsequent analysis conducted by Bjordal and colleagues concluded that the Cochrane review’s conclusion was neither robust nor valid . Further sensitivity analyses with inclusion of valid studies that were not included , missing follow -up, and missing subgroup analyses revealed consistent and highly significant results in favor of active LLLT for osteoarthritis. ‘
In short, while some published studies have seemingly failed to produce positive results, a more detailed review of the research has shown that red light therapy has significant benefits for osteoarthritis. Benefits include reduced inflammation, pain management , and growth of connective tissue . Improve Heart Health with Red Light Therapy To date, only animal studies have been conducted on the benefits of red light therapy for heart health and cardiac recovery after heart problems and surgeries. In a recent systematic review (2017) of the scientific literature, scientists report that animal studies consistently show positive effects of red light therapy, reducing infarct size (the size of the damaged area during heart attacks) by up to 76% , which reduces inflammation and scarring and accelerates tissue repair .
In studies of heart tissue, red and near-infrared light therapy works through multiple molecular pathways, including modulation of inflammatory cytokines, signaling molecules, transcription factors, enzymes, and antioxidants. Other studies have noted numerous benefits to cardiac function . Reduce Pain with Red Light Therapy Red light therapy has been remarkably effective at reducing joint pain in virtually all areas of the body. [Whitten lists some of the pathways through which the light works its healing effects, including] changes in opioid receptors in the tissue, changes in substance P, and interference with nerve transmission and pain sensation . It’s worth noting that there are different types of pain caused by different things . Red /NIR light therapy almost certainly won’t work equally well for all types of pain, regardless of the location and cause of the pain. For that reason, not all studies on different types of pain have shown benefits.
In the most recent review of the scientific literature from 2014, it was noted :
“Studies have shown that LLLT can have positive effects on the symptomology associated with chronic pain; however, this finding is not universal . A meta-analysis using effect sizes from 22 articles on LLLT and pain by Fulop et al. (2010) showed an overall effect size of 0.84. ‘This is classified as a large effect size and strongly suggests the use of LLLT to reduce chronic pain.’
These are some conditions where red and NIR light have been shown to be effective:
Chronic neck pain
Knee pain
Fibromyalgia
Low back pain
Chronic pain in the elbow, wrist and fingers
Chronic joint diseases
Sacroiliac joint pain
Chronic toothache
Osteoarthritis pain
Tendinitis and myofascial pain
So while not every study has shown benefits for every type of pain, the overwhelming body of evidence suggests that red and NIR light may be helpful to at least some extent for most types of pain.
In a recent systematic review, researchers concluded that red light therapy ” has been shown to be beneficial for many people suffering from pain, regardless of the condition causing the pain . “
Improve Muscle Growth, Strength, Endurance, and Recovery with Red Light Ther apy
‘ Sports medicine will benefit from PBM [photobiomodulation] because both professional and amateur athletes will be able to recover better from intense training – the process also helps with training regimens. In the near future, sports agencies should learn to deal with ‘laser doping’ by at least discussing it openly, because the aforementioned beneficial effects and the pre-conditioning achieved by laser and LED irradiation will greatly improve athletic performance. ‘ — Michael Hamblin, PhD.
Red/NIR light during exercise is a powerful combination. Not only does red/NIR light help you recover faster, it also appears to amplify everything that happens during exercise: increased muscle growth, fat loss, performance, strength, and endurance. Research shows that both red and near-infrared light therapy can powerfully repair muscle tissue and help people perform better. It also helps the body reap more benefits from exercise, both in terms of muscle growth and fat loss.
There is also research (albeit animal studies) that shows that red and near-infrared light can help prevent muscle loss that occurs with aging. Muscle tissue has more mitochondria than almost any other tissue or organ in the human body. So it responds particularly well to red light therapy. Muscles are packed with mitochondria because ATP [body energy] is needed for every muscle contraction and movement, no matter how small.
Through their effects on ATP production and cellular healing mechanisms, red/NIR light helps individuals recover faster from strenuous exercise and resistance training, and even helps prevent muscle fatigue during exercise. 324 studies provide evidence that red and near-infrared light therapy are powerful at preventing muscle fatigue, improving muscle strength and endurance, increasing exercise-induced fat loss responses, increasing exercise-induced muscle growth responses, and promoting faster recovery. Not bad for a simple treatment that takes just a few minutes, right?
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Mark Sloan – Red Light Therapy – Miracle Medicine (2018, 2e editie)
In the conclusion of his book, Mark Sloan is headed: Paradigm Shift – From Drugs and Surgery to Food and LIGHT. Underneath he notes: When you visit a doctor, you run the risk of being diagnosed with one or more of more than 30,000 “officially” classified diseases. Healthcare professionals and the public alike have been conditioned for decades to believe that there are tens of thousands of diseases. For pharmaceutical companies, the invention of each new disease means additional revenue from at least one new product. The more diseases claimed, the more profit there is. As Buckminster Fuller once wrote, “The truth is always beautiful and simple” – and the truth is that there is only one disease: a malfunctioning cell.
A Malfunctioning Cell
The main reason why drug and surgical intervention have been such a colossal failure is, of course, that it is not for lack of poisons or scalpels that cells malfunction. Modern science has established that the onset of disease in the body is almost universally the result of a disruption in cellular metabolism. A cell that is unable to efficiently convert food into energy is perhaps the most accurate definition of an unhealthy cell. When a large number of cells in the body are not producing sufficient energy, in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) [body energy], then the organism as a whole is unhealthy. This decrease in energy production is the primary cause of the symptoms that the patient experiences. These symptoms are usually the reason people visit their physicians, who then diagnose a specific disease and prescribe specific medications or surgeries. Although the symptomatic relief that some medications and surgeries provide is beneficial to patients in the short term, in the long run these interventions only aggravate the cause of the problem.
Conversely, when you avoid the things that poison cellular metabolic processes (such as toxins and injuries), and expose the body to factors essential for efficient metabolism (nutrients and light), poorly functioning cells heal, symptoms disappear, and health is restored throughout the body.
The Red Light Revolution
To date, over 50,000 scientific studies have shown that red and near-infrared light can effectively repair and improve the function of virtually every cell and tissue in the body. According to research, literally dozens of diseases and conditions can be effectively treated with red light. Since red light is an antioxidant and a non-tissue specific healing accelerator, the reality is that there are probably no ailments that cannot be solved or at least significantly improved with the help of red and near-infrared light. Furthermore, there have been no negative side effects reported in the scientific literature to date. What we do know now is that enzymes within cells absorb light in the red and near-infrared portions of the light spectrum and when they do so, cellular metabolism is enhanced. This enhanced energy production allows the body to perform all the vital functions it needs, not only to survive, but to function and perform optimally. This makes health what it has always been, a matter of energy.
No other medicine in the world has the track record of red light therapy for safety and efficacy. If it weren’t for the fact that red light devices are inexpensive and can last for decades, the pharmaceutical industry would call red light therapy the best treatment ever discovered. If you could put photons of red light in a pill, it would undoubtedly be a billion dollar blockbuster drug. But doctors will probably never tell you that unless they have an expensive red light therapy machine that you can pay to use. That’s why I wrote this book. LED technology has made red light therapy inexpensive and available to virtually everyone in the comfort of your own home.
The solariums used by the ancient Egyptians for healing have not only survived the rigors of modern science, but have been vindicated by them. The precise physiological mechanisms of red light on the organism are discovered and presented in detail in this book. The final frontier in red light research has been reached. Once the red light revolution has swept the earth, all the poisonous and ineffective drugs that come its way will be replaced, and red light will be heralded as one of the safest and most miraculous medicines ever discovered. Under the heading “The Science,” Sloan writes in his book: In 1904, two influential volumes on light therapy were published: “Light energy, its physics, physiological action and therapeutic applications” by Margaret A. Cleaves and ” Elements of general radio-therapy for practitioners” by Leopold Freund. All three [earlier he also mentions Light Therapeutics by John Harvey Kellog] of the above-mentioned books are available free online. In the decades that followed, interest in the healing effects of light faded, replaced by modern medications and surgical treatments. That is, until the invention of the laser.
Difference between red and near infrared
The physiological effects of red and near infrared light in the body occur in similar ways. For therapeutic applications, the main difference between the two is that near infrared light penetrates deeper into the body than red light […].While red light is often used for superficial applications such as skin treatments, for example acne, near infrared light can be used for both the skin and to reach tissues deeper in the body. […] near infrared radiation penetrates deeper into body tissues than red light.
[…]
Russian scientists were the first to scientifically investigate and document the health effects of red light in the early twentieth century. It was not until the year 2000 that we saw an explosion of interest in red light research in Western countries such as the United States. And since then, the amount of publishing activity on this topic has increased almost exponentially. To date, more than 50,000 articles have been published on red and near-infrared light therapies. […] Of the more than 50,000 studies published to date on red light therapy, no adverse side effects have been reported. […] The only nutrient essential for efficient energy production that cannot be obtained through diet is red light.
[…]
How Red Light Therapy Works
It’s important to understand about cellular metabolism that each step of the process is supervised by a specific enzyme. One such enzyme is cytochrome c oxidase, discovered in 1926 by Dr. Otto Warburg, who received a Nobel Prize for his discovery. […] Dr. Warburg discovered that by inhibiting cytochrome c oxidase, a healthy cell can be turned into a cancer cell—a finding that has been validated by a number of recent experiments.
[…]
Cytochrome c oxidase is unique in that it absorbs light, specifically within the red and near-infrared portions of the spectrum. Red and near-infrared light not only free the cytochrome c oxidase enzyme from inhibition by nitric oxide, it also directly energizes the enzyme, increasing its activity. The result is improved cellular metabolism with the following beneficial physiological effects resulting from increased metabolic activity:
Increased energy production (ATP)
Increased cellular oxygenation
Increased blood flow in the body
Increased CO2 production
Less stress hormones
Reduced lactic acid
Less inflammation
Fewer free radicals
It is this cascade of beneficial physiological properties that may account for most, if not all, of the broad beneficial effects of near-infrared and red light therapies. Summary: Red and near-infrared light penetrate deep into body tissues, where they mediate their healing effects by enhancing mitochondrial energy production. […]
Since the publication of this book, I have received some extraordinary testimonials from people who have had incredible results with red light therapy. Most of these people had tried various conventional and alternative treatments without success. Time and time again, red light therapy has succeeded where other treatments have failed.
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Stephanie Hallett – Healing with red ligt therapy (2020)
Hallet writes under the heading Light Therapy and Stem Cells : Remarkably, red and near-infrared light can stimulate not only our healthy, active cells, but also our stem cells. This is important because stem cells have the potential to become many different types of cells and help our bodies when they need them . According to Harvard University’s Dr. Hamblin, PBM can give the mitochondria of stem cells a boost. That encourages them to come out of their niches in our bone marrow , our organs and elsewhere in the body to search for oxygen . ” Once they come out of their niche, they are exposed to the signals that are being given off by tissues that need the stem cells , ” says Dr. Hamblin. When tissues are damaged, they hope to repair themselves by recruiting stem cells. Those stem cells try to reach the site of the damage, but getting them out of their niches certainly helps. So by shining red and near-infrared light on our bodies, we give ourselves the opportunity to activate the stem cells that can heal us.
Hallet asks a question and answers it in Chapter 2 of her book : Okay, is there evidence to support all of the claims? The short answer: yes! There have been over 4,000 PBM laboratory studies conducted, as well as approximately 700 clinical trials. In total, over 6,000 articles have been published on the subject—nearly 500 in 2018 alone, indicating a growing interest in this treatment.
Looking back over the past decade, we can point to a number of particularly important papers. In 2006, a major report was published in the journal Nature highlighting the ability of near-infrared light to remove nitric oxide from cytochrome c oxidase, thereby returning stressed cells to normal, healthy function. The report noted that “ any solution to the excessive binding of nitric oxide could reduce the risk of both cancer and degenerative diseases , ” because it would encourage diseased cells to die and healthy cells to rejuvenate. The following year, the Journal of Rheumatology published a review of research into the treatment of chronic neck pain and found that LL LT therapy effectively reduced pain and improved function in the medium term in both acute and chronic conditions. In 2009, The Lancet published a similar review of research into PBM for neck pain and found similar results: the treatment worked immediately in patients with acute neck pain, and up to 22 weeks after treatment in those with chronic neck pain.
The list goes on: studies and reviews have been published in journals such as the Journal of Applied Oral Science, the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and a large number of laser therapy journals around the world. The PBM community is still working on larger, high-quality randomized clinical trials, especially those conducted on American patients in American hospitals and published in major medical journals – it takes money, but it is happening.
Pain and Red Light
Regarding pain, Hallett writes in her introduction to Chapter 3: If there’s one thing PBM therapy is most widely used for and known for, it’s pain relief. There are dozens of FDA-approved devices available to help treat pain, from small handheld devices that resemble shower heads to larger light panels designed to treat larger areas of the body. The science is clear: When applied to the body, red and near-infrared light is highly effective at reducing inflammation and thereby relieving pain, especially in the neck, back, and joints; photobiomodulation is also great for relieving arthritis-related pain .
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately one in five American adults lives with some form of chronic pain—that’s about 50 million people—with women, the elderly, unemployed adults, people living in poverty, and rural Americans suffering the most. The pain can lead to a number of bad outcomes: lost productivity, anxiety and depression, opioid addiction, and an unsatisfactory quality of life. No wonder so many people are turning to alternative treatments like cannabidiol (CBD), acupuncture, and now red light therapy for relief. Sports and Red Light When it comes to sports recovery, Hallett writes in her introduction to Chapter 4: Athletic recovery is another area where photobiomodulation shows its power . Inflammation and muscle soreness are normal parts of physical activity and are to be expected no matter your physical condition . The bodies of professional athletes take particular punishment . For those at the top of their game , but even for the everyday sports enthusiast , a quick and complete recovery is key to getting back in action. Because PBM therapy is so effective at reducing pain and inflammation, it attracts many elite athletes for recovery and relief, including NHL hockey players, Olympians, and NBA basketball players.
[…]
‘Professional athletes swear by PBM for recovery. NBA and NHL players, Olympians and other champions have raved about light therapy , crediting it with some of their improved performance and overall health . But everyday athletes can benefit, too, whether you’re a teacher who loves to run, a barista who lifts weights or a lawyer who works out in Zumba class on the weekends . All bodies can get stiff and sore after a workout , and a full-body PBM treatment using a light panel or red-light bed can reduce pain and inflammation, help your muscles recover faster , or get you back on your feet .
Chronic Disease
Hallett addresses the topic of chronic disease in Chapter 5 of her book: “Chronic conditions—from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction and severe, long-term swelling to rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia—affect a large number of Americans. These conditions can be difficult to diagnose, and many people struggle with mysterious, painful symptoms for years before they finally get answers. Even then, chronic conditions can resist treatment, leaving them frustrated and hurting .
Many of these conditions are caused by inflammation. Since PBM is effective at reducing inflammation, it makes sense that red and near infrared light therapy has been shown to be beneficial for symptom management.
Is there another advantage of PBM for chronic conditions? It is free of side effects, which cannot be said of most other available treatments for these diseases; the vast majority are pharmacological, so like other medications, they come with a number of risks. Long-term use of PBM can provide significant relief . It can also usually be used in conjunction with medications and other lifestyle changes, acting as a complementary therapy.
[…] Living with a condition like lymphedema or rheumatoid arthritis can impact a person’s ability to participate in daily life. These conditions cause pain and fatigue and are unpredictable. It’s hard to know how you’ll feel from one day to the next, making work, parenting, and even getting out of bed a challenge. With the long-term healing potential of PBM therapy, a fuller life may be within reach. […]
‘PBM therapy offers an effective treatment option for chronic conditions, especially those that are difficult to treat or require pharmacological intervention. Red light therapy is painless , gentle , and risk-free, and while it may take three to five sessions or more before you begin to notice a major change in your health, continued use over time has been shown to significantly improve and even reverse chronic conditions.
Wound Healing
On the important topic of wound healing, Hallett writes in Chapter 7 that photobiomodulation can be used to accelerate the healing of: From slow and non-healing diabetic ulcers to cuts and scrapes to post-surgical healing. There is evidence from a large number of human and animal studies to support the use of PBM to accelerate wound healing. Cell proliferation, reduced swelling, increased oxygen and blood flow, cell regeneration, and collagen production are keys to the wound healing process and occur when red and near-infrared light are shone on the skin – there is a lot of science behind this . However, there is currently little insurance coverage for this type of treatment in the US and , so it can be difficult to get wounds treated with PBM depending on where you live, despite evidence of success.
Why isn’t red light therapy a part of every hospital or clinic? With thousands of published reports and hundreds of successful human clinical trials, you might think that photobiomodulation would be a major treatment option for a variety of health conditions in the U.S. Instead, you’re more likely to find light therapy in small, private wellness clinics (where even a single treatment can be pricey), some physical therapy and dermatology practices, and some veterinary and dental clinics.
Bronnen bij Ari Whitten – The ultimate guide to red light therapy
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