Red light therapy is a form of photo biomodulation, which is the process of using light to stimulate cells in the body.

It is also known as low-level laser therapy or cold laser therapy. Light therapy technology isn’t new; it’s been around for decades as NASA experimented with red light therapy during the 1980s and 1990s. More recently red light therapy has become more common due to the progress in LED light technology, allowing for the production of safe and affordable clinical and at-home devices.

In 2016, Kaiyan Medical became the first leading manufacturer of red light therapy of affordable FDA-approved and MDASAP-approved light therapy devices. Aduro is the industry leading, light therapy wearable produced by Kaiyan Medical.

Red light therapy exposes the body to red light, which is absorbed by the mitochondria in our cells. Here's how the mitochondria are affected by red light:

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1. LED light wavelengths from 600-800nm(red) and between 810-850nm(infrared) penetrate through the skin into the cells via a red light therapy device.

2. Light enters the cell's mitochondria, absorbed by chromophores which include EZ water and protein cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), resulting in stimulating activity.

3. Subsequently, three molecules are affected: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and Nitric Oxide (NO).

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The production of adenosine triphosphateor ATP, by the absorptionof light energy is responsible for producing energy in our cells. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) energy, which increasesfunction, speeds healing, and can reduce inflammation & discomfort, asdemonstrated in numerous peer-reviewed studies. [1]

Red light therapy allows a person to supplement thesunlight they get from their environment with concentrated wavelengths of redand NIR light to stimulate this effect.

Red light therapy uses low-level laser or LED light to stimulate cells in the body and promote healing. It has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of conditions including :

1. Reduced inflammation - Inflammation in the body can be acute and topical or chronic and general. Red light therapy decreases the number of inflammatory cells, increases fibroblast proliferation (cells that synthesize collagen and other matrix macromolecules), stimulates angiogenesis (creation of new blood vessels), and activates the body’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant response.

2. Increased tissue repair - Red light therapy has proven to be highly effective in rapidly treating wounds from burns, scars, bedsores, ulcers, surgery incisions, and diabetic neuropathy.

NASA strongly supports this claim as this technology was used in treating wounds. Red and near-infrared light proves effective in all four phases of the wound-healing process:

Coagulation

Inflammation

Migration

Remodeling

These processes are regulated by various factors connected via nitric oxide (NO) signaling release, adjusted by light energy. An issue the body encounters when trying to heal a wound is low oxygen flow, and red light increases the flow of oxygen, speeding up the natural healing process. By reducing inflammation and increasing oxygenation of the wounded area, blood vessels can form, rapidly repairing the area, lessening pain and scarring.

3. Reduction of pain - red light therapy, has proven effective against carpal tunnel syndrome, mucositis, neck pain, menstrual cramps, temporomandibular joint pain, and neuropathic pain from amputation. It also significantly reduces the pain of hypersensitivity while improving sensorimotor function.

4. Increased collagen production - Collagen is the primary structural protein in our bodies. It’s the main ingredient in our connective tissue, consisting of tightly bound amino acids that hold our bodies together. So when our bodies take in the healthy natural wavelengths of red and infrared light, the mitochondria in our cells can produce energy more efficiently. That increased energy allows your fibroblast cells to create more natural collagen.

This natural boost in collagen production from wavelengths of red and near infrared light has been examined in numerous clinical trials and laboratory studies. And the benefits of higher levels of naturally produced collagen can be seen in skin, bones, and hair.

5. Increased blood flow - Red light therapy is scientifically proven to increase the micro-circulation of blood and support the circulatory system as a whole by stimulating the development of new capillaries which carry oxygen throughout the body.

6. Improved Overall Mood - Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depressions, impacting 5% of Americans, specifically during the winter when there’s less natural sunlight. SAD is also known as seasonal depression or winter blues.

Many people treat SAD symptoms via bright white light treatment, mimicking the sun’s light daily. However, researchers recommend natural light treatment, like red light therapy, to help with light deficiency. Over recent years, physicians recommend red light therapy alongside psychotherapy and medication.

7. Reduced Stress Levels - oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Both of these molecules are necessary for normal, healthy reactions in the body, but an excess of either can cause damage. Red light, at specific wavelengths, is readily absorbed by light receptors in the mitochondria of the body’s cells, which activates metabolic energy processes. Red and near-infrared wavelengths of light promote ATP production, which boosts energy transport within cells, leading to increased cell proliferation.

8. Improved Sleep Quality - Light Plays a Major Role in Your Sleep Cycle. The brain interprets light as a sign of when to be asleep and awake. Your circadian rhythm is designed around the sun, but the bright lights and screens of modern life can knock the body’s natural signals and rhythms out of whack. Hormones that regulate the sleep cycle are also directly affected by light. Cortisol, a steroid hormone, helps wake us up and keep us going. Cortisol levels tend to be highest in the mornings and lowest when we’re in our deepest sleep.  

Melatonin is a counterpart to cortisol that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Your body usually starts producing melatonin in the early evening, when you’re starting to wind down and get closer to sleep. Bright light, especially bright blue light from phones and computers, has been shown to disrupt melatonin production.  

The kind of light you’re exposed to closely affects your sleep hormones and your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep at the right times. Red Light Therapy can help boost melatonin levels that ensure good sleep.

9. Hair growth. Red light therapy is a form of light therapy that is used to treat a variety of conditions, including wound healing, hair growth, and combating age. Tiffany Oliver is an associate professor at Spelman College and her research focuses on the effects of red light on nitric oxide and its role in promoting biological effects that are beneficial. Studies have shown that red light therapy can increase the number of follicles and the length of hair that grows.

While many people are using red light therapy devices for at-home treatment, red light therapy systems are found in many clinical and professional settings:

Skincare Professionals: Red light therapy is a popular skincare treatment among Hollywood celebrities, including Kourtney Kardashian, Julia Roberts, and Emma Stone. Leading skincare professionals like dermatologists and aestheticians use red light therapy to help promote collagen production, reduce wrinkles, and treat skin conditions.

Health Practitioners: Health practitioners from all specialties are incorporating red light therapy into their practice. Dentists use it to reduce inflammation, physicians for mental health conditions, and oncologists for cancer side effects. It can also be used to help with the treatment of chronic conditions like arthritis.

Natural Health Experts: Leading voices in the health and wellness industry such as Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, Ben Greenfield, and Dave Asprey strongly support the use of red light therapy. Paleo and Keto health experts like Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Luke Story, and Dr. Anthony Gust in also support red light therapy. Some people use it to help with weight loss and improve sleep quality.

Sports& fitness: The National Sports Association of Sports Medicine (NASM)adopted red light therapy to treat sports injuries. Top trainers and doctors, including Dr. Troy Van Biezen and Dr. Ara Suppiah, use red light therapy to heal their athletes. Red light therapy can help with various things, such as reducing muscle fatigue, increasing muscle strength, reducing beta amyloid plaque, and improving stem cell production. Professional athletes worldwide, including NFL stars like Patrick Peterson, UFC champion Anthony Pettis, and gold medal gymnast Sanne Weavers use red light therapy to enhance performance and quicken recovery. World-renown fitness trainers, including Lacey Stone and Jorge Cruise, use red light therapy to enhance athletic performance and muscle recovery.

Red Light therapy has been applied in a variety of different ways through the ages. Many people feel good after spending some time in the sun.

Saunas are away of producing Infrared light through heat. After a sauna you will feel better and recharged. It is no surprise that saunas have developed in Nordic countries where there is less infrared light available from the sun than in countries around the equator.

The easiest and quickest way to get the effects of red light therapy are through purposefully designed wearable devices and light boxes such as the Aduro face mask.

This is only the beginning of our understanding of the benefits of red light therapy, and in the next few years we will see even more research proving the effects of Red Light Therapy.

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Sources.

[9]LeeJH, Chiang MH, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of low-level laser therapy onhuman periodontal ligament cells: in vitro study.  Lasers in MedicalScience. 2018 Apr.

 Douris P, Southard V, etal. Effect of Phototherapy on delayed onset muscle soreness. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. 2006 June.

 Poorpezeshk N, GhoreishiSK, et al. Early Low-Level Laser Therapy Improves the Passive Range of Motionand Decreases Pain in Patients With Flexor Tendon Injury. Photomedicine andLaser Surgery. 2018 Oct.

 Li S, Wang C, et al.Efficacy of Low-Level Light Therapy for Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer: ASystematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. DiabetesResearch and Clinical Practice. 2018 Sep.

[10]  Avci P, Gupta A, etal. Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing,restoring. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. Mar 2013.

WunschA and Matuschka K. A Controlled Trial to Determine the Efficacy of Red andNear-Infrared Light Treatment in Patient Satisfaction, Reduction of Fine Lines,Wrinkles, Skin Roughness, and Intradermal Collagen Density Increase.Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. Feb 2014.

[11]Jung C, KhalsaS, et al. Acute Effects of Bright Light Exposure on Cortisol Levels. Journal ofBiological Rhythms. 2010 Jun.

[12]HarvardHealth. Blue light has a dark side.

[13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C00oDKGK1uo