What are the health benefits of near-infrared red light therapy?

The list of health benefits is impressively long and we will examine them in more detail below.

Basically, it can be said that improved cell health creates the ideal conditions for a healthy, energetic life. Our health is often affected by everyday stress, chronic exhaustion, poor nutrition and lack of exercise. All of this can lead to a weakening of the immune system. At the cellular level, this reduces the cell frequency, which means the human body has less energy for internal processes.

These negative factors lead to an increase in nitric oxide in the body. This increase can be harmful when the nitric oxide (NO) binds to the enzyme cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), which is necessary for our cellular health. The near infrared and red light used in the therapy can break the bonds between NO and CCO, thereby increasing cellular frequency and improving cellular health.75

1. Pain relief

Red light therapy has been proven to relieve pain naturally. Studies have shown that red light therapy treatments (commonly abbreviated to LLLT, low level laser therapy) can help with chronic back pain, muscle pain, knee pain and joint pain. Other studies have shown that it can improve the healing process after injuries and surgeries and reduce the need for painkillers or other over-the-counter medications.

The potential pain relief provided by red light results from increased blood flow throughout the body, particularly from improved blood flow to damaged tissue.

In addition, near-infrared red light therapy causes what is known as photobiomodulation: there is an increase in ATP in the mitochondria, which means that the body's cells have more energy available and can work faster. This optimization of cell functions is directly related to the faster regeneration of damaged tissue; the body's own immune system can act more strongly and quickly to repair internal damage.

2. Help against inflammation in the body (one of the main causes of chronic diseases)

Initial research results suggest that red light therapy can help reduce inflammation in the body. The causes of inflammation can be varied - and so can the options for treating it, as the initial results confirm:

In particular, positive effects have been shown on muscle inflammation, which occurs particularly during very strenuous exercise. Treatment with red light before exercise can relieve pain caused by excessive strain and shorten the recovery phase.

Pain relief has also been observed in various forms of arthritis when near infrared red light therapy is used regularly. Additionally, swelling (associated with arthritis) and stiffness have been found to decrease. These early results are fantastic news for people with arthritis, who often struggle with constant pain and limited mobility.

The above-mentioned connections can be easily explained when one considers the way photobiomodulation works. The energy supplied in the form of near-infrared and red light stimulates ATP production in the mitochondria, which means that the body's own processes, such as supplying the muscles with blood and oxygen, run faster and more intensively.

3. Improved skin appearance and anti-aging (increased collagen and elastin production)

LLLT or LED light therapy has long been known in the beauty industry and is regularly used, especially by stars and celebrities. The main reason for this is its anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. The increased blood and oxygen circulation allows damaged skin tissue to be repaired more quickly; skin regeneration is stimulated.

Red light therapy is your miracle weapon in the fight against the aging process of your skin. The red light irradiation stimulates your blood circulation and transports oxygen better to the skin cells.
Red light therapy has proven to be an extremely effective wellness therapy in the field of anti-aging, i.e. slowing down the aging process, in recent years. It helps stimulate the regeneration of skin cells, thereby improving the overall quality of the skin. This is because red light therapy supplies skin cells with the energy they need to regenerate, thereby reducing signs of stress and skin aging. Red light therapy devices emit a form of energy that can be particularly well utilized by our body's mitochondria. This is important because mitochondrial function is constantly impaired by oxidative stress and poor cell regeneration, which causes signs of aging. Red light promotes blood circulation and oxygen transport to skin cells, as well as supplying them with the energy and nutrients they need to minimize the signs of aging and produce more collagen. Red light therapy provides skin cells, or more specifically their mitochondria, with an extra dose of energy. In the words of Dr. Raleigh Duncan said, "When red or near-infrared light enters the mitochondrion of a cell and is converted into ATP or energy... this is the currency of the cell. It's like a fountain of youth that turns light into energy. As we age, we face the problem that our cells are no longer as strong and they lack energy. If we give them more ATP, it acts like a fountain of youth."

4. Muscle regeneration and strengthening

There are further exciting results in the area of ​​muscle regeneration and strengthening. Increased muscle activity in terms of strength, endurance and general performance was found. Furthermore, treatment with red light leads to an increase in absolute muscle strength and grip strength. Similar results were also found in relation to leg strength.

Health benefits have been proven for both women and men. The research evidence regarding an increase in strength is clear.

Also noteworthy are the increase in general performance and the shortening of the regeneration phase. The combination of increased strength and a shorter regeneration phase is interesting for both professional and amateur athletes.

5. Improve thyroid health

Some studies have shown that red light therapy can be helpful for the thyroid. For example, this placebo-controlled clinical trial showed how LLLT effectively improved thyroid function (increased production of T4) and helped reduce autoimmunity by lowering thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOab). Another study also concluded that “preliminary results suggest that LLLT promotes improvement in thyroid function as patients experienced lower LT4 requirements, reduction in TPOAb levels, and increase in parenchymal echogenicity.”

Another study shows how LLLT improves the function of thyroid tissue.

And best of all, a long-term study concluded that LLLT is safe for the treatment of hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis.

6. Increased testosterone production, especially in men

A 2013 study suggests an increase in testosterone with red light therapy. An Italian study had men use red light therapy for 30 minutes every morning and an equal group received a placebo. The results showed that daily exposure significantly increased testosterone levels in the blood. In fact, they found that testosterone levels in the men increased by more than 50%. The sexual satisfaction of these men also increased by more than three times.

7. Improved sleep and biorhythm

Just 30 minutes of treatment with red light per day is enough to influence the circadian rhythm. This rhythm significantly controls our sleep pattern. Various studies suggest that increased exposure of the skin to light first thing in the morning can help regulate sleep rhythm.
A 2012 study found that a 30-minute treatment with red light can increase the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which is responsible for the quality of our sleep patterns.

Positive effects on mental health and relief of seasonal depression (“winter depression”)

8. Reducing stress

Reduce toxic stress and actively counteract depression. This is what treatment with red light makes possible. Red light therapy devices for the home are a real blessing, especially during the dark season with a lack of sunlight.
What is less well known is that light therapy in general, and red light therapy in particular, is currently being studied for its ability to relieve depression and reduce stress. A study published in 2016 showed that red light therapy is effective in treating major depression, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the brain. It is known that light is essential to every biological species on our planet and the absence of light impacts our well-being and can cause stress and depression. Red light therapy has proven to be invaluable for people living near the Earth's poles, where seasonal affective disorder (also known as "winter depression") has a dramatic impact on the health and well-being of people who do not receive the same amount of sunlight as those living near the equator. With the help of targeted, low-energy red and near-infrared light waves, our body is able to carry out a chemical reaction that supplies our cells with energy (ATP) and regulates essential rhythms that determine our stress levels, such as the circadian and ultradian rhythms. Red light therapy increases blood flow to the brain, the oxygen concentration in the blood and energy production in the brain. This increases brain function and the ability of brain tissue to regenerate. A 2018 study showed that red light therapy is "a safe and effective method for significantly improving memory, attention and mood in healthy and neurological patients."

9. Increase in performance

Red light therapy works on your body at a cellular level. It makes you feel more energized from the inside out. The therapy devices help you to feel less exhausted and say goodbye to the midday slump.
Red light therapy has been shown to help users increase their activity and stamina, as well as regulating a number of vital functions that keep us energized throughout the day. Red light therapy devices emit a form of energy that is absorbed by the body's mitochondria and converted into ATP. ATP is essentially a molecular energy boost for cells that stimulates repair and regeneration processes. Red light therapy therefore offers a simple and effective way to provide our bodies with extra energy at a cellular level, which has a hugely positive effect on our productivity and performance. Studies have shown that red light therapy is effective in treating chronic conditions such as fatigue syndrome and even multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia.

10. Red light therapy has now been well researched.

As long as you stick to the recommended treatment duration and use, red light therapy is not dangerous for you in any way. You also don't need to worry about wearing a mask to protect yourself from the red light rays. It is usually sufficient to close your eyes during the therapy. Protective goggles are provided for your safety.