Sep. 26, 2023
What is red light therapy?
Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, has been studied in extensive clinical trials worldwide since the 1980s. It was originally developed by NASA to promote plant growth during space missions, but it was soon discovered that red light therapy has many health benefits for humans as well. It is usually managed through a whole or LED panel.
Treatment sessions are usually short, lasting approximately less than 10 minutes, and are repeated several times a week. Notably, unlike many different therapies that address similar conditions, red light therapy has few reported side effects.
How Red Light Therapy Works
Every living organism is made up of cells, the basic unit of life. They perform essential functions that maintain the health and vitality of the entire organism. These functions include breathing, metabolism, and energy production, among others. When cells do not function optimally, it can have a knock-on effect throughout the body, leading to a variety of health problems. This is where red light therapy comes in. Red light therapy can help improve cellular health by enhancing mitochondrial function and energy production.
By stimulating the production of ATP, the cell's energy currency, red light therapy can help cells perform their functions more efficiently. This can lead to a wide range of whole-body health benefits, including improved skin health, reduced inflammation, enhanced muscle recovery, and more.
Does Red Light Therapy Actually Work?
Red light therapy is a general term covering a variety of devices that use a variety of different wavelengths and doses to achieve various effects - from healing wounds faster to reducing the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy [1].
Because of the wide range of applications of this therapy, questions are often asked, including "What is red light therapy?" and "How does red light therapy work?"
So, let's get started.
Red light therapy is a form of treatment that works by stimulating the mitochondria in cells to function at a higher level and produce energy more efficiently. In short, red light therapy energizes your body and its cells. It does this by being absorbed into the skin, thereby rejuvenating and healing the skin. Infrared rays are able to penetrate deeper into the skin layers and into your tissues, muscles and body to help reduce pain, inflammation, healing and more. It does this by activating stem cells to repair and heal [2].
