Photobiomodulation is red light therapy.
America is in crisis at every nook and cranny. The medical system is really a “managed care” system and they are beginning to clearly state that. What does it actually mean? They oversee your pills. There is no healing, no prevention, no hope for someone stuck behind the old fashioned insurance model where large corporations dictate what care you are allowed to have; they are restricting and punishing doctors who ask too many questions or seek root causes beyond what is on their “accepted” standards of bureaucratic care graphs and charts. If the last four years have taught us anything, it is that a large portion of medicine is simply fraud. There is no other way to define it. If your doctor is accepting insurance, they are giving up quite a bit of what it means or what they thought it would mean to be a physician (not necessarily by their choice). In this new era of medical distrust, there is an alternative industry popping up: longevity and wellness. The biohackers of youtube and the mortality predictors like Gary Breccaare changing the way we see health. We are breaking out of the sick care/managed care system and entering into a new world of prevention and personal responsibility where you have to become the informed consumer since the government and its systems are failing at all levels. This is probably a good place to insert a reminder (or rather “wake up call”) to all citizens- the CDC has no actual power. They can only recommend. You still have the power to think, discern and choose- and you should do all of the above. If an auto magazine recommended a certain type pf car, you can use that information. But the car you drive is still your choice. Same with your health, which is far more important.
So what is happening in the wellness and longevity world? A lot. What seems to popping up everywhere is red light therapy (RLT), or photobiomodulation. There seems to be an endless sea of new companies coming out with their version of this modality that claim to help with anything from hair loss to collagen production. So what is behind the hype of this therapy making its way around the globe? First and foremost, it is light. Think sun… have you heard of it? It has the capability to ease the symptoms of some skin issues like eczema or vitiligo. It has a unique ability to help the body synthesize vitamin D using a very narrow band of UVB (ultraviolent B). UVB has a short wavelength that ranges between 215-380 nanometers (nm). The wavelengths commonly known to people like UVB, UVA, and UVC all have different wavelengths, the longest being UVA at around 400nm. While there are some damaging components of the sun’s wavelengths, there are also some good things! This is where redlight therapy (RLT) starts to change the way we use light. RLT useswavelengths but without the harmful rays found in the sun… all the benefits, none of the downsides.
So what exactly happens when you get into a red light bed? The mitochondria of your cell gets a hit from the red light, goes into an enzyme called cytokine oxidase c then starts to convert into ATP. This is your cells’ energy. This photo chemical reaction begins to un-age your body… in the old days, we would call this the fountain of youth (it just happens to be a fountain of light). Yet, it doesn’t stop there. Your body produces something called nitric oxide that your cells need for communication and interaction. Your body also gets a boost of this particular chemical. In turn, your blood flow, insulin, neurodevelopment, and plasticity all begin to function better. Think of it as 52 trillion cells having a landline to communicate versus the cell phone that may drop your call.
The unique message that has come out of research is that photo immunotherapy will not damage the nearby normal cells while using antibodies where the photo absorbing chemical is attached. In the multitude of uses, the basis for most recoveries comes because of the enhancement of mitochondrial production, cell signaling, and growth factor synthesis, all while controlling oxidative stress (aka free radicals). Free radicals are pesky fellows that are essentially unstable molecules that are highly reactive and cause DNA damage. That damage is what leads to diseases such as cancer. So what happens when you are able to reduce that and change the very functioning of the cell? Think of the unstable mental health patient that all the sudden can hold down a job and correctly interact with their peers… that is what your cell becomes.
More and more studies are coming out with different conditions that seemingly are impacted by the amazing therapy. In 2020 study, it was found to slow down macular degeneration, a disease with no known cure. When seeking better mitochondrial complex activity, you need between 650 nm up to but less than 1,000nm. In this particular study, they used 670nm and found significant improvement in those individuals over the age of 40. And this seems to be the magic range for many ailments. Muscle recovery is a big one (especially if you are an athlete), but the implications for athletes do not stop there because it also helps with inflammation, a condition held by a significant proportion of the population. So while it will enhance performance for athletes, it’ll do the same for the average American plus more . . . wound healing, scar removal, skin rejuvenation, hair loss, cancer… the list seems endless. There isn’t even a question of if it will help, it’s the point of when for your particular system.
The last question will come in the form of, “how do I know I am using the correct red light device.” Here, you really can’t go wrong. While there are distinct differences, it is really based on how you want to support your body. You want to ask questions such as wattage and number of diodes. You want to make sure you are hitting between 620nm – 1000nm. You want to make sure you are getting pulse rates that will deliver the therapy into your body at a deeper level and will also help you focus on different ailments in a therapeutic manor. To summarize, you want red light therapy. It will change the way you feel, and that’s a good thing.
Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation Virginie Couturaud 1, Marie Le Fur 1, Michele Pelletier 2, Frederic Granotier 3Affiliations expand PMID: 37522497, PMCID: PMC10311288, DOI: 10.1111/srt.13391https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37522497/
Effect of photobiomodulation adjunct to periodontal therapy on individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus regarding periodontal clinical parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis Bárbara Lopes Freire 1, Lucas Guimarães Abreu 2, Fernando Oliveira Costa 1, Luís Otávio Miranda Cota 1, Rafael Paschoal Esteves-Lima 3 Affiliations expand, PMID: 37140820, DOI: 10.1007/s10103-023-03782-6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37140820/
Harrisburg100 