All Rights Reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission from the publisher. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author, the publisher, or the seller assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.
International Standard Book Number
ISBN: 978-1-62385-016-6Disclaimer
The content and information contained in this book are for informational purposes only. The author, John Iovine, has narrated his research experiences in this book by observing and evaluating facts and figures. The reliance on the facts and figures has been done in good faith and believed to be reliable, according to the author’s best knowledge. The sources of referenced information could change or be updated in the future. The author cannot guarantee the validity and accuracy of the sources, which may change, be modified, updated, or removed in the future, and thus, disclaims himself from any such changes, modifications, updates, and removals. The information provided in this book is not and must not be taken as an alternative to any advice by a doctor, physician, or medical professional. If you know or suspect you have a health problem, you should seek your physician’s advice. The readers should not use the information given in this book for diagnosing an illness or other health-related problems. Further, the readers also should not discontinue professional medical or health care advice because of something they have read in this book. You should always consult with a medical doctor or professional health care specialist before using and relying on any data, information, or suggestion described in this book. Any reliance you make on any information presented in this book is at your sole discretion and risk. The author and publisher of this book hereby disclaim any liability for any medical outcome, directly or indirectly, in connection with the use of any information presented in this book.
Table Content
- Chapter 1 -Your Journey Starts Here
- Chapter 2 -Photobiomodulation (PBM) and Red Light Therapy (RLT)
- Chapter 3 -Red Light Therapy to Improve Skin & Rejuvenation
- Chapter 4 -Red Light Therapy Improves Fat Loss
- Chapter 5 -Regrow Thinning Hair Using Red Light Therapy
- Chapter 6 -Red Light Therapy to Boost Testosterone Levels
- Chapter 7 -RLT - Non-Steroid Advantage for Bodybuilding
- Chapter 8 -Can RLT Light Cure Neurodegenerative Diseases?
- Chapter 9 -Red Light Therapy to Improve Cognitive Function
- Chapter 10 -Counteracting Age-Related Vision Loss
- Chapter 11 -Tinnitus
- Chapter 12 -More Applications
- Chapter 13 -Green Light Therapy (GLT)
- Chapter 14 -How to Calculate Light Dosage
- Chapter 15 -Beginning Red Light Therapy
- Chapter 16 -Red Light Therapy Companies & Resources
- Appendix A -The Dangers of Infrared Light (IR) in RLT
- Appendix B -Accuracy of the Apogee MQ-620 PAR Meter
- Appendix C -Don’t Use Solar Power Meters For Measuring Red Light.
- Appendix D -Skin Reflectance
- Appendix E -Measuring RLT Devices Energy Consumption
- Appendix F -Simple Exposure Formula
- Appendix G -Flicker Fraud
- Appendix H -Fear-Mongering 60 Hz EMF
Appendices:
Chapter 1 – Your Journey Starts Here
Being proactive in keeping your body and mind healthy slows the aging process and may, in some cases, even reverse some effects of aging.
People 50 years old and older usually can feel the adverse effects of aging. Compared to themselves at 20-30 years old, the 50-year-old self is weaker, slower, less energy, decreased flexibility, with increased aches and pain from physical activity. However, technology can help us push back against aging.
There’s a new tool in the antiaging toolbox, called Red Light Therapy (RLT), or as it is called in medical circles, Photobiomodulation. This therapy energizes your cell’s aging mitochondria that help slow down, halt, and sometimes reverse age-related deterioration, both physically and mentally. The terms Red Light Therapy (RLT and photobiomodulation are used interchangeably in this book.
The claims promoting RLT are so fantastic that I find it necessary to start by informing you there are over 5000 clinical scientific studies that show the efficiency of RLT. Do all the clinical studies show dramatic improvements? No, of course not. But the majority of the clinical studies show positive effects.
So, while RLT is not a hoax, there are still snake oil salesmen selling RLT equipment. They use a smidgen of truth to make exaggerated claims. RLT can indeed help you lose weight, gain muscle, speed recovery, help heal wounds, reduce wrinkles, regrow hair, boost skin collagen, improve cognitive ability and be protective of various neurogenerative diseases, just not at the intensity the typical snake oil salesman will claim.
So Who Am I and Why Should You Listen to Me?
Fair question. I am not a doctor, sports physiologist, or nutrition expert. I earned no degrees in medicine, biochemistry, nutrition, physiology, or sports. So why buy my book and read what I have to say? Let me explain why with an analogy.
Suppose you had $50,000.00 to invest in the stock market.
You tell me your plan to invest $50,000 into the stock market, and I say to you, 'Your timing is great. I just wrote a pamphlet, "15 Tips - How To Make Money Buying and Selling Stocks", for $50.00.'
You ask, "How much money have you made buying and selling stocks?"
I answer, "I never bought or sold a single stock in my life."
"What?" you respond incredulously, "Why the heck would I buy your pamphlet? You have no experience in the stock market. None! I will NEVER waste my money to buy your pamphlet!"
I say, "Let me explain. I spent the last 18 months of my life studying and interviewing the top 25 stockbrokers in the country. While I didn't personally buy or sell any stocks, they did. They bought and sold millions of dollars' worth of stock and made a fortune doing so. Everything I learned by studying these stockbrokers, their processes, and interviewing them over 18 months I distilled into my 15 Tips pamphlet."
Are you interested in buying my pamphlet now? You'd be a fool not to. What's a $50.00 investment compared to risking 50,000.00? If only one of my tips helped you, it would more than pay for your investment, right?
So, while I am not an expert in those fields I mentioned previously, I am an expert in researching, distilling my research into practical, usable information. I then applied that information myself.
QuickStart Guide To Implementing RLT in Your Life
Most of the chapters on RLT benefits also provide the initial steps needed to implement RLT for that result. Aside from giving the initial phases, the chapters reference critical studies supporting RLT to achieve that result.
Images SI Inc.
Full disclosure. My company, Images SI Inc., in the past imported and sold RLT equipment. However, Images SI Inc. no longer imports or sells RLT equipment. Why? Because I much prefer researching and writing about RLT than selling equipment. If I sold RLT equipment, I could be accused of being biased. I feel my experience in the RLT field has given me greater insight and shown me who the liars and charlatans are in the area.
I'm Not A Guru
I'm not a Guru. I am not asking anyone to accept the information present in this book blindly. Use the links; check out the research yourself.
While hundreds of hours and years of research are represented in the distilled information presented (some of which field-tested by me), what's true for me, or even the general population, may not be accurate for you. This is because we are individuals, and our body chemistry and responses to RLT stimuli can vary.
Keep in mind; experts disagree with one another all the time. Two well-respected experts can look at the same research data and interpret the results differently. This is true whether the field is nutrition, physics, biochemistry, endocrinology, physiology, etc.
Ongoing research adds to our body of knowledge, sometimes reversing itself multiple times. As an example, think of the humble egg. Nutrition experts around the world first said eating eggs was good, high-quality protein. Then in the 1970s, eating more than one egg a day was considered harmful. Eggs contained too much cholesterol and would cause heart disease. Now it appears that cholesterol from eggs didn't associate with blood cholesterol after all.
The 80/20 Rule
Vilfredo Pareto created the 80/20 rule in 1895. He correctly observed that 20 percent of England's population controlled 80 percent of the money and influence. What he termed the "vital few." While the "trivial many," consisting of 80 percent of the population, controlled the other remaining 20 percent of the wealth and influence.
This 80/20 rule, called the Pareto Principle, has been applied to many other fields in personal and business applications. For instance, 20 percent of a company's top customers generate 80 percent of its revenue in sales. Likewise, the top 20 percent of salespeople are responsible for 80 percent of sales.
I try to emulate the Pareto Principle here. I keep my chapters short, content-rich, focused without fluff, with what I consider the top 20 percent of the information.
Realistically Expectations - Riding the Silver Bullet.
Think of Red Light Therapy as an assist. It will improve the results you are already working to achieve. It will assist in losing fat, healing, inflammation, muscle building, muscle recovery, and exercise endurance ( if you are weight training). However, standing in front of an RLT light for ten minutes will not build muscle in and of itself.
How much will RLT improve your results is impossible to answer. Everyone's different in their responses to RLT stimulation. Within clinical study groups, individuals show a wide plus or minus deviation from the group average. However, most people examining studies only pay attention to the average and not the ingroup deviations.
We seniors have other issues. Seniors are most likely used in RLT studies to improve cognition, combat neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's, or improve eyesight. For many other studies, younger non-seniors are the subjects of choice. For example, the best research on muscle building, recovery, and endurance using RLT uses younger "non-senior" subjects.
Would those beneficial muscle-building results be less, the same, or more using seniors? I don't know. Nobody does until the clinical studies are performed. My guess is that it will improve muscle building in seniors. This guess is based on the fact that seniors benefit from the mitochondria boost from RLT in other areas, so why would muscle-building be different. Considering the fact that seniors in the 80s and 90s can still build muscle with exercise alone, it's reasonable to assume RLT will boost results.
Incremental Improvements: 1%, 2%, 3%, Four.
What boost to expect from RLT? My opinion is approximately one to two percent improvement. However, the accumulative effect, or compound effect, over time, will appear more significant.
For example, assume you are trying to build muscle and lose weight. You are exercising, doing a little weight training and aerobics. Using RLT, your body’s response is incremental improvements over not using RLT. Let’s say you experience a 0.7% improvement in your body's muscle-building ability, 0.75 % improvement in muscle recovery, and 1 % greater muscle endurance. These incremental improvements work synergically to build muscle faster and work out longer. Working out longer means burning a few more calories every exercise session.
In three months of using RLT, it would not be unreasonable if you accumulated a five percent greater weight loss and five percent more muscle than a person who didn't use RLT. Five percent over three months may not seem like a lot, but the accumulative effect over a year is huge! RLT didn't create the result; it assisted you in the making.
If you look at the chapter on fat loss, you may think I am underselling the fat loss capability of RLT. I don't believe so. One study tracked 64 obese women, divided into two groups. One group exercised, and the other group exercised with 804 nm light. The exercise group lost 4.33 % of their body fat, while the exercise with the light group lost 5.60 % of their body fat. That's a 1.27% improvement in results over 20 weeks of exercising three times a week.
Another study reported that RLT doubled the participant's fat loss. Okay, but if you're not losing fat to begin with, two times zero is still zero (2 x 0 = 0). This is not entirely accurate. There are fat loss clinics that use RLT to reduce fat and contour the body without exercise. They do work and are legitimate. However, these are clinics employ specially designed RLT equipment, some of which utilize lasers, and in this book, I am referring to RLT fat loss at home using general-purpose RLT devices.
Clinical studies show RLT improves numerous areas from skin rejuvenation, cognitive enhancements, hair regrowth, reduced inflammation, and many other body functions. As a result, Red Light Therapy will help you live younger longer by generating incremental improvements in your health.
Contraindications for RLT
There are certain instances where Red Light Therapy is contraindicated and ought not to be used.
- Some drugs, including a few antibiotics like tetracycline, may make the individual light-sensitive. Check with your primary care physician if you are taking medication before beginning RLT.
- Do not use RLT treatment on any suspicious skin mole or lesion. Instead, check any questionable skin condition with a dermatologist before beginning RLT.
- If you are on immune suppressant drugs, check with your primary care physician before beginning RLT. RLT may stimulate the immune system and have a counter effect on the suppressant drugs.
- If you have an infected wound, treat and see a physician for treatment and antibiotics to combat any infection.
- If you have photosensitive epilepsy, do not use pulsed RLT photobiomodulation. In the next chapter, we will begin at the beginning.
Chapter 2 - Photobiomodulation (PBM) and Red Light Therapy (RLT)
I will use the terms Photobiomodulation (PBM), Red Light Therapy (RLT), and Phototherapy to mean the same, and the terms will be used interchangeably throughout the book.
History of Light Therapy
We can trace the beginning of light therapy to treat and cure human illness to the ancient Egyptians. Sunlight's ability to positively affect human health was known and used by ancient Egyptians—the first recorded light to heal, phototherapy.
UV Light and Skin Disease (1903)
In 1903, Nils Finsen, a Danish physician, was awarded the Nobel Prize for successfully treating skin diseases like lupus vulgaris with artificial ultraviolet light. Niels Finsen is considered the founder of modern Phototherapy.
UV Light and Sex Hormones – Testosterone (1939)
The ability of UV light to stimulate sex hormones in men has been known since a 1939 clinical study. Dr. Myerson exposed the chest area of men to UV light for five days. The exposure boosted androsterone levels incrementally over the five days ending on the fifth day with a 120% increase over baseline.
Dr. Myerson then stopped the UV exposure and watched the androsterone levels incrementally decrease and returned to baseline after eight days.
Androsterone is a steroid hormone like testosterone, with approximately 1/7 the potency of testosterone. Androsterone is made in the liver from the metabolism of testosterone and is excreted in the urine. Therefore, we can infer that the increase in the androsterone is in relation to a similar rise in testosterone.
Dr. Myerson performed a follow-up experiment using the same treatment course but exposed the male genitals with UV light instead of the chest. Again, for a five-day treatment, androsterone levels incrementally increased, and by the fifth day, there was a 200% increase over baseline. Then, exposure was stopped, and again androsterone levels dropped back to baseline over eight days.
Study: https://academic.oup.com/endo/article-abstract/25/1/7/2772602?redirectedFrom=PDF
Study: https://academic.oup.com/endo/article-abstract/25/1/7/2772602?redirectedFrom=PDF
Light science took another leap forward in the 1960s with the invention of the laser.
The Father of Photobiomodulation (1967)
In 1967, Professor Endre Mester wanted to replicate an experiment perform in the United States where a laser was used to destroy cancer tumors in mice. The laser available to him in Hungary was not as powerful as the one used in the United States. Because of this, the laser failed to kill the implanted cancer tumors.
UV Light and Skin Disease (1903)
In 1903, Nils Finsen, a Danish physician, was awarded the Nobel Prize for successfully treating skin diseases like lupus vulgaris with artificial ultraviolet light. Niels Finsen is considered the founder of modern Phototherapy.
This observation perplexed Mester, who was trying to use the laser to destroy "cancer" tissue. But his observation led him to continue experimenting with low-level laser light for the next six years, and he confirmed that the laser light promoted faster skin healing. He also made far-reaching additional discoveries regarding Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), which included: promoted hair growth, help heal skin ulcers, helped heal infected wounds, increased collagen production, decreased arthritis pain, and had an anti-inflammatory effect. He achieved these results with laser energies as low as 1 Joule/cm2.
NASA (the 1990s)
In the early 1990s, NASA adapted the technology for medical purposes in space flight. Its ability to speed wound healing, burns, and skin ulcers helps offset microgravity's disadvantages on wound healing. In other words, it could help prevent minor injuries to astronauts in space from becoming catastrophic injuries.
Nasa's research determined that the optimum wound healing wavelength was 670 and 880 nm at 4–8 J/cm2 dosage. The power intensity of the light was at 50 mW/cm2.
Photobiomodulation (Today)
Today, photobiomodulation (PBM) predominately uses one of two light sources, either low-power lasers or Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Much clinical work has advanced to using LEDs because of the cost and ease of use. Studies that have compared the two light sources find that LEDs work just as well as lasers. However, some researchers prefer the coherent light source provided by lasers.
Researchers focus on two bands of light. One is the visible light spectrum with wavelengths between 400–700 nm. The other band of light is in the infrared spectrum between 700 -1100 nm wavelengths.
How It Works & Why It Works
What I found so amazing and equally hard to believe about this technology was how one type of treatment could be applicable and beneficial for so many diverse human aliments.
The answer turned out to be not complex at all.
RLT promotes one significant effect on cells; it stimulates a cell's mitochondria to produce more energy. Thereby giving the cell more power to perform whatever function that cell was designed to do. Regardless of whether that cell is a brain cell, nerve, muscle, bone, skin, etc., its function can be enhanced using photobiomodulation.
How this happens is interesting. If you remember from your school biology class, the mitochondrion is an organelle inside the cell. The mitochondria were called the cell's powerhouse because they synthesized ATP compounds the cells used for energy. So when the mitochondria are stimulated, they create more ATP compounds, which the cell uses to function, thereby improving and boosting its function.
A human cell may contain thousands of mitochondria. How many mitochondria organelles any particular cell contains depends upon the type of cell.
Red Light Therapy (RLT) stimulates the mitochondria, which supplies more energy to the cells, allowing them to do what the cell was designed to do because its mitochondria are stimulated.
How Mitochondria Produce More ATP from Light
The mitochondria have molecules that are capable of absorbing photons of light. These molecules are called chromophores. One primary chromophore that has been identified is cytochrome c oxidase, or as it's known by its friends, CCO. This chromophore is found in the membranes of the mitochondria. When CCO absorbs photons of light, it causes an increase in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is an organic compound that provides energy to the cell.
There are other pathways and aspects of the biochemistry of RLT, like the reduction of inflammation, protein synthesis, and increased blood flow. For instance, nitric oxide (NO) is often produced with RLT. NO is a vasodilator that will increase blood flow to an area.
RLT promotes one significant effect on cells; it stimulates a cell's mitochondria to produce more energy. Thereby giving the cell more power to perform whatever function that cell was designed to do. Regardless of whether that cell is a brain cell, nerve, muscle, bone, skin, etc., its function can be enhanced using photobiomodulation.
How It Works & Why It Works
What I found so amazing and equally hard to believe about this technology was how one type of treatment could be applicable and beneficial for so many diverse human aliments.
The answer turned out to be not complex at all.
RLT promotes one significant effect on cells; it stimulates a cell's mitochondria to produce more energy. Thereby giving the cell more power to perform whatever function that cell was designed to do. Regardless of whether that cell is a brain cell, nerve, muscle, bone, skin, etc., its function can be enhanced using photobiomodulation.
How this happens is interesting. If you remember from your school biology class, the mitochondrion is an organelle inside the cell. The mitochondria were called the cell's powerhouse because they synthesized ATP compounds the cells used for energy. So when the mitochondria are stimulated, they create more ATP compounds, which the cell uses to function, thereby improving and boosting its function.
A human cell may contain thousands of mitochondria. How many mitochondria organelles any particular cell contains depends upon the type of cell.
Red Light Therapy (RLT) stimulates the mitochondria, which supplies more energy to the cells, allowing them to do what the cell was designed to do because its mitochondria are stimulated.
How Mitochondria Produce More ATP from Light
The mitochondria have molecules that are capable of absorbing photons of light. These molecules are called chromophores. One primary chromophore that has been identified is cytochrome c oxidase, or as it's known by its friends, CCO. This chromophore is found in the membranes of the mitochondria. When CCO absorbs photons of light, it causes an increase in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is an organic compound that provides energy to the cell.
This is a quick overview of fundamental photochemistry. For a more in-depth look into this biochemistry, I recommend the following book, "Low-Level Light Therapy: Photobiomodulation" by Hamblin, Ferraresi, Huang, Freitas, and Carroll.
There are other pathways and aspects of the biochemistry of RLT, like the reduction of inflammation, protein synthesis, and increased blood flow. For instance, nitric oxide (NO) is often produced with RLT. NO is a vasodilator that will increase blood flow to an area.
Why This Information Is Important
Indeed, you do not need to understand the biochemistry to use the technology. In the same way, you don't need to be an auto mechanic to drive a car. Still, a little understanding goes a long way. But essentially, at least for myself, I needed to understand the underpinning of how something like RLT can improve my cognitive ability and help me lose fat and promote muscle recovery and strength, all at the same time. These divergent applications do not appear to have a common thread connecting them until you realize how RLT powers up the mitochondria in cells making all this possible.
Suffice to say, you don't need to study the biochemistry of RLT unless it interests you. I will touch upon biochemistry again later when it relates to other topics. Other aspects of using RLT are covered in the dosage chapter.
Why Try Photobiomodulation?
For forty years, researchers working with photobiomodulation have proven the technology to be safe and non-invasive. The PBM equipment lends itself to home use, allowing treatments without visits to a doctor or clinic. While many studies use only a handful of subjects, the results are clear and sometimes striking.
By the end of this book, you will have all the information you need to begin red light therapy
LEDs vs. Lasers
One of the first considerations when purchasing RLT equipment is whether you should buy LED devices or Laser Diode devices. I recommend LED devices.
Laser Diode Pro’s
Laser diodes deliver light in a coherent beam. Because of this, it can penetrate the skin and irradiate tissue deeper than an LED. This is a consideration when purchasing torches (RLT Flashlights) where you may need to direct as much light as possible onto a joint or wound. Torches are used successfully in veterinary work.
Laser Con’s
Because laser light is coherent, it is more of a danger to your eyes. Adequate eye protection ought to be worn when using high-powered Laser diode torches. Eye safety is also a concern when treating pets and animals in general. Laser diodes general cost more than LED’s
LED Pro’s
LEDs are, in general, more eye-safe than laser diodes. However, eye protection should still be worn. LED devices have been used safely in the home environment for years; see appendix “Dangers of IR light.” LEDs are more cost-efficient per mW than lasers. Rather than a tight, coherent beam of light, LED lights disperse and cover a broader surface area than a laser.
I recommend LED devices unless you feel the need to purchase laser diode torches for a specific “deep tissue” purpose. There are also powerful LED RLT torches available for a fraction of the cost of Laser Diode devices.
Chapter 3 - Red Light Therapy to Improve Skin & Rejuvenation
Red Light Therapy is a proven technology with hundreds of clinical trials to reduce skin wrinkles and boost collagen density.
While the use of lasers, as in Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), is still used today, in many cases, equivalent results are obtained using LEDs.
Red Light Therapy units are available from any number of retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. RLT is an easy therapy to do at home.
Medical and Cosmetic
Aside from boosting collagen and reducing wrinkles, red light therapy effectively treats a host of medical skin issues like; acne vulgaris, herpes simplex, and wound healing.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29356026/
I don’t recommend treating any medical skin condition with Red Light Therapy without consulting your doctor or dermatologist. You may have to arm yourself with a couple of
I don’t recommend treating any medical skin condition with Red Light Therapy without consulting your doctor or dermatologist. You may have to arm yourself with a couple of clinical studies, or bring a copy of this book, to be taken seriously. It is easy to do an internet search on PubMed for relevant studies. Then, print out the studies to bring with you to your doctor.
Pubmed
Pubmed is the NIH-funded National Library of Medicine.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Search Pubmed for Red Light Therapy and your skin condition.
A search on Pubmed will return studies it finds relevant to the search term entered. You may have to dig a little bit. Keep in mind that Low-Level Laser Light Therapy (LLLT) is practically synonymous with RLT. If a treatment has been established using LLLT, around 630 nm, there is an excellent chance the same therapy will work with RLT.
Back to Wrinkles
Red LED light at 660 nm has the benefit of reducing fine line wrinkles.
Skin Elasticity
This study showed a decrease in wrinkles and measured a 19% increase in skin elasticity.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28195844/
Dosage
One study on wrinkles used 126 Joules per square cm of red light at 633 nm light along with 66 Joules per square centimeter (66 J/cm(2)) of near-infrared light at 830 nm. There were nine treatments given over nine weeks.
Search Pubmed for Red Light Therapy and your skin condition.
At the end of the treatment cycle, more than 50% of the treated subjects had a 25–50% improvement in photoaging scores, and 81% showed a significant improvement in wrinkles.
Protect Your Eyes
See Appendix A “The Dangers of Infrared Light.” My research on RLT devices has led me to caution people regarding the Infrared Red (IR) light emitted by these units. The information in the appendix recommends wearing #5 shade sunglasses to protect your eyes when using RLT.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28195844/
Eczema
These are before and after pictures of my daughter's eczema. My daughter's a hard case. She initially refused RLT as being some Woo Woo science, and her dermatologist agreed with her assessment..
However, her eczema was getting out of control, and her doctor recommended monthly injections of Dupixent.
She came home for a few days for a holiday, and I convinced her to try RLT before committing to the injections. I provided clinical study reports and such. She relented and took home a 600-watt wall unit and started.
The before picture is a few weeks into the treatment, and her eczema had already started to improve. The after picture is six months later, but this significant improvement happened before the six-month mark when the photo was taken.
The treatment schedule started at 7 minutes per day and worked down to 4 minutes every other day.
Cold Sores
This skin condition also responds positively to RLT.
Study: https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/pa_systematic_reviews/363/
Chapter Summary
RLT is a treatment regime, not a cure for specific skin conditions like my daughters. Consistency is the key to obtaining and maintaining good results. The use of RLT to keep skin young and healthy by treating wrinkles and boosting skin collagen is well documented in numerous clinical trials.
Search Pubmed for Red Light Therapy and your skin condition.
At the end of the treatment cycle, more than 50% of the treated subjects had a 25–50% improvement in photoaging scores, and 81% showed a significant improvement in wrinkles.
Chapter 4 - Red Light Therapy Improves Fat Loss
Everyone wants to maximize their benefits from exercising. If one of your goals is to lose fat, Red Light Therapy (RLT) may help.
Study One
This first study took 64 obese women between the ages of 20 and 40 and randomly assigned them into two groups. One group was the Exercise Training plus Sham light group (ET-Sham, n=32) and the Exercise Training plus Photobiomodulation group (ET-Photo, n=32).
This study used a wavelength of laser light at 808 nm. However, the foremost authority on photobiomodulation, Dr. Michael R. Hamblin, believes we achieve the same effects using suitable wavelength and power LED lights. In many studies, LED's perform with equivalency to low-level laser lights. LEDs are far less expensive and more readily available than lasers. However, lasers will provide deeper penetration of the light into the body.
Light treatment was delivered after each exercise session. The length of the study was 20 weeks. The participants in the study performed three exercise sessions per week. Each session included aerobic and resistance training.
After 20 weeks, the results were clear. The ET-Photo group had doubled the fat loss of the ET-Sham group. The ET-Photo group lost close to 25 lbs of fat than the ET-Sham group that lost about 12 lbs of fat.
The ET-Photo group also gained a pound of muscle mass, while the ET-Sham group lost about 3 pounds of muscle mass. See chart below.
More Studies
In this next study we’ll look at, enlisted 20 postmenopausal women, and broke them into two groups (n=10). The treated group did 30 minutes on a treadmill while being illuminated with 850 nm light. The control group did 30 minutes on the treadmill without the RLT. Each group trained twice a week for three months.
The treated group developed more power and performed more work in the 30-minute training, increasing from a baseline of +223 Joules. The control group's increase from baseline was + 118 Joules.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21749263
A similar study has shown improvements in performance and recovery.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22382875
A similar study has shown positive effects on reducing cellulite.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21740089
Body Contouring with Light
This study used Low-Level Laser Light (LLLT) at 632nm to affect body contouring. There were 86 participants in this study. They were given 20-minute laser treatments every other day for two weeks. The results were that they, on average lost 2.99 inches.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23355338
How Photobiomodulation Aids Fat Loss
We can see from the clinical studies RLT aids in fat loss, but how? The best guess is that the RLT light causes the fat cells to release their fatty lipids into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, they can be burned off or excreted. One essential co-factor in this process may be exercise. The simple reason may be that as the lipids are released into the bloodstream, the muscles can utilize them for energy. Fortunately, this lipid release into the bloodstream does not adversely affect the lipid profile of the blood.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3769994/
Chapter Summary
Some fat loss studies quoted used a higher level of exposure, closer to 80J/cm². I have looked over a few patented devices that use RLT, specifically for fat loss. US patent no. 9,044,595, US patent no. 9,498,641 and US patent no. 9,808,314. Surprisingly, the machines I read about only used red light between 630 nm and 660 nm. These patented devices are not home-use units. These devices are designed to be used a few times a week for a few weeks in a clinical setting. Sometimes the light is pulsed at specific frequencies. In any event, patents are not clinical studies, and I have not found a reliable source that confirms the procedures outlined in the patents for fat loss. I would advise against using high dosages of RLT since high doses may be biphasic and become counterproductive to achieve a beneficial effect.
However, I would keep my RLT dosage to approximately 15–20J/cm² full-body exposure. This dosage, in my opinion, will provide the needed assistance without the danger of overexposing oneself to RLT that may cause an inhibitory effect. See chapter 14 for additional information on the biphasic response to photobiomodulation.
Chapter 5 - Regrow Thinning Hair Using Red Light Therapy
Photobiomodulation light treatment may offer a solution.
This study used Low-Level Laser Light (LLLT) at 632nm to affect body contouring. There were 86 participants in this study. They were given 20-minute laser treatments every other day for two weeks. The results were that they, on average lost 2.99 inches.
Thinning and hair loss affects millions of men and women. Red Light Therapy is scientifically proven, and FDA approved for regrowing hair. The predominant wavelength I have seen used in studies is around 650 nm. Originally this research was performed only using low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Today various manufacturers offer hair restoring skull caps fitted with dozens of laser diodes and standard LEDs. The advantages of this therapy are that it applies to both men and women of all races, and there aren't any reported adverse side effects. One of the first effects observed by Mester in 1968 was the regrowth of hair around a wound he treated with laser light. The wavelength of light used by Mester in his original research was 694nm. As discussed in my previous chapters, the RLT light stimulates cells in the same manner across the body. In this case, the light directed toward the scalp stimulates the hair follicles' cells to grow. The exact process by which this happens is not known. One theory is the light acts as a vasodilator and allows more blood to the hair follicle. This is believed to be how, at least in part, how the over the counter drug Minoxidil works to restore hair. Modern hair regrowth devices use both standard LEDs and Laser LEDs. The laser LEDs provide a pinpoint light source, and the standard LED will give a diffuse light source. The combination of radiance is believed to optimize the stimulation of the hair follicles. Preliminary studies with mice illustrated the biphasic effect of photobiomodulation. When mice were treated with 1J/cm², they have shown significant hair regrowth (above baseline) in three weeks. However, when the light dosage was increased to 5J/cm², there was a considerable decrease (below baseline) in hair growth. This illustrates the biphasic nature of photobiomodulation therapy, where too much light is worse than too little. Reference Chapter 11.
Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944668/
Getting Hair to Regrow
This study used two wavelengths of light, 655 nm, and 780 nm. The light illuminated the scalp for 10 minutes once a day. After 14 weeks, the results were an increase in hair density to 145.1/cm2 vs. 137.3/cm2 pre-treatment.
Another study used a single light wavelength of 655 nm but used a combination of laser diodes and standard LEDs. Forty-two women completed the study. There were 24 women in the active group and 18 women in the sham group. The researchers counted the hair in a 2.85cm² area of the scalp. The baseline count in the sham group was 228. In the active group, the baseline count was 209. After 16 weeks of treatments, which consisted of one 25-minute treatment every other day, the sham group's hair count results went from 228 to 252. For the active group, the hair count went from 209 to 310.
Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25124964/
That is an increase of 30% more hair for the actively treated group.
Evidence Suggests
Most clinical studies with hair regrowth used low-power lasers. Evidence suggests that