Each day we are surrounded by light energy, sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t. For centuries, great minds have theorized what it is, how it travels, and how it affects life on our planet. Ancient cultures, researchers, and philosophers came up with many concepts, but sometime in the 1860’s James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, proposed the concept of electromagnetism. He concluded, because light moves in waves and does not need a medium to travel through, light must be made up of both electric and magnetic fields. This led to the discovery of electromagnetic radiation, the electromagnetic spectrum, and a way to measure light with its frequency and wavelength. The electromagnetic spectrum starts with safe radiation like radio, microwave, infrared, visible, and ultraviolet and ends with the not-as-safe x-ray and gamma rays.
The human eye can see wavelengths of light that range from 380 to 700 nanometers, but the human body can feel parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that cannot be seen, such as infrared heat.
Many wellness services employ light or heat therapy; two of the most popular are red light therapy and infrared heat. Both infrared and red light therapy is becoming progressively popular in the spa, wellness, and beauty realms and is often confused. Still, they are different, and they do provide different benefits.
For ideal health, we humans require regular exposure to light. A great example is Vitamin D which comes from sunlight. The sun’s n rays include the more commonly known ultraviolet light (UV), but more than half of its output is infrared. When it comes to visible light, violet-colored light produces the most energy, and red-colored light provides the least.
As mentioned above, this spectrum classifies each form of energy by nanometers and its effect on the human physique. Nanometers are a unit of length equivalent to a billionth of a meter, and they are used to measure the wavelength of light. Since we’re comparing red light to infrared, it’s important to note their order on the spectrum.
The wavelength infrared puts out is longer than the wavelength of red light, allowing infrared to penetrate more deeply into the body. Thus, the reason infrared provides some similar but some completely different benefits than red light. The science behind these concepts has been around for centuries. In the 1800–the 1900s, physician, and scientist Niels Ryberg Finsen researched and successfully implemented light therapy to treat smallpox, later winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology 1903 for his work. In 1910 John Harvey Kellogg also researched and wrote about red light and infrared heat benefits in his book “Light Therapeutics.” NASA then utilized red LED lights for plant growth on trips to space and noticed the astronauts also positively affected their mood, healing, and wound treatment. NASA also used infrared heat to provide the astronauts with cardiovascular conditioning, and since then, both have become available as effective wellness services.
Although infrared is classified as light energy, we don’t see it; we feel it as warmth. Because all humans produce infrared, it’s safe, natural, and easily absorbed by our tissues. During and after absorption, participants notice effects such as pain relief, increased circulation and blood flow, weight loss, detoxification, skin rejuvenation, relaxation, improved sleep, and more. Still, those are just a few of the benefits! For millennia, people worldwide have used infrared to improve their health and assist with boosting the metabolism, reducing inflammation, lowering side effects of diabetes, reducing allergy symptoms, improving heart function, and bettering their quality of life. How does infrared do it? When it enters the body, it breaks up fats and toxins trapped in water molecules, it makes us sweat to let them out, and therefore, an infrared session is one of the best ways you can naturally detox your body!
Tissues that don’t receive great circulation because they have been injured can benefit greatly as infrared heat can provide healing and skin regeneration. Infrared heat promotes the rebuilding of injured tissue by positively affecting the fibroblasts (connective tissue cells necessary for repair), increasing the growth of cells, and DNA and protein synthesis necessary during tissue repair and regeneration. This increased circulation, along with increased blood flow and oxygenation, can also provide relief for those experiencing chronic pain and other conditions.
Residing right next to near-infrared on the spectrum. Many red-light therapy systems use small amounts of infrared along with red LED lights, and as we’ve uncovered, infrared penetrates deeply while red light works on the surface of the skin. While penetrating the surface, this light energy works on rejuvenating facial skin, smoothing skin tone, building collagen, reducing wrinkles, and repairing sun damage. Experts say it can also assist in activating the lymphatic system, decreasing inflammation, fading scars, and stretch marks, and it may also assist with hair growth or loss prevention. How do you ask? Red light has been known to stimulate cellular processes in the skin and positively affect them by regenerating fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and skin tissue.
Red Light Therapy is viral for stimulating collagen production as the nanometers needed for collagen production are in the 700nm range. Because of its ability to assist with collagen production, those with arthritis may greatly benefit. Red light facials or body treatments are offered in salons, spas, and wellness centers to beautify the skin, relieve pain, increase immunity and stimulate feelings of positivity.
As you’ve noticed, there are similarities between infrared and red light. They are both natural, drug and chemical-free, non-invasive, effortless, safe, and users have reported no adverse short or long-term side effects. Actually, users report amazing effects! While both therapies are beneficial, the type you should choose depends on the outcome you desire. If you want to treat skin conditions on the surface, a red light session may be effective, but if the skin condition is high toxicity in the body, an infrared session may be required for toxin removal. An infrared session is a more holistic solution to wellness because it can provide skin rejuvenating benefits (like red light). Still, it can also help you burn calories, release toxins, ease pain, and put you in a state of utter relaxation.
As humans, we are made of energy and fueled by light. While nutrition and exercise play a role in our well-being and health, light plays a crucial role in us functioning optimally. New and groundbreaking research is unearthing a new understanding of how our cells function and the evidence points to the power of light.
Through technological advancements in science, it’s discovered that our bodies operate similar to a battery. Wavelengths of light give us power, while our overall health determines our ability to receive and maintain the energy from light. And this is where light therapy comes into the equation.
Science has proven that our bodies interact with specific wavelengths that benefit our bodies in various ways.
Red light therapy devices, such as light therapy masks, shine red and near-infrared light onto the skin, stimulating the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within the mitochondria. By stimulating ATP, damaged cells heal, and new cells are produced faster than normal. But we’ll talk more about that in-depth a little later.
Red light therapy comprises both red light and infrared wavelengths, penetrating through the skin’s layers, right into the cells. Red light wavelengths boost collagen and elastin and improve cell communication. It penetrates superficially and helps aid various skin conditions.
Near-infrared wavelengths stimulate healing, increase mitochondrial function, and improve blood flow and tissue oxygenation. Near-infrared wavelengths penetrate deeply into the body.
At the core of your body’s healing capabilities are the mitochondria. The mitochondria play a vital role in your internal organs and tissue, including the liver, skin, heart, and muscles. It’s in charge of the body’s energy supply via ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
With both working together, they provide energy to our body and maintain the cell cycle and growth. This is why you’ll often hear the mitochondria referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell.”
Here's how the mitochondria is affected by red light:
Interestingly, our body weight is made of 70% water, with 99% of our bodies' molecules also made of water, making it a powerful component in red light therapy treatment.
Research by Prof Gerald Pollock of the University of Washington proved that water adjacent to a cell is structured water, also known as EZ water. This specific water forms a separation of charge, functioning in the body as positive and negative poles - similar to a battery.
While we’ve been talking about red light therapy, what does it actually mean? Typically, “red light therapy” refers to natural light treatments which deliver red and near-infrared wavelengths as natural sunlight using LEDs or cold lasers.
While you may think red light therapy includes all colors of light, it doesn’t. The term doesn’t include blue or white light, and it isn’t equivalent to full-spectrum light. Red light therapy doesn’t rely on heat, differentiating it from other light-based treatments such as infrared saunas and heat therapy.
Red light therapy is also known as RLT, photobiomodulation (PBM), phototherapy, LED therapy, LED light therapy, infrared therapy, low-level laser therapy, or low-level light therapy (LLLT).
As stated before, red light therapy works to heal the entire body and functions on multiple levels.
Red light therapy affects the body in multiple ways, including bodily systems:
Fascia
Fascia is the thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds virtually every organ, muscle, nerve fiber, blood vessel, and bone in place. While it performs as an internal structure for your body, the fascia also contains nerves, making it almost as sensitive as skin.
The fascia may look like a layer of tissue; however, it’s made up of interwoven layers of collagen and elastin fibers. The fascia is overlooked, yet over recent years, it has been the key to understanding how changes in one area of our body affect others. Red light therapy works to improve communication within the fascia network.
Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis connects the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions. Recent research discovered the importance of gut microbiota concerning these interactions.
Red light therapy can positively influence mood and neuropsychological issues by the following:
Immune System
Red and near-infrared light penetrate through the skin into the cells, which results in low-dose metabolic stress that strengthens the cells’ anti-inflammatory and natural defense systems. In turn, the body becomes resilient to infections.
Safe and low exposure to red light therapy improves the body’s response to external viruses and bacteria. Red light therapy can influence the immune response in the following ways:
Circulatory System
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.
Proper oxygen supply and flow are essential for the proliferation of cells, protein synthesis, tissue restoration, inflammatory response, and angiogenesis. In addition, circulation is also responsible for waste elimination, specifically degenerated cells.
Nervous System
The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, neurons, and neural support cells, which is your body’s command center. It controls your movements, automatic responses, and other body systems such as digestion and breathing.
Red light therapy affects the nervous system in the following ways:
For all forms of nerve damage, red light therapy offers non-pharmaceutical treatment options.
Stem Cells
Red light therapy shows impressive results regarding stem cell growth, maximizing the potential of stem cell implantation for various medical needs. Therefore, red light therapy may show positive results after surgery to stimulate stem cells which repair tissues and organs.
In studies, red light therapy has proven to stimulate mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow, enhancing their ability to reach the brain. This research shows the possibilities of using red light therapy to heal degenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
It’s clear red light therapy provides multilevel treatment to the body, becoming a popular natural and holistic option for both professionals and consumers, but where did it come from?
Light therapy technology isn’t new; it’s been around for decades as NASA experimented with red light therapy during the 1980s and 1990s. Over the past 10-20 years, red light therapy reached a breakthrough in LED lighting technology, allowing 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.
We mentioned red light therapy being a holistic treatment option, but what does that mean. Holistic medicine is a full-body approach to healthcare. By focusing on the body, mind, and soul, the body receives the full support and care it needs to function optimally.
Principles of Holistic Medicine
Holistic medicine is based on the following principles:
The purpose of treatment is to identify the underlying cause of the disease, rather than treating only the symptoms.
While there are endless benefits the body receives from red light therapy, here are the six main benefits.
Photobiomodulation, in other words, 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.
These improvements come after anti-inflammatory cells populate the injured area, providing long-lasting pain relief. In addition, it’s also been shown to provide effective relief by affecting the following:
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:
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.
By reducing pain, red light therapy eliminates the reliant on pharmaceutical painkillers during the healing process.
The human body receives energy on the cellular level, maintaining communication between organs and ensuring disease resistance.
A strong immune system works to protect the body from harmful bacteria and viruses at all times. With red light therapy, the body receives a boost of support as it releases nitric oxide and melatonin, two components involved in DNA repair and antimicrobial.
This process is called hormesis. Red and near-infrared wavelengths penetrate through the skin into the cells, causing mild metabolic stress, which stimulates cells to activate their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response.
With the support of red light therapy, the body is better prepared to fight infections. Numerous studies have proven red light therapy to have the following effects on the immune system:
Inflammation in the body can be acute and topical (short-term, resulting from sprains, infections, and accidents) or chronic and general (long-term, caused by ongoing conditions).
Acute inflammation is a healthy bodily response; however, chronic and general inflammation can negatively impact long-term health.
As of today, the current treatment for inflammation is NSAID or steroid drugs, both having a detrimental effect on the healing process and long-term health. Red light therapy stimulates the body to activate its natural healing mechanism, reducing the health risks of long-term drug use.
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.
The following conditions are connected with chronic and acute inflammation, all proving promising results with red light therapy treatment:
Red light therapy is extremely popular in competitive sports and performance. It offers natural and non-pharmaceutical treatment, which applies to many areas of the body.
Aside from the overwhelming benefits on overall health, red light therapy encourages muscles growth and repair by stimulating the production of ATP, which aids in faster recovery and better performance.
Red light therapy used before training prepares and strengthens the body while aiding muscle recovery after training.
Here are the scientifically documented effects of red light therapy:
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.
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.
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 Gustin also support red light therapy.
Sports Medicine Pros: 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.
Elite Pro Athletes: 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.
Fitness & Training: World-renown fitness trainers, including Lacey Stone and Jorge Cruise, use red light therapy to enhance athletic performance and muscle recovery.
Supportive Cancer Care: The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) recommends the treatment of red light therapy for oral mucositis (OM), a common symptom of cancer treatment.
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If there’s one thing most of us likely haven’t had enough of in 2020, it’s natural light. The pandemic has changed our lives in so many ways, particularly concerning the drastic increase in the amount of time spent indoors and home. Most of us are stationed at our computers all day, only to log off just in time for dinner. At that point, it’s already dark, and we’re likely ready to decompress and relax.
Throw a lockdown on top of this, and we’re lucky if we even get to see the sky that day.
Our current lifestyle, specifically in quarantine, makes natural daylight a rare sight, and this can be extremely detrimental to our mental and physical health — but why?
Without a sufficient amount of light, your circadian rhythm becomes out of sync, as does our hormone production levels. And if you’ve been experiencing poor sleep, lack of light is likely the reason why. A study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that employees who work near windows receive twice as much sunlight as those who don’t receive natural light — they also receive 46 more minutes of sleep on average.
So: darkness isn’t the determiner of sleep; rather, light is.
It’s clear how our daily routines have become more indoors-bound, yet there seems to be no way to reduce these light-limiting circumstances. The lack of sleep disrupted hormones, and constant uncertainty has a severe effect on our bodies, which we’re all experiencing during this time. So, how do we overcome these health concerns with limited options?
This is where red light therapy plays a crucial role in improving health. With the average American spending 90 percent of their time indoors, red light therapy allows you to receive light in your own environment. But just because we’re staying at home due to quarantine doesn’t mean we can’t supplement the natural light we need.
Red light therapy works by increasing energy production at a cellular level. The more energy our cells produce, the better our bodies feel as there’s sufficient blood flow. However, there’s more to it than just feeling good.
For people working in front of the computer all day, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle fatigue, and arthritis are serious concerns. And since we’re working from home, our screen time has significantly increased. Red light therapy can also alleviate these issues by increasing circulation, repairing tissue, and relieving stiffness.
And while some may have received more natural light during quarantine in the summer, winter is right around the corner. During the winter months, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects around 5% of people in general. However, with quarantine, these numbers are increasing. Thankfully, SAD symptoms can be significantly reduced, as light therapy mimics the sun’s light.
With COVID-19, it’s also incredibly difficult to manage mental and emotional health with the current circumstances. Before quarantine, if someone was stressed, they could reduce their symptoms by working out, going to yoga class, or enjoying nature with friends. But these activities have been either eliminated or significantly reduced. So, the reality is that we’re sitting at home all day, stressed, overworked, and fatigued.
Red light therapy is a game-changer for mitigating stress levels, as light cultivates calmness within the body. And since light therapy aids with cell production, it helps the body bounce back after experiencing stress or illness. In these times, red light therapy can aid with stress and help people recover from COVID-19 by reducing lung inflammation, pneumonia, and other acute respiratory disorders.
So although the quarantine presents many new challenges, we can be empowered to control our own health and wellness during these times. At Lunas, we’re passionate about helping people achieve their balance and intend to have our light panels in homes around the world, particularly during this challenging period. We hope to help everyone around the world find their light — literally!
Skin conditions can majorly affect a person’s self-esteem. One of the most common issues: hyperpigmentation. We've all heard the term before, but what is it, exactly?
Hyperpigmentation causes dark spots on the face, hands, and other visible parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun's rays. Not only can it cause insecurities, but it can be very difficult to hide as these spots form in different shapes and sizes, with colors ranging from light brown to black.
There are many types of hyperpigmentation, but the following are the most common:
Pigmentation spots are age spots that occur as a result of exposure to sunlight. This is why they mostly appear in parts of the body that are usually exposed, such as the face, hands and arms. These are usually small, darkened areas of skin.
Melasma or chloasma is often called a "pregnancy mask" because it affects 90% of pregnant women. It occurs as a consequence of hormonal influences during pregnancy and contraception. It causes dark spots of irregular shapes on the face or hands, which can be large in size.
Gradual hyperpigmentation occurs when a flat area of discoloration remains after the skin injury has healed. It is a common occurrence among people who suffer from acne, and it can also be caused by cosmetic treatments such as dermabrasion, laser treatment, and chemical peels.
There are other factors that can darken parts of the skin - such as moles, scars, scars, sun or actinic keratosis, and skin cancer - but they’re not considered forms of hyperpigmentation.
So, how does hyperpigmentation occur? It develops due to excessive production of melanin—a pigment that gives natural color to our skin, hair, and eyes—on certain parts of the skin. Many factors cause this overproduction, but the main ones can be related to sun exposure, genetic factors, age, hormonal influences, and injuries or inflammation of the skin. It can also be a symptom of certain diseases as well.
Naturally, limiting the time you spend in the sun, wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreen with a high protection factor, both UVA and UVB, can help reduce the risk of hyperpigmentation and prevent worsening of existing dark spots.
Battling hyperpigmentation is possible in many ways, but red light therapy has proven to be the most effective form of treatment. It’s no secret that most of us lack vitamin D, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, yet light therapy has done wonders in vitamin D production. But red light therapy has shown to be helpful in even more ways than you could imagine.
Red light therapy works by stimulating cells through red light. Mitochondria in the skin cells can absorb the light particles which emit through the red light, and this can help them produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy source for all cells. By improving cellular energy, cells repair themselves quickly, returning the skin back to normal pigmentation levels.
In turn, collagen levels increase, working to reduce other skin conditions, including rosacea. Elastin levels also increase, which helps fight against aging, giving the skin a lift and youthful glow.
Though there are many ways to treat hyperpigmentation, ideally, you want a treatment that’s the least invasive and the most effective. Luna’s red light therapy devices are designed to treat a variety of skin conditions, including hyperpigmentation. Our devices are MDA-certified and FDA-approved, ensuring that your treatment will be safe for your skin while providing you the best results.
Aside from nutrition and water, we need vitamin D to survive. In fact, almost every living creature on earth needs vitamin D to survive—it’s a crucial vitamin for all species. Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are responsible for the health of our muscles, bones, and teeth.
In addition, Vitamin D fights disease, reduces depression, and aids in weight loss. When we lack vitamin D in our bodies, it can lead to a loss of bone density, which plays a significant role in osteoporosis and fractures.
Naturally, a lot of our nutrients come from food; however, vitamin D is also produced in our skin’s response to sunlight. It wasn’t given the nickname the “sunshine vitamin” for nothing. Sitting outside (with sunscreen on, of course) can boost vitamin D levels in the body. By doing so, it can regulate moods and reduce depression.
In one study, scientists found that people with depression who received vitamin D supplements improved their depression symptoms. While vitamin D supplements are an option, it can take between three to four months until you start to notice improvements. That’s a long time to wait, especially if you’re struggling with depression. However, there is a way to increase vitamin D production without having to wait months to improve.
As we’ve discussed above, you don’t need sunlight for vitamin D production. You can either take vitamin D3 as a supplement, taking months to work, or through red light therapy, receiving quick results. So, how can you increase vitamin D through red light therapy?
Before we get into it, it’s important to know that contrary to popular belief, not all forms of light can increase vitamin D in the body. The type of light used in light therapy devices is crucial. Natural sunlight contains both “red” and “infrared” light. These are the two forms of light that are needed in light therapy devices to increase vitamin D production in the body.
Without red and infrared light, nothing is going to happen. These two forms of light have their own unique benefits to the human body.
In one study published in Scientific Reports, it found that LED lights are more efficient than sunlight at producing vitamin D3 in skin samples. Tyler Kalajian and his team found that skin samples exposed to LED for 0.52 minutes produced more than twice as much vitamin D3 than samples exposed to 32.5 minutes of sunlight.
Another study focused on cystic fibrosis and short bowel syndrome patients who are unable to absorb vitamin D3 through food. The study used UV light to test whether it would affect vitamin D3 production in the patients’ bodies. It was found that the UV lamp emitted UV radiation similar to sunlight, producing Vitamin D3 in the skin.
What’s amazing about these studies is that aside from showing light therapy’s effectiveness in producing vitamin D, they also prove light therapy is an excellent source of vitamin D during the winter season.
During the winter, many people suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and are unable to find a vitamin D source. But, through red light therapy, users are able to increase vitamin D production regardless of whether there’s sun outside or not. Instead of using antidepressants or slow-moving vitamin D supplements, red light therapy is a fast-acting alternative.
With Kayian Medical’s MDA-certified and FDA-approved red light therapy devices, users can get their lives back and be in control of their health with effective and quick light therapy treatment.
The one thing we have in common with animals, plants, and other living organisms is that we are all made of tiny little cells. The intricate human body in itself houses trillions of cells. Without cells, there wouldn’t be any life on Earth at all.
In this article, we discuss cellular anatomy and cellular function. Here, we understand how light plays a role in the support and acceleration of cellular respiration.
Think of cells as the basic building block of all living organisms. As the smallest unit of life, cells contain many parts, each with a different and specific function. The command center of the cell is called the nucleus that contains the human DNA.
As these cells combine to form into an organism, they become responsible for vital activities like nutrient intake, energy production, structure building, and hereditary material processing. They make sure that your body gets enough energy and nutrients to function 24/7.
One essential activity that our cells do for us is by taking in oxygen and nutrients to fuel body energy. This energy unit that is converted by the cells is called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Energy.
The ATP itself is a molecule packed with high energy that empowers cellular function. ATP is required by the body to do every activity. Other cells that do more strenuous activities like muscle cells would need more ATP than others. The ideal optimal cellular function would allow cells to produce and use enough energy to achieve body balance or homeostasis.
The mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell. They are responsible for the production of ATP. Aside from cellular energy, this double-membrane powerhouse does protein synthesis, cell signaling, and cell apoptosis. ATP is produced with oxygen (aerobic) or without oxygen (anaerobic), the former being more beneficial because it converts more energy. Thus, 95% of cellular energy goes through an aerobic process.
Our cells go through a process called Aerobic cellular respiration to convert oxygen, food, and water into the body’s energy currency, which is ATP. This process is a well-organized metabolic pathway that consists of four stages. Our bodies take in nutrients from the food we eat for the first two stages to convert them into carbon compounds. Then for the next steps, these carbon compounds are transformed into the energy that our cells use.
Light can sometimes be less attributed to improve our body’s physiology. However, light has benefits that go beyond aesthetic and technological purposes. Just like how light plays a role in plants' photosynthesis, it also benefits human cellular function.
Red light therapy from Kaiyan Medical composes of Red and Near-Infrared Wavelengths that aid in the Mitochondria's function to produce more ATP energy. It works by increasing the number of Mitochondria in our cells and by boosting their function.
The electron transport chain heavily governs the cellular respiration process. Red Light therapy has photons that can boost the mitochondria to function better through the Cytochrome C Oxidase. It plays an essential role in the cellular respiration process by improving the cell's electron transfer process. In this way, more ATP can be produced by the body for an enhanced cellular function.
As mentioned earlier, oxygen plays an essential role in the cellular respiration process. The infamous Nitric Oxide can take the rightful place of oxygen to limit ATP production that causes stress and cellular death. Red light therapy also gets rid of a harmful roadblock to ATP in the dissociation of Nitric Oxide and the Cox. The photons from Red light therapy prohibits the production of nitric oxide.
The effect that Red Light therapy does on our body is that by improving cellular function, our body can achieve these benefits:
As you do daily activities such as eating, drinking, walking, or working out, think of the massive role that your cellular system plays to make these activities possible. In this way, you can put conscious efforts into improving your cellular system through a healthy diet and lifestyle and by integrating Red Light Therapy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5215870/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325884
https://www.britannica.com/science/cell-biology
https://www.britannica.com/science/mitochondrion
We can usually identify inflammation when we see it. The inflamed part of the body looks red and swollen, and it feels hot and painful. But in this article, we’ll find out why we experience inflammation, as well as its causes, risk factors, and how red light therapy devices can help reduce it.
Inflammation is our body’s natural response to pain, irritation, damaged cells, exposure to germs, and potential danger. There are two types of inflammation:
1. Acute inflammation
This type of inflammation happens as our body’s healthy response to injury or stress. We mean “healthy” because it helps the body recover faster. The inflammation happens only for a few hours and then starts to repair the damaged tissue.
2. Chronic inflammation
On the other hand, chronic inflammation can be excruciating and may cause discomfort or inconvenience. It causes an imbalance in the body, making it operate inefficiently over time. Chronic inflammation can be caused by viral infections, repetitive tissue damage, autoimmune reactions, and persistent and recurring acute inflammation. At its worse, this type of inflammation may lead to more serious diseases and/or conditions such as cancer, stroke, depression, and heart disorder.
Common Causes of Inflammation
Anything that causes stress on your body may lead to inflammation. These include:
Signs of Inflammation
There are five common signs of inflammation:
For acute inflammation, doctors normally recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and paracetamol. Meanwhile, chronic inflammation may also be prescribed with NSAIDs, along with steroids and supplements.
However, these common treatment options help prevent inflammation symptoms but do not deal with the root cause, including improper cellular function, biological imbalance, and damaged tissues. This is also why lifestyle changes (improved diet, regular exercises, and high-quality sleep) and red light therapy could be of great help.
Red light therapy, also referred to as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation (PBM), is a non-invasive treatment option. This kind of therapy delivers wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light to your skin and cells for multiple benefits. When it comes to inflammation, it can help cut down oxidative stress and activate protective cellular mechanisms to boost your immune system and protect you from diseases that may cause inflammation. It can also boost the generation of healing agents and antioxidants in the body to speed up damaged tissues' healing process.
Red light therapy can give your body the light exposure needed to function more efficiently, improve blood flow, and limit inflammation.
Inflammation is a natural part of our biological processes, but chronic cases may also lead to serious health risks that can affect the quality of your life. Therefore, if you’re experiencing signs of inflammation, regardless if it’s acute or chronic, please schedule an appointment with your doctor to get the care and treatment you need as early as possible.
In the meantime, to protect your body from the stress that may cause inflammation, you can do red light therapy either through a health provider or from the comfort of your home. If you need to purchase red light therapy devices, you can browse through our catalog to see the brands and products that we offer.
Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 5% of the world population. Therapeutic approaches to rosacea are focused on symptom suppression employing anti-inflammatory agents. Photodynamic therapy, especially light-emitting diodes, has been introduced as a valid alternative to conventional therapy.
Because of rosacea's potential complexity, it has been classified into subtypes according to signs and symptoms that often occur together. Patients may have characteristics of more than one subtype at the same time. Although the cause of rosacea is unknown, several possibilities are currently being studied, including flushing, inflammatory pathways, and Demodex mites. Simultaneously, a growing range of therapies is available to address rosacea's signs and symptoms. While your doctor will tailor medical therapy to your individual case, treatment options may often be keyed to standard subtypes and level of severity.1
As with any medical therapy, outcomes of rosacea treatment may vary from case to case. Compliance with therapy — using your medication as your doctor prescribes — is an important key to success. Please consult a dermatologist or other physician to determine the appropriate therapy for your individual case.
Subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea is characterized by flushing and persistent facial redness. Visible blood vessels may also be present, and facial discomfort is common.
Research into the physical processes involved in rosacea has recently led to new prescription therapy to relieve facial redness. It may also be important for you to identify and avoid lifestyle and environmental factors that trigger flushing or irritating your skin. The most common factors are covered in Rosacea Triggers, and a Rosacea Diary is available to help you identify and avoid those factors that affect your individual case.
The appearance of flushing, redness, and visible blood vessels may also be concealed with cosmetics, and facial discomfort may benefit from appropriate skincare, both discussed under Skin Care & Cosmetics.
Visible blood vessels and severe background redness may be reduced with lasers or intense pulsed light therapy. Several sessions are typically required for satisfactory results, and touch-up sessions may later be needed as the underlying disease process is still present.
In specific cases, extensive flushing may be moderated somewhat through the use of certain drugs.
Subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea is characterized by persistent facial redness and acne-like bumps and pimples and is often seen after or at the same time as subtype 1. Fortunately, however, several medications have been extensively studied and approved for this common form of rosacea and may also be used on a long-term basis to prevent symptoms recurrence.
In mild to moderate cases, doctors often prescribe oral and topical rosacea therapy to bring the condition under immediate control, followed by long-term use of topical therapy alone to maintain remission. A version of oral therapy with less risk of microbial resistance has also been developed specifically for rosacea and is safe for long-term use.
Higher doses of oral antibiotics may be prescribed, and other drugs may be used for patients who are unresponsive to conventional treatments.
Subtype 3 (phymatous) rosacea is characterized by skin thickening and enlargement, most frequently around the nose. This condition develops primarily in men. Although mild cases may be treated with medications, moderate to severe manifestations, typically require surgery.
A wide range of surgical options is available, including cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, electrosurgery tangential excision combined with scissor sculpturing, and skin grafting. A surgical laser may be used as a bloodless scalpel to remove excess tissue and recontour the nose, often followed by dermabrasion.
Subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea is characterized by any one of many eye symptoms, including a watery or bloodshot appearance, foreign body sensation, burning or stinging, dryness, itching, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. A history of having styles is a strong indication and has “dry eye” or blepharitis.
Treatment for mild to moderate ocular rosacea may include artificial tears, oral antibiotics, and the eyelashes' daily cleansing with baby shampoo on a wet washcloth. More severe cases should be examined by an eye specialist, who may prescribe ophthalmic treatments, as potential corneal complications may involve visual acuity loss.
Currently, there are two traditional treating methods, such as medications and physical treatment. Doctors can prescribe medications. Usually, the medications are antibiotics. The thing is, however, there are side effects from the antibiotics. Additionally, there is no proof that Rosacea is a bacterial condition. So the effectiveness of treatment could remain uncertain. Plus, going to see a doctor can be time-consuming & money consuming.
Physical treatment can be soup or gel to help better improve the skin. However, people have different skin types. Usually, it is super expensive to diagnose the skin condition in great detail; people have different skin types. The wrong usage of beauty products could lead to worsen skin problems or increase sensitivity.
Several therapeutic approaches are currently available for treating rosacea, and they are mainly aimed at controlling disease symptoms. The therapeutic plan has to be adapted to the rosacea subtype and tailored according to the patient's dominant manifestations. In general, the reduction of oral therapy in favor of topical or physical therapy is desirable to reduce side effects for patients and increase the treatment's safety.
The therapeutic approach has blue (480 nm ± 15 nm) and red (650 ± 15 nm) LED light-based therapy in patients affected by rosacea. Previous research reported the efficacy of red and blue light coupled with mild to moderate acne lesions. Blue light (400–470 nm), due to its lower penetration, is useful in such skin conditions related to the skin's epidermis layer; therefore, it can also interfere with human sebocyte proliferation. On the other hand, red light (630 nm) is reported to affect sebum production significantly. The benefits deriving from PDT using LEDs are not limited to its efficacy but are also related to its safety and tolerance by patients; therefore, its advantages can be extended to a broad range of dermatological conditions.
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Plewig G, Kligman AM. History of Acne and Rosacea. In: ACNE and ROSACEA. Berlin: Springer; 2000.
Odom R, Dahl M, Dover J, Draelos Z, Drake L, Macsai M, Powell F, Thiboutot D, Webster GF, Wilkin J. Standard management options for rosacea, part 2: Options according to subtype. Cutis, 2009;84:97–104.
Kolontaja-Zauber, I., Ināra Ančupāne, Andra Dērveniece, Aija Žileviča, & Ilze Ķikuste. (, 2018). Impact of intense pulsed light therapy on the quality of life of rosacea patients. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of ences Section B Natural Exact and Applied sciences, 72(1), 9–15.
Kim, B. Y., Moon, H. R., & Ryu, H. J. . (2018). Comparative efficacy of short-pulsed intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser to treat rosacea. Journal of Cosmetic & Laser Therapy, 1–6.
Bo, Young, Kim, Hye-Rim, Moon, & Hwa, et al. (2018). Comparative efficacy of short-pulsed intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser to treat rosacea. Journal of Cosmetic & Laser Therapy Official Publication of the European Society for Laser Dermatology.
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Circadian rhythms can impact athletes’ sports performance, where the plateau occurs between 15 and 21 hours. Swimming is a peculiar case, as athletes perform training and final sessions in competitions at different times, as in the Rio2016 Olympic Games, where the semifinal and final competitions took place from ten o’clock at night.
Biological rhythms are observed in different physiological, mental, physical, and behavioral processes in human beings. In the physiological process, these rhythms modulate the entire metabolism, influencing the development of strength, hormonal secretions, autonomous nervous system activity, among others. Considering that circadian changes implicate in adjustments of the biological clock and the meaning of the circadian rhythms or its diurnal variations of approximately 24 hours, it would also impact the sporting performance of athletes, amateurs, or high-performance athletes.
The circadian variation on sporting performance has been researched since the '60s, with major emphasis from the '90s. The consensus is that most physical performance rhythms reach a plateau between 3:00–9:00 p.m. At the end of the afternoon or beginning of the night, the body temperature, strength, and flexibility are in acrophase (major peaks), contributing to a better performance at this time. Additionally, the circadian rhythms may be influenced by external factors, called zeitgebers, such as light and dark phases of the day,8 application of exogenous light, times of food ingestion and physical exercise, as well the regular physical training in a specific time.
Among the sporting modalities, swimming is considered a particular case when one observes the influence of time to train and performance. Swimmers perform their first training session in the morning (for example, 6:00–8:00 a. m.) and another session at the end of the afternoon, between 4:00–6:00 p.m. Results from different studies have indicated improvement in the times of sprint during the day with a peak at the beginning of the night. These daily variations oscillate from 3 to 21.2%, depending on the tested population, muscle groups tested, and experimental design. However, the circadian variation upon the psychomotor performance can also suffer other factors, such as sleep deprivation or restriction, duration of the warming up, working time or time for familiar commitments.
In relation to the athletes’ chronotype, they were classified as indifferent (n = 9; 64%), moderate morning (n = 3; 21%), morning (n = 1; 7%) and moderate afternoon (n = 1; 7%). From the point of view of the evaluated periods of quantity and quality of sleep , the athletes demonstrated a decrease in the total time awake(Δ = −13%; ES = 1.0) and sleep latency (Δ = −33%; ES = 0.7) and increase in total sleep time (Δ = 13%; ES = 1.1; p = 0.04) between the baseline and the pre-competition period of intervention.
In the present study, we present the elaborated intervention protocol for the elite athletes of the Brazilian swimming team to conform to the new time of competition in the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Besides, we have also investigated if there were any differences between the RT and CT of the athletes about their competition timetable. We identified improvement for the RT (Δ = −2.2% à −1.0%; ES = 0.2 to 0.5) during the competition only for the athletes who participated in the finals of their competition. Our intervention (sleep hygiene) also offered improvement upon the variables of quality and quantity of sleep. Evidence points out that room light per se, associated with the use of smartphones, watching TV during the night may delay the sleep phase and reduce sleep quality and sleep quantity. In general, during the training days and transmeridian trips and before and during sporting competitions, the sleep time decreases, and there are impairments upon the sleep quality and the sporting performance. This was also demonstrated in the athletes of the present study during the baseline period. However, after the present intervention, it was possible to observe improvement upon the evaluated sleep variables.
We observed improvement in the total time awake (decrease), sleep latency (decrease), and total sleep time (increase). Sleep is a fundamental biological component for cognition, energy restoration, and brain energetic metabolism. About the rhythm wake-sleep, for example, during the REM, there is cognitive restoration (learning and memory) and peaks of the release of testosterone hormone. During Non-REM sleep (NREM), there is a huge release of the growth hormone (GH) promoting tissue restitution and several other benefits, which demonstrates the importance of night sleep to consolidate the biological processes, mainly in athletes. Although sleep reestablishes psychological, cognitive, and physiological functions considered critical for the best recovery and psychomotor performance, other behavioral and environmental situations might interfere with athletes’ sleep. About chronotype, most athletes (64%) were classified as indifferent, which facilitated the temporary alteration of the training timetables without causing many problems for the athletes. The state of entrainment of the circadian rhythm is the main factor of performance. The participant athletes of the present study were preparing themselves for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and training twice a day during the competition events. With this, delaying athlete´s sleep became fundamental for competitions that were taking place during the night. This strategy was part of the intervention that contributed to athlete´s preparation for games.
Scientific literature has suggested light therapy to entrain the circadian rhythm, delaying or advancing the phase of the sleep-wake cycle. Several studies have reported that single pulses of bright light during determined times can generate important circadian alterations, primarily caused by the entrainment of the core temperature phase or the suppression of the release of the melatonin hormone. The application of light at the beginning of the end of the subjective night/beginning of the morning promotes the temporal entrainment (delaying or advancing phase) of the sleep-wake cycle. In the present study, the athletes received light at the beginning of the subjective night (biological) to delay the biological clock for the competitions.
We concluded that the presented intervention effectively minimized any effect of the time of competition upon the performance of RT and CT of elite athletes of the Brazilian swimming team. This way, we suggest that the sporting calendar and the events be considered at the sporting planning for athletes of the swimming team. The athletes may always be able to express their best sporting performance, not influenced by circadian factors.
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2. Mizuno K. Human circadian rhythms and exercise: significance and application in real-life situations. J Phys Fitness Sports Med. 2014;3(3):307-15.
3. Reilly T, Edwards B. Altered sleep-wake cycles and physical performance in athletes. Physiol Behav. 2007;90(2–3):274-84.
4. Eichner ER. Circadian Timekeepers in Sports. Phys Sports Med. 1988; 16(2):78-85.
