The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka
130. Red Light Therapy: Scam or Science? Here's What The Research Says
09 Jan 2025
Chapter 1: What is red light therapy and how does it work?
Whether you're an athlete looking to recover faster, someone dealing with chronic health issues, or just someone looking to optimize your health, red light therapy has something for everyone. The secret to better health, sharper focus, and even faster recovery lies in something as simple as light. It's true. We have the science to back it up.
boosting circulation to enhancing brain function and reducing inflammation red light therapy is revolutionizing how we think about wellness a study published in frontiers in physiology in 2022 found that red light therapy can help prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries which is critical in reducing risk of heart attacks and strokes remember our heart circulates about 30 percent of the blood in our bodies and the rest of it is this vasomotor activity
Studies show that enhanced blood flow to the brain as supported by red light therapy can improve focus, memory, and mood. Here's why you should consider incorporating red light therapy into your routine. Number one. What if I told you that the secret to better health, sharper focus, and even faster recovery lies in something as simple as light? It's true.
Chapter 2: Does red light therapy really improve muscle recovery?
Red light therapy, RLT, or photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of red light, near infrared light, to supercharge your cells and transform your health. And the best part, we have the science to back it up. From boosting circulation to enhancing brain function and reducing inflammation, red light therapy is revolutionizing how we think about wellness.
Chapter 3: What are the long-term health benefits of red light therapy?
I always say if I only had one device in my house and I have all kinds of biohacking devices, it would probably be a red light or red light therapy bed. Today, I'll break down the science behind red light therapy, why it's more accessible than ever, and how it could be the game changer your body's been waiting for. Welcome to the Ultimate Human Podcast, guys.
I'm your host, human biologist, Gary Brekka, and today we're diving into red light therapy or photobiomodulation, one of the most exciting advancements in health and wellness. It's not just a tool for biohackers or the wealthy anymore. Red light therapy is becoming mainstream in an approach to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall vitality.
We'll explore photobiomodulation, how it works, its incredible long-term effects, and why you should consider integrating it into your wellness routine. So let's break down why this non-invasive therapy is becoming so popular and how it can benefit you. Red light therapy works wonders in improving something called vasomotion, the spontaneous constriction and relaxation of blood vessels.
Chapter 4: Which red light therapy devices are available?
Think of a snake swallowing a mouse. It's the process that helps regulate blood flow at a local level. When red light, around 670 nanometer wavelengths, penetrates your skin, it stimulates the release of nitric oxide. This nitric oxide is released from something called your endothelial cells. These are the ones that are lining your blood vessels.
Nitric oxide is a powerful chemical that signals the smooth muscle around the vessels to relax. causing them to widen or dilate. This dilation improves blood flow, oxygen, and nutrient delivery to tissues.
Research from PubMed has shown that red light therapy can enhance circulation, particularly in people with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, where their microcirculation is compromised. You might have heard me talk about microcirculation. It is 70% of the blood circulating in our bodies. Remember, our heart circulates about 30% of the blood in our bodies activity.
Chapter 5: What are the key benefits of red light therapy?
Chapter 6: How can I incorporate red light therapy into my daily routine?
Studies reveal that red light therapy helps combat circulatory issues, including impaired wound healing and retinal damage, potentially preventing complications like neuropathy and delayed wound healing. For athletes, listen up because enhanced vasomotion means faster recovery.
After intense workouts, red light therapy delivers essential nutrients to muscle tissues, clears lactic acid, and accelerates muscle recovery. Research from Frontiers in Physiology suggests that athletes who use red light therapy post-exercise experience less muscle soreness and better performance than those who don't.
You might have seen on my social media I use this in all of the professional athletes that I work with. Whether you're trying to recover faster, manage a chronic condition, The localized circulation boost from red light therapy is a game changer for your health.
Those of you that are just looking to improve the collagen, the elastin, and the fibrin in your skin, and maybe take on more youthful appearance, you get benefits too. Now let's dive deeper into the long-term benefits of red light therapy.
While it's often associated with short-term benefits like improved circulation and reduced inflammation, red light therapy offers profound long-term effects that enhance your overall health. For example, chronic disease prevention.
One of the standout long-term benefits of red light therapy is its ability to reduce oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, two major contributors to a range of chronic diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
A study published in Frontiers in Physiology in 2022, which I'll link below, found that red light therapy can help prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which is critical in reducing risk of heart attacks and strokes.
By decreasing inflammation at a cellular level, red light therapy can help prevent chronic disease before it starts, making it an essential tool for maintaining long-term health. If we look at cognitive function, red light therapy also promotes better brain function by improving cerebral flow and enhancing vasomotor stability in the brain.
Remember, vasomotor is that peristaltic, wave-like motion of our microvasculature that circulates blood through some of our smallest capillaries into some of our most important tissues. This has long-term implications for cognitive health. especially in preventing cognitive decline associated with age.
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