RED LIGHT THERAPY
OVERVIEW
What is Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy is the treatment of human tissue with
specic red and near infrared wavelengths of light at
certain concentrations to induce therapeutic benets.
The Benets of Red Light
Perceived by the human eye as a bright red light,
therapeutic red light falls in the range of 600-700nm.
These wavelengths are active on the surface of the body
and often used to treat wrinkles, sun damage, scars,
persistent wounds, acne - and to promote a healthy,
youthful appearance.
The Benets of Near-Infrared Light
Near-infrared light (NIR) can be found along the
700nm - 1100nm range of the spectrum. This light is
almost invisible to the naked eye and penetrates deeper
into the tissues to assist with wound healing, muscle
recovery, nerve injury and joint pain.
Red Light Boosts Cellular Energy Production
Red light therapy (including NIR light) is thought to have
numerous mechanisms of action in our cells, most
notably in the mitochondria where photoreceptors
called cytochrome c oxidase absorb the photons from
the red light. This is thought to initiate the decoupling of
inhibitory nitric oxide from this enzyme stimulating ATP
production as well as a host of other benecial
biological processes.
ATP is known as the “energy currency” of all living
cells, and thereby promoting its increase through red
and NIR light exposure is a signicant benet, as it
plays a central role in muscle contraction, nerve impulse
propagation, and biochemical synthesis. When our cells
are more energized, they perform better and in turn we
feel better as well!
The benets don’t stop there; after exposure to red
and near infrared wavelengths, Nitric Oxide (NO) - the
body’s natural vasodilator which widens blood vessels
and capillaries; is triggered and released. After up to
20 minutes of light therapy, blood ow is increased to
nerves and other tissues, and this boost lasts for several
hours circulating anti-inammatory and restorative
proteins throughout the body.
The majority of studies researching the benets of red
light therapy have used wavelengths in the ranges of
630-680nm and 800-880nm.
