- New research shows that red light therapy lowers blood sugar levels by about 30% in healthy adults.
- Researchers have found that just 15 minutes of exposure to bare skin is enough to elicit benefits.
- Although it is too early to tell whether red light therapy can be used to treat diabetes, the results are promising.
British researchers investigated the effects of red light on blood sugar levels.
Their findings were published on February 20th. Biophotonics Journalcould lay the foundation for new treatment options for type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Scientists have discovered that exposing bare skin to specific wavelengths of red light for just 15 minutes has two beneficial effects on blood sugar levels.
“A single dose of 670nm red light in healthy people can lower blood sugar levels and lower the peak blood sugar level after a standard glycemic tolerance test.” Dr. Michael Pownera senior lecturer in neurobiology at the University of London and lead author of the study, told Healthline.
Researchers have previously investigated the effects of light therapy on other diseases, including: cancer and macular degeneration.
It is not yet clear how these new discoveries can be used as a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for diabetic patients. However, the implications are promising given that red light therapy has a positive effect on blood sugar.
This potential treatment for diabetes is exciting because it can be achieved without the need for drugs or surgery, simply by exposing the skin to red light for a predetermined period of time.
For the study, researchers recruited 30 healthy participants with an average age of 40 years.
Half of them were assigned to the light therapy group and the other half to the placebo group. The participants had no known metabolic diseases and were not taking any medications.
BMI (body mass index) is an important indicator. Risk factors for metabolic diseaseswere not recorded for participants.
Over a seven-day period, both groups underwent two fasting sessions. Oral glucose tolerance test — A standard test that doctors use to see how well your body processes sugar. It is often used to diagnose diabetes.
The test required participants to fast for at least 10 hours and then consume a drink containing a predetermined amount of glucose (sugar). After ingestion, participants had their blood sugar levels measured every 15 minutes for two hours. These measurements created a baseline measurement of participants’ blood sugar levels.
Within 7 days, another blood sugar test was performed. This time, participants received either light therapy or a placebo. Participants exposed red light to the bare skin of their upper backs for 15 minutes. This was done 45 minutes before the blood sugar test was performed. The exact same scenario was applied to the placebo group, except that no lights were turned on at all.
The researchers then compared the overall oral glucose tolerance test results between the red light and placebo groups, as well as the individuals within each group.
Compared to baseline measurements, mean 2-hour blood glucose levels decreased by nearly 30% (27.7%) in the phototherapy group. Compared to the placebo group, total blood glucose levels decreased by 7.3% over time in the phototherapy group.
The use of red light is also thought to be beneficial in reducing the spike in blood sugar levels after ingesting glucose. Blood sugar spikes can occur when glucose levels in the bloodstream rise rapidly after a meal.
In their experiments, researchers found that people who received red light therapy experienced less extreme spikes in blood sugar levels, resulting in a 7.5% drop in peak blood sugar levels.
Compared to the placebo group, peak blood glucose levels decreased by 12.1% in the phototherapy group.
Dr. Jennifer Chensection chief of endocrinology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey. Today’s medical news He said additional research is needed to see if the results can be replicated on a larger scale.
“It will be interesting to see if this can be replicated and if a certain amount of sunlight is needed to maintain blood sugar control. We always encourage our patients to get outside and exercise. “This is another reason to encourage outdoor activities, but we don’t yet know if the research can be validated,” Chen said. MNT.
There is a difference form of light therapy It depends on the wavelength of light used.
Wavelength can also affect the color and visibility of the light. In this experiment and other similar studies, the light used is 670 nm red light, or light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers.
This form of red light is known to have an impact. cellular Metabolism, in turn, affects blood sugar levels. mitochondriabut the exact mechanism is still not fully understood.
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, using oxygen and glucose to produce ATP, the energy for biochemical functions essential to life. Exposure of mitochondria to 670 nm red light is thought to increase ATP production, which in turn increases glucose demand.
“The exact mechanism is still unclear. Previous studies have reported that red light increases energy by burning glucose in the mitochondria. Therefore, increased mitochondrial activity increases the ability of glucose to be taken out of the blood. “This may lead to a decrease in glucose,” Powner said.
Other forms of light therapy can be effective in different ways and include blue light therapy, which is used for topical skin problems such as acne.
light therapyrequires a high-intensity light box and is used for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression. ultraviolet light It can also be used to sterilize, disinfect, and kill microorganisms.
Researchers found that when healthy people were exposed to certain wavelengths of red light before consuming sugary drinks, blood sugar levels decreased by nearly 30% compared to baseline measurements. .
Red light also helped control blood sugar spikes, resulting in a 7.5% reduction in peak blood sugar levels.
Although it is interesting to consider applying red light therapy to treat diabetes, researchers say it is too early to tell whether it is safe and effective.