Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy

Red and near-infrared light are a subset of sunlight, which has actual value as a nutrient. Red and near-infrared light therapies can produce those benefits, and it may be beneficial to individuals who lack adequate exposure to sunlight.

Our bodies need sunlight for normal cell function. A lack of exposure to sunlight can result in abnormal cell function. And there are many mechanisms through which this can happen.

Vitamin D production is a well known benefit of exposure to sunlight. It helps regulate more than 2,000 genes related to musculoskeletal health, immune health, and more.

Red light therapy

The current red and near-infrared light therapy has its foundation in Heliotherapy, which is sun-based therapy. Heliotherapy has long been used to treat many diseases such as tuberculosis.

Over the past several decades, over 5,000 studies have been published about red and near-infrared light therapy, which is also called photobiomodulation. The studies have investigated the efficacy of this therapy to treat everything from accelerated injury recover and hair growth to reducing cellulite and wrinkles. Other benefits can include improvement in strength levels, better muscle protein synthesis, greater fat loss, and increased insulin sensitivity when using it together with exercise as opposed to exercise alone.