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Light Therapy for Inflammation
Inflammation is one of the most popular topics in healthcare, and rightfully so. It is a hallmark of many diseases currently ravaging modern society, such as arthritis, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and depression. Inflammation is also associated with acute diseases involving the heart, pancreas, liver, and other organs, as well as trauma and infection. The personal and economic burden of these diseases cannot be overstated. Treatment of inflammation associated diseases makes up the majority of health care spending in the US, costing billions of dollars annually. There are also indirect costs of illness, such as reduced work and productivity. The most common treatments for inflammation are pharmaceuticals, including prescription (such as Celebrex) and the over-the-counter drugs (such as Aspirin and Alleve). However, many of these drugs have serious side effects, such as hypersensitivity reactions and ulcers. Given these risks, many people are turning to non-invasive therapies to fight inflammation, some of which are highly effective and have far fewer side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts. One of these is treatment with red and near infrared light (also called red light therapy or photobiomodulation), which uses light waves at specific frequencies to decrease inflammation at a cellular level. Red Light Therapy The term “red light therapy” usually describes the use of both red and near infrared light, although only the red light produced by the device is visible to the naked eye. Infrared light can still be perceived by the body as heat when it contacts skin. Red and near infrared light therapy is the application of artificially generated light in the red and near infrared spectral bands. Red and near infrared light are naturally produced by the sun, which gives off solar radiation. The term radiation describes energy that is transmitted in the form of waves or particles. The spectrum of light in our environment consists of both light we can see (visible light) and light that our eyes can’t perceive (invisible light). This is called the electromagnetic spectrum. The visible light spectrum is quite narrow, consisting of wavelengths that range from 400 to 700nm and span from violet to red in color. Red light is part of this visible light spectrum, while near infrared light is not. While early research on light therapy used primarily lasers, more recent research has found that LED’s can also be used, which also have the advantage of applying light to a larger area of the body as well as an improved safety profile. The use of LED in red/near infrared light therapy devices has also greatly reduced the cost of treatment, making it something that can be done in the comfort of one’s own home. Inflammation The inflammatory process is mediated by the immune system, specifically the innate (or non-specific) component. Inflammation protects the body from injury and infection. There are many goals of the inflammatory response, including reducing the extent of injury, limiting the spread of infection, and restoring the body back into balance. While we mostly think of inflammation as being harmful, it’s actually a natural and essential physiological function. Inflammation becomes harmful when it is uncontrolled, lasts for a long time, or just generally occurs when it shouldn’t. There are three types of inflammation, which are mainly defined by their length. Acute inflammation is short term, lasting days. This is what happens when you sprain your ankle, and it swells up, becomes warm, and may show color changes. That response is designed to limit movement, which prevents further injury and allows the damaged tissue to heal. Sub-acute inflammation lasts from two to six weeks, and often follows acute inflammation as healing progresses. The response here is similar, but less intense, than acute inflammation. Chronic inflammation lasts for months or even years, and at this point, inflammation has ceased to be a normal (and healthy) response to a stimulus and has become pathological. Chronic inflammation is the type that is associated with most diseases. It is also associated with oxidative stress. Chronic inflammation is not associated with visible signs of inflammation (such as redness, heat, and swelling), so people often aren’t even aware it is happening. This contrasts with acute inflammation, which is usually visible and occurs because of trauma or infection. Red Light Therapy for Inflammation As described by Dr. Michael Hamblin, former Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, “one of the most reproducible effects of is an overall reduction of inflammation”. Studies have found that light therapy affects levels of many molecules involved in inflammation, including reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, and prostaglandins. Light therapy has even been found to reduce inflammation in the brain, known as neuroinflammation. Red light therapy has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in the following conditions: Brain Disorders – Neuroinflammation is one of the foundational pathologies underlying a wide range of brain disorders. Light therapy has been found to decrease inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as to improve cognitive function. Several clinical trials have been published which have shown positive results. Most studies have exclusively used near infrared light, which has been found to penetrate more deeply into the brain. Light therapy has also been found to decrease inflammation and improve recovery after a stroke. When used to treat brain disorders, light therapy is usually applied to the head area, using devices such as hats and helmets. Traumatic Brain Injury - Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur when there is a violent blow to the head. Approximately 17% of people with repeated TBI progress to chronic traumatic encephalitis (CTE), a brain disorder caused by repeated head injuries. Concussions are another common type of TBI. TBI’s result in acute neuroinflammation, which can become a chronic problem if not treated properly. Research using light therapy (both red and near infrared) for TBI has looked at both immediate and chronic effects in animal and human models. Animal studies have shown a reduction in the size of the brain lesion when light therapy was applied to the head immediately following trauma, which correlated with the severity of neurological symptoms, which may be due (in part) to decreased inflammation. Depression – Neuroinflammation is similarly found in people suffering from depression, and it is thought to be a key factor and therapeutic target in depressive disorders. Several clinical trials of light therapy in depression have been conducted, all of which used near infrared light applied directly to the head. A 2022 systematic review concluded that light therapy “can be classified as strongly recommended for moderate grade of major depressive disorder”. Similarly, a 2023 meta-analysis concluded that there is a “promising role of in the treatment of depressive symptoms”. Gut Disorders – Inflammatory gut diseases like colitis and inflammatory bowel diseases may benefit from red light therapy. Research has found that application of red light to the abdomen of rats with experimentally induced colitis (a form of inflammatory bowel disease) improved many markers of gut health, including reducing inflammation. There is interest in studying the use of light therapy to improve gut health in human subjects as well, with research currently ongoing to see if it helps patients with inflammatory bowel disease. When treating gut disorders, light therapy is usually applied directly to the abdomen. Pain - Pain creates a huge burden of disability, both personal and economic. There is evidence that red light therapy decreases many types of pain, including knee, neck, low-back, temporomandibular joint, and post-surgical pain. Red light therapy can also reduce pain associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia. One of the primary mechanisms of pain reduction by light therapy is by decreasing inflammation. Red light therapy also reduces pain by decreasing oxidative stress, reducing the sensitivity of neurons, and decreasing the transmission of pain related nerve impulses. Arthritis – In addition to reducing arthritis pain by decreasing inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effects of red light therapy on arthritis also yields other benefits. Inflammation in arthritis is responsible for much of the observed pathology, including cartilage breakdown. Treatment with red light therapy may have a range of positive effects, such as preserving joint function, avoiding joint deformities, and reducing drug side effects and toxicities. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is pain that occurs in the muscles between 12 and 24 hours after a workout. DOMS is caused by tiny muscle tears that results in inflammation, which causes pain. Treatment with red light therapy to muscles after a strength training session has been shown to decrease markers of inflammation, as well as to improve other outcomes like decreased fatigue and increased protein synthesis. Injury – In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects on muscle tissue, including speeding recovery from post-exercise damage, red light therapy also reduces inflammation and speeds wound healing, such as from burn injuries. Red light therapy can also reduce inflammation and speed healing from injuries to bone, including fractures and more complex bone injuries that require the use ceramic materials. Tendon injuries also benefit from red light therapy. Skin Disorders – Many skin disorders are characterized by inflammation, including acne, psoriasis and eczema. Light therapies treat acne through anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and by decreasing the production of oil. Inflammatory acne is more responsive to light therapy than non-inflammatory acne, and studies have even found it to be superior to some medications. Red and near infrared light is also recommended in the treatment of psoriasis in part because of its anti-inflammatory effects. And in eczema, an inflammatory skin disease, treatment with near infrared light therapy has been found to decrease skin itching and lesions. Alopecia Areata – Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own hair follicles. This causes the hair to fall out, resulting in patches of baldness. AA can affect hair on any part of the body but is most common on the head. It is characterized by inflammation around hair follicles during the growth phase. The anti-inflammatory effects of light therapy may decrease this inflammation. In fact, treatment with red and near infrared light has been found to increase hair growth in bald patches. How To Use Red Light Therapy To Reduce Inflammation There is no single right way to use red light therapy to reduce inflammation. It all depends on what condition you are trying to treat and what your personal preferences are as far as treatment approach. The following are a few simple questions that can be used to guide you towards selecting the device that is most suitable for your needs: 1. What are your specific health concerns? Red light is usually applied to the affected body part, either directly in contact with the skin or at a distance of around 4 to 12 inches away. Some devices are location specific, such as knee wraps, head wraps or helmets, shoulder and neck wraps, or elbow and wrist red light wraps. Other devices are non-specific, such as square or rectangular light wraps, or red light panels. If you are dealing with a single, region-specific concern – such as knee arthritis or Alzheimer’s Disease - you may prefer to get a regionally targeted red light therapy device. However, if you are dealing with inflammation in more than one area of the body and want a device that can be used in multiple locations, a non-specific wrap may be preferable. Red light panels can also be used to address multiple body parts, although they may be difficult to position properly for some locations, such as the feet and ankles. 2. What are your preferred treatment conditions? Treatments using red light panels are most often done in a seated position, with the panel oriented towards the face, neck, torso, or other affected body part. They can also be done in a standing position, although this is not as relaxing. Lying down is possible if the treatment location allows it. Red light panels are wired and require the user to stay in the same position throughout the duration of the treatment. In contrast, treatments using red light wraps can be done in any position, including standing, sitting, and lying down. They can even be worn while moving around. Some red light wraps are wired, while others are wireless, with wireless models providing more flexibility. 3. What device specs should you look for? At home red light therapy devices almost always use LED’s as the light source. However, they do vary in other parameters, such as light wavelength(s) and intensity. When it comes to choosing the optimal wavelengths, you should look for light in the red and/or near infrared spectrums - but avoid the range of 700-780nm which has been found to be ineffective. Multi-wavelength devices including both red and near infrared light may be the most versatile. In terms of intensity, it has been found that it is ideal to mimic the intensity of the sun, which is around 24 mW/cm2 at the skin. This is described as the “sweet spot” between higher intensities, which can have harmful effects, and lower intensities, which will have no effect at all. Many devices on the market are at a much higher intensity than the sun, so choose a sun-mimicking product and don’t overdo it when it comes to treatment frequency and duration. Conclusion Red light therapy (with red and near infrared light) may be used to reduce inflammation in a wide range of diseases, both acute and chronic. There are very few contraindications to red light therapy, and it can be safely used at home as part of a regular wellness regime. Choose a device that suits your needs and preferred treatment conditions, and which delivers both red and near infrared light at an appropriate intensity. Combine red light therapy with an anti-inflammatory diet and supplements, regular exercise, stress management, and good sleep hygiene for best results. For more information about Fringe light products, go to: https://fringeheals.com/shop-all-products/
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How Does Red Light Therapy Affect Reactive Oxygen Species and Oxidative Stress?
What are Reactive Oxygen Species? Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen containing molecules that have at least one unpaired electron. They are also referred to as free radicals. While ROS are generally regarded as “bad”, in fact they play important roles in our bodies, such as killing invading microorganisms. Short-lived ROS act as signals for the cell to carry out critical functions, and they can have a positive net effect on cellular function. All organisms that breathe oxygen produce ROS, which are a normal part of human physiology. However, ROS also have a dark side. Ideally, there is a balance between their production and removal, which is largely mediated by systems of antioxidant enzymes that are found all throughout the body. Dietary antioxidants (such as vitamin E) also help to keep ROS levels in check, and these are found widely in foods such as seeds, fruits, and vegetables. But when production of ROS exceeds their removal, the imbalance can lead to a condition known as oxidative stress. What is Oxidative Stress? Oxidative stress is defined as “an imbalance between production of oxidants and antioxidant defenses that may result in damage to biological systems”. It is a more important indicator of health than levels of ROS. An increase in ROS can paradoxically be associated a decrease in oxidative stress, especially if the activity of antioxidant enzymes is increased at the same time. In fact, an increase in ROS acts as a signal to turn up the activity of these enzymes. If the enzyme activity is greater than the increase in ROS, the net oxidative stress will be reduced. Of course, an increase in ROS can also be harmful, particularly when this increase persists over a long period of time. Oxidative stress is associated with most chronic diseases as well as ageing. How Does Red Light Therapy Affect ROS & Oxidative Stress? An increase in the production of ROS has been well documented as being associated with red light therapy. This occurs as a brief burst, with the amount produced being highly dependent on the characteristics of light exposure. The increase in ROS is due to the effects of red light therapy on cellular mitochondria, which is the main mechanism by which red light therapy exerts its beneficial effects. This begs the question: what do the ROS produced with red light therapy do in the cell? Are they harmful? How do they affect oxidative stress? The answer is complex, and four lines of evidence show that even though red light therapy can increase ROS production, this does not necessarily translate to an increase in oxidative stress. First, rather than increasing oxidative stress, the brief increase in ROS production that accompanies red light therapy is often associated with some of its benefits. For example, stem cell therapy is augmented by red light therapy as a direct result of the production of ROS. Similarly, in a review of 14 studies, red light therapy caused ROS levels to increase which helped bone cells to regenerate. An increase in ROS following red light therapy has also been shown to stimulate mitochondrial activity and to induce the growth of new brain cells. Since ROS are well known to act as signals for cells to carry out important functions, brief exposure to red light therapy can have long lasting effects. In fact, the ROS produced following red light therapy have been described as “good” reactive oxygen species. Second, studies have clearly shown that markers of oxidative stress can be decreased after red light therapy. Exercise provides a good example. In a comprehensive review of 8 studies, markers of oxidative stress as well as muscle damage, inflammation, and delayed onset muscle soreness were reduced in exercising athletes after treatment with red light therapy. These studies show that regardless of ROS levels, overall oxidative stress can be reduced with light therapy and this is associated with several benefits. Third, when it comes to oxidative stress, light intensity matters. When wounds are treated with low/moderate intensity red light therapy, markers of oxidative stress initially increase and then decrease dramatically as healing progresses. However, when wounds are treated with high intensity red light therapy, oxidative stress remains high. Similarly, levels of antioxidant enzyme activity increase with low/moderate intensity red light therapy but not with high intensity light. This suggests that low/moderate intensity red light therapy, but not high intensity reduces oxidative stress. Fourth, light intensity also matters when it comes to ROS production. In a study of stem cells, treatment with light at 5 J/cm2 increased ROS production while treatment with 2.5 or 10 J/cm2 decreased ROS production. The ROS produced at 5 J/cm2 was also associated with increased tissue regeneration. This has to do with the supply of light energy. A range of light energy will stimulate a response (measured by ROS production), but too little or too much energy will not have the same effect. This “biphasic effect” of red light therapy is well known. It is essentially a Goldilocks effect: When the dose of light is too low or too high, it is ineffective, while intermediate doses are beneficial. In fact, high doses of red light therapy may even being harmful. This may be at least partly explained by ROS production - when the light dose is too low, there is no ROS production and no beneficial downstream signaling effects. If the light dose is too high, ROS production is not balanced by their removal, and oxidative stress results. How Can I Safely Use Red Light Therapy? It is clear that treatment with red and near infrared light can produce a brief burst of ROS, and that this increase is directly associated with some of the benefits of red light therapy. However, it is also clear that excessive production of ROS is undesirable and can cause oxidative stress. Given this, how can red light therapy be used in a way that avoids overproduction of ROS? Very simply, it means not overdoing it in terms of light intensity, treatment duration, or session frequency. Here are a few general rules to follow: Use devices powered by LED, rather than laser light. Most at home devices use LEDs, and as a general rule, these are safer and lower intensity than laser light. Give preference to LED devices that are low/moderate intensity. The intensity of the sun is 20-40mW/cm2, which is a great target to aim for. High intensity red light devices should only be used for a few minutes at a time. Low/moderate intensity devices, such as those that mimic the intensity of the sun, can be used for up to 30 minutes. If using a high intensity device, limit session frequency to a few times per week. Low/moderate intensity devices can be used daily over different body parts, limiting each location to once per day. Conclusion Reactive oxygen species are generally understood to be harmful, but it’s clear that this is an oversimplification. When produced in excess, ROS are dangerous, but when production is balanced with removal, they play important roles in cellular functioning. Red light therapy can cause a brief burst of ROS, which usually decreases overall oxidative stress provided the dose of light is not excessive. When it comes to red light therapy, dose matters - and with a few simple considerations, it can be safely used to support health and well-being. For more information about Fringe light products, go to: https://fringeheals.com/shop-all-products/
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Red Light for Arthritis
Arthritis refers to a group of diseases that are characterized by inflammation. Inflammation (also known as swelling) can cause both pain and stiffness. The two main types of arthritis are osteoarthritis – where joint damage causes inflammation – and inflammatory arthritis – where inflammation itself causes joint damage. Most inflammatory arthritis conditions are autoimmune in nature. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but is most common in the hips, knees, and spine. For years, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving pharmaceuticals were used as first-line therapies for arthritis, with natural therapies viewed as being less effective. However, the widespread use of opioids resulted in an epidemic of addiction that necessitated the search for new ways to deal with pain. These medications also have side effects such as GI bleeding. Given these risks, many people are turning to non-invasive therapies to fight arthritis, some of which are highly effective and have far fewer side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts. One of these is treatment with red and near infrared light (also called red light therapy or photobiomodulation), which uses light waves at specific frequencies to decrease inflammation at a cellular level. As described by Dr. Michael Hamblin, former Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, “one of the most reproducible effects of is an overall reduction of inflammation”. Studies have found that light therapy affects levels of many molecules involved in inflammation, including reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, and prostaglandins. This makes red light therapy well suited to treat both osteo- and inflammatory arthritis. In addition to reducing arthritis pain by decreasing inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effects of red light therapy on arthritis also yields other benefits. Inflammation in arthritis is responsible for much of the observed pathology, including cartilage breakdown. Treatment with red light therapy may have a range of positive effects, such as preserving joint function, avoiding joint deformities, and reducing drug side effects and toxicities. Fringe makes many red light products that can be used to treat arthritis, including joint wraps, rectangular wraps, and red light panels. If you are dealing with a single, region-specific concern you may prefer to get a regionally targeted red light therapy device, like the Fringe Knee/Foot/Ankle or Elbow/Wrist Wrap. However, if you are dealing with arthritis in more than one area of the body and want a device that can be used in multiple locations, a non-specific wrap (like the Fringe Red Light Therapy Wrap or Extra Long Wrap) may be preferable. The Fringe Red Light Panel can also be used to address multiple body parts, although it may be difficult to position properly for some locations, such as the feet and ankles. There are very few contraindications to red light therapy, and it can be safely used at home for the treatment of arthritis. Choose a device that suits your needs and preferred treatment conditions, and which delivers both red and near infrared light at an appropriate intensity. Combine red light therapy with an anti-inflammatory diet and supplements, regular exercise, stress management, and good sleep hygiene for best results. For more information about Fringe light products, go to: https://fringeheals.com/shop-all-products/
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