Red light therapy is growing in popularity among biohackers due to its simple, non-invasive approach to supporting the body's natural functions and processes.
By harnessing the power of specific wavelengths of light, red light therapy has shown promising results in supporting a healthy inflammatory response, promoting skin health, encouraging healthy sleep, supporting mitochondrial function, and a healthy aging process.
Daily use of red light therapy complements other lifestyle ‘hacks’ aimed at maximizing human potential. Convenient at-home devices like Ascent Nutrition’s Red Light Therapy Wristband make it easy to integrate red light therapy benefits into your biohacking regimen.
Discover how red light therapy can elevate your biohacking journey and how to get started below!
Biohacking with Red Light
As the name implies, biohacking refers to small lifestyle changes, techniques, and tools people can use to "hack" their biology and optimize performance.
The modern approach to biohacking encompasses a wide range of practices and technologies aimed at promoting overall well-being.
The popularity of biohacking continues to rise as people seek out ways to gain an edge in health, wellness, and performance. Biohacking involves making incremental lifestyle tweaks and adopting strategies that support the optimal functioning of your mind, body, and overall wellness, allowing you to perform at your best.
One of the most promising new biohacking products emerging is red light therapy.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work?
This cutting-edge technology leverages specific wavelengths of light to stimulate a beneficial natural response in the body. Photons from the light are absorbed by your cells and serve as a trigger for positive changes.
The red light stimulates cellular mechanisms related to energy production, blood circulation, tissue repair, inflammation, free radical scavenging, and more.
By targeting these fundamental biological processes, red light therapy acts as a catalyst to support the body’s natural functioning. This complements the core aim of biohacking – which is to enhance human performance and vitality at a foundational level.
Red light supports the body’s natural processes at the cellular level without chemical intervention. This makes it appealing for those looking to safely “hack” their biology and promote optimal health.
Exploring the fascinating realm of red light therapy unveils an intriguing parallel with the intricate process of photosynthesis observed in plants.
Much like how plants absorb sunlight through their leaves, our human bodies are equipped with specialized photoreceptors within our cells that possess the remarkable ability to harness the transformative power of light.
This distinctive physiological mechanism plays a pivotal role in helping unlock the myriad of positive effects that red light therapy imparts on our overall health and well-being.
Read on to learn more about the benefits red light therapy may offer biohackers.
Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Biohacking
Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy harnesses the power of specific wavelengths of light to produce a biochemical effect that supports cellular function and promotes optimal health.
Typically, red light therapy devices emit wavelengths in the range of 625 and 660 nanometers (nm). These wavelengths penetrate the skin and reach the cells and tissues.
What is red light therapy good for?
Research has revealed a number of ways that red light therapy may support overall health and performance.
Red light therapy offers a wide range of benefits that can support various aspects of our health and well-being. This biohacking tool positively impacts health by promoting healing, enhancing performance, and stimulating rejuvenation in the body.
Here are some of the key benefits of red light exposure:
Mitochondrial Health
At the core of red light therapy's benefits for optimal health is its ability to stimulate the production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) within the mitochondria of our cells [1].
Supporting optimal mitochondrial function is an essential aspect of biohacking. The mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, are responsible for generating the energy needed to fuel our body's various processes.
ATP plays a crucial role in cellular energy production, as it is the primary source of energy for all cellular processes. This high-energy molecule is responsible for driving a wide range of functions, including muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis.
When exposed to red light therapy, the mitochondria in our cells become more efficient at producing ATP. By stimulating ATP production, red light therapy enhances the overall efficiency and function of our cells. This can have positive effects on various aspects of health, such as healthy energy levels, cognitive function, and overall vitality as we age.
Support a Healthy Inflammatory Response
Inflammation is a natural biological response to harmful stimuli like injury or infection. While acute inflammation is necessary for healing, excessive or chronic inflammation is linked to disease and accelerated aging.
A key benefit of red light therapy is its ability to support a healthy inflammatory response within the body [2]. This biohacking tool promotes a balanced inflammatory response, encouraging the body to heal and recover more efficiently from injuries or stressors such as intense exercise.
Promote Healthy Looking Skin
One of the most notable benefits of red light therapy for biohackers is its ability to promote skin health. Red light penetrates deep into skin tissues where it stimulates a cascade of positive changes [3].
Red light therapy has been shown to stimulate fibroblasts, which are cells that produce collagen and elastin. Collagen provides structural support in connective tissues and is vital for healthy-looking skin.
Moreover, red light therapy has been found to promote healthy blood circulation and vascular function by stimulating the healthy release of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) [4] [5]. Healthy blood circulation provides tissues with nourishing oxygen and nutrients to energize skin cells while encouraging waste removal, hence supporting functional and aesthetic aspects of skin health.
Red light therapy also supports a healthy inflammatory response and supports the body’s natural free radical scavenging ability, which may promote healthy-looking skin by stimulating healthy cellular repair and rejuvenation [6]. These skin-health-enhancing effects make red light therapy a popular component of healthy aging and cosmetic regimens.
In one study involving 136 volunteers, the findings showed that red light therapy promoted healthy-looking skin by positively influencing collagen density, skin roughness, and the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines [7].
Healthy Aging Process
As we get older, the cumulative effects of oxidative stress, inflammation, declining hormone production and levels, and cellular dysfunction may lead to decreased performance and disease risk.
Red light therapy can play a role in promoting a healthy aging process by supporting various bodily functions and cellular processes at all stages of life.
Through its ability to boost ATP production, red light therapy helps support optimal cellular function as we age. Additionally, red light therapy's ability to support the body’s natural free radical scavenging ability, stimulate healthy collagen production, and support a healthy inflammatory response can contribute to a healthy aging process [6].
Healthy Sleep
Another reason to consider using red light therapy devices as biohacking products is their positive impact on sleep quality.
Sleep is foundational for optimal mental and physical performance. By optimizing sleep, red light therapy complements biohacking goals of maximizing productivity and recovery.
Red light therapy can support healthy circadian rhythms and promote the production of melatonin, a key hormone for sleep. This can help promote sleep quality, duration, and overall restfulness, supporting our body's ability to recover and rejuvenate during the night.
In a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training, researchers concluded that their findings “confirmed the effectiveness of body irradiation with red light in improving the quality of sleep…and offered a nonpharmacologic and noninvasive therapy to prevent sleep disorders” [8].
They exposed a group of 20 athletes to a red light device for 30 minutes every night over a period of 14 days. The results showed that the red light promoted healthy sleep, serum melatonin level, and endurance performance of the athletes.
Promote Free Radical Scavenging
Minimizing free radical damage is a key aspect of biohacking strategies for supporting longevity and healthspan. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage proteins, lipids, and DNA through oxidative stress.
The body employs free radical scavengers such as Superoxide Dismutase and Glutathione to neutralize free radicals and mitigate their harmful effects.
Red light therapy can help promote the body’s natural free radical scavenging ability through several cellular mechanisms such as stimulating nitric oxide release [9] [10]. This supports the body’s defenses against oxidative stress and promotes overall health.
Best Biohacking Devices – Red Light Therapy Wristband
One of the most effective biohacking products you can add to your wellness arsenal is a red light therapy device.
Red light therapy is growing in popularity among biohackers due to its multifaceted benefits and non-invasive mechanism of action. Integrating short, frequent red light exposures into your daily regimen complements other biohacks aimed at optimizing human performance.
If you’re looking to integrate red light therapy into your biohacking routine, it’s easier than you might think. In recent years, red light therapy devices designed specifically for biohackers have emerged.
These wearable devices provide portable, convenient red light dosing throughout the day. They represent a passive way to incorporate red light therapy benefits into your lifestyle with minimal effort.
In the realm of red light therapy devices, the Ascent Nutrition Red Light Therapy Wristband stands out for its unique design and ease of use. This innovative wristband offers biohackers the opportunity to experience the many benefits of red light therapy in a convenient, wearable format.
The wristband can be worn throughout the day or during specific activities, allowing you to receive the benefits of red light therapy without interrupting your daily routine. For this reason, the red light therapy device is perfect for biohackers, as it can be easily integrated into daily routines and used in conjunction with other biohacking practices.
Its portable design ensures that you can experience red light therapy at home, in the office, or even on the go.
To incorporate Ascent Nutrition’s Red Light Therapy Wristband into your daily health and wellness regimen, simply secure the wristband to your wrist and activate the red light therapy function as needed.
By using the wristband consistently, you can reap the various benefits of red light therapy, such as supporting healthy-looking skin, aiding in the aging process, promoting a healthy inflammatory response, enhancing sleep quality, and supporting hormonal and mitochondrial health.
In addition to the Red Light Therapy Wristband, visit Ascent Nutrition's website and browse through our offerings to find the perfect biohacking product for you.
Reference
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Tafur, J., & Mills, P. J. (2008). Low-intensity light therapy: exploring the role of redox mechanisms. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 26(4), 323-328: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/pho.2007.2184
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Hamblin, M. R. (2017). Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS biophysics, 4(3), 337: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5523874/
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Glass, G. E. (2021). Photobiomodulation: the clinical applications of low-level light therapy. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 41(6), 723-738: https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/41/6/723/6104785?login=false
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Keszler, A., Lindemer, B., Broeckel, G., Weihrauch, D., Gao, Y., & Lohr, N. L. (2022). In vivo characterization of a red light-activated vasodilation: A photobiomodulation study. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 880158: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9108481/
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Weihrauch, D., Keszler, A., Lindemer, B., Krolikowski, J., & Lohr, N. L. (2021). Red light stimulates vasodilation through extracellular vesicle trafficking. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 220, 112212: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134421000919
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Couturaud, V., Le Fur, M., Pelletier, M., & Granotier, F. (2023). Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation. Skin Research and Technology, 29(7), e13391: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/srt.13391
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Wunsch, A., & Matuschka, K. (2014). A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 32(2), 93-100: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/pho.2013.3616
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Zhao, J., Tian, Y., Nie, J., Xu, J., & Liu, D. (2012). Red light and the sleep quality and endurance performance of Chinese female basketball players. Journal of athletic training, 47(6), 673-678: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3499892/
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Sun, Q., Kim, H. E., Cho, H., Shi, S., Kim, B., & Kim, O. (2018). Red light-emitting diode irradiation regulates oxidative stress and inflammation through SPHK1/NF-κB activation in human keratinocytes. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 186, 31-40: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1011134418301556
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George, S., Hamblin, M. R., & Abrahamse, H. (2018). Effect of red light and near infrared laser on the generation of reactive oxygen species in primary dermal fibroblasts. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 188, 60-68: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6214457/