Journal of Biophotonics: Red light photobiomodulation lowers blood sugar levels, study finds

Researchers from University College London have found that red light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers activates the processing of glucose in the body.

The results of this study were published in the Journal of Biophotonics.

Thirty people participated in the experiment. They were divided into two groups, one of which was exposed to red light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers. The other was the monitoring group. After photobiomodulation (laser therapy), the scientists monitored how the glucose level in the blood of all research participants changed.

It was found that the concentration of sugar in the blood of the participants of the experimental group was 27.7% lower on average. The researchers explained that this effect was related to the ability of red light of a certain wavelength to activate mitochondria—organelles that participate in cellular respiration and provide the cell with energy.

Mitochondria use the oxygen and the food they receive to produce the energy-rich nucleoside adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The latter ensures muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses in the body. The increase in the activity of mitochondria was associated with an increase in the amount of processed glucose and a further decrease in its level.

Researchers hope that this non-drug diabetes therapy will be better studied in the future. Its use will enable to stabilize the health condition of people suffering from this disease.

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