Parwy's Blog: Using Red Light to Improve Metabolism & the Harmful Effects of LEDs

Long wavelength light, encompassing red, near infrared (NIR), and infrared (IR) light, improves overall health, metabolism, and organ function.
The mechanism involves the light being absorbed not by the mitochondria itself, but by the nano water surrounding the mitochondria.
This absorption reduces the viscosity of the water, which in turn increases the spin rate of the molecular motor that produces ATP (cellular energy).
Longer-term or chronic exposure to long wavelength light promotes the synthesis of more proteins within the electron transport chains, enhancing the cell's long-term energy-making capability.
Light in the long wavelength range is nonionizing, meaning it does not carry the damaging "kick" of short wavelengths and is safe for therapeutic application as it does not alter DNA.
Long wavelength light penetrates deeply into the body, scattering throughout internal organs, and is capable of passing through bone and the skull.
This light passes through standard clothing, such as a t-shirt, regardless of the garment’s color.
Mitochondria function as a community, sharing information across cells in different areas of the body, allowing localized stimulation to produce systemic responses.
Lasers should be avoided for light therapy because they scatter unevenly in tissue, creating highly concentrated, damaging spots called "caustics".

Excessive exposure to short wavelength light (often called blue light) from LEDs is considered a significant public health issue comparable to asbestos.
LEDs are problematic because they feature a large blue spike and lack the protective, balancing long wavelength light (infrared) found in natural sunlight and older light sources.
This spectral imbalance causes mitochondria to decline, reducing their responsiveness and membrane potential in real-time.
Animal models exposed to LED lighting show reduced ATP production, significant weight gain, unbalanced blood glucose control, fatty livers, and reduced organ size (kidneys, heart).
The most damaging range of short wavelength light for mitochondria is generally considered to be 420 nm to 440 nm.
Modern architecture often compounds the problem by installing cheap, restricted-spectrum LEDs and using infrared-blocking glass, which isolates occupants from the beneficial long wavelength light in sunlight.
Incandescent and halogen bulbs offer a spectrally smooth function that closely mimics solar light and are considered healthy alternatives to standard LEDs.
Dimming incandescent or halogen lights allows the bulb to last longer while still producing abundant infrared light.
Architects should incorporate plant matter, which reflects infrared light, to bounce beneficial long wavelengths back into buildings, particularly where infrared-blocking glass is used.

The optimal time for long wavelength light exposure is in the morning, generally from before perceived sunrise until about 11:00 am.
Therapeutic benefits can be achieved with low energy levels, typically ranging from 1 to 8 milliwatts per cm squared, making the light source comfortable to use.
A short, three-minute exposure of 670 nm light to the eyes can improve visual function (color perception thresholds) by approximately 20%, an effect that lasts around five days.
Illuminating a small area of the back (e.g., a 4x6 inch rectangle) with long wavelength light resulted in a systemic response that reduced the peak blood glucose spike in humans by over 20%.
The light can reduce the pace of cell death in aging tissues, such as rod photoreceptors in the retina, and has shown dramatic improvements in simple metrics like mobility in children with mitochondrial diseases.
Early intervention with long wavelength light is crucial for managing diseases related to mitochondrial decline, as the therapy cannot reverse conditions that have reached an advanced stage, such as severe macular degeneration.
In older individuals, the potential for improving mitochondrial function is greater because their mitochondria are generally in a poorer state consistent with aging.