The Healing Effects of Photobiomodulation (aka: Light therapy, Near-infrared Light therapy, and Low level laser therapy)
Photobiomodulation Light Pad with therapeutic red and near infrared light
Most people have heard the buzz about near-infrared therapy by now, but what is it and does it work? And if so, how does it work and who does it help?
What is Photobiomodulation therapy?
Photobiomodulation (PBM) describes the therapeutic use of red or near-infrared light to stimulate healing, detoxification, fat cell shrinkage in weight reduction, relieve pain and inflammation, and prevent tissue from dying. PBM used to be called “low-level laser (or light) therapy”. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) describes the use of PBM as a treatment for various diseases or disorders currently including weight reduction, cellular detoxification, treatment of skin disorders including eczema, psoriasis and burns, musculoskeletal injury recovery and others. PBM was discovered over 50 years ago by Endre Mester in Hungary working with hair regrowth and wound healing in mice. Since then, PBM has gradually become more accepted by the medical world. However, growth has been slow. Due to its increasingly and wide availability, pharmaceutical companies who normally fund large randomized controlled trials have no incentives to do so as there are not large amounts of money to be made from it. However, there is growing literature supporting its efficacy in multiple conditions from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, to kidney disease to diabetes, and treating inflammation.
How does it work?
Improved metabolic functioning is one of the most recognized effects of PBM, and increased mitochondrial ATP production is one the most strongly supported mechanisms of action.
Stem Cell Activation
It has been shown that mesenchymal dormant stem cells respond to photobiomodulation therapy by proliferating and differentiating. With activation of stem cells by photobiomodulation, it has been shown that ischemic kidney injury is ameliorated, area of infarct or cell damage after myocardial infarction/heart attack is reduced, and an ongoing study in Alzheimer’s application is being performed. Other potential applications for stem cell activation by photobiomodulation include treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and burns.
Fat loss and body sculpting. Photobiomodulation does not cause weight loss, but causes fat cells to shrink, released excess fatty acids and water. PBM improves skin integrity and results in tightening. Combined with a proper health and wellness program, people see significant and sustained fat and weight loss long term.
After 5 -20 minute sessions of RedRed light therapy/ PBM. Photo courtesy of Redred360
Skin Care -the facelift without the knife.
After 7 sessions of PBM. Photo courtesy of Redred360
Acne
PMB therapy in Acne - Photo courtesy of American Academy of Dermatology. Number of treatment sessions unknown.
Psoriasis
PBM for Psoriasis – Photo: Durmazlar SP. Dermatologic Surgery 44(2):1. October 2017
Dementia and Alzheimer’s
PBM in Alzheimer’s Dementia. Photo per Berman MH. Photobiomodulation in the Brain. Low-level Laser (light) Therapy in Neurology and Neuroscience, 2019. A) and B) – before and after pictures of the Clock drawing exam (a standard test performed in neurocognitive testing) before/after PBM therapy. C) and D) - before and after pictures of the Clock drawing exam before/after PBM therapy.
Other Studied Applications with efficacy:
· Wound healing
· Osteoarthritis
· Detoxification
· Eczema
· Thyroid disease (see Dr. Wentz’s article here: https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/lasers-thyroid-tissue-regeneration/)
Less studied Applications, with suspected efficacy based on mechanism of action and early trials:
· Autoimmune disease including Multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, lupus, rheumatoid arthiritis, etc.
“Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, using far red/near IR (FR/NIR) laser light (630–1000nm), offers promise as an effective treatment for chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration. One hypothesis to explain the PBM mechanism describes mitochon- drial cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) as a photoreceptor for FR/NIR light. Absorption of the light by CcO leads to restoration of mitochondrial induction of gene transcription. The outcome ofphotobiomodulationisthedown-regulationofpro-inflammatory processes, up-regulation of anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and restoration of physiology.4 The autoimmune and neurode- generative processes culminating in pathogenesis led us to
· Oral mucositis from chemotherapy and radiation cancer treatments
· Traumatic brain injury
· Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease
· Pulmonary fibrosis, with a particular cause near and dear to me (see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Photobiomodulation+therapy+improves+both+inflammatory+and+fibrotic+parameters+in+experimental+model+of+lung+fibrosis+in+mice)
· Diabetes
· Heart disease
· Autism
Safety and practical concerns:
There are very few things in medicine that can be done in which we do not have an extensive list of cautions and risks of therapy. However, Photobiomodulation appears to be an exception to this commonality in practicing medicine. PBM therapy is extremely safe, with very few contraindications or cautions. If you are considering it, talk with your physician about your medical issues, any implanted devices/pacemakers, active chemotherapy or toxins. Careful hydration on days of treatment is recommended, as well as fasting for an hour before and after treatment, but otherwise, can be done safely anytime.
Different treatment protocols, duration of treatments and frequency are recommended for different conditions. PBM is not currently covered by insurance. There are home light therapy units you can purchase with varying strengths, and units found in physician offices, with higher power and higher costs. Home therapy units typically have shallow tissue penetration and may be more helpful for skin disorders than systemic conditions. More powerful devices are indicated for systemic conditions and body sculpting.
References
Arany PR Photobiomodulation Therapy: Communicating with Stem Cells for Regeneration?Photomed. Laser Surg 2016, 34, 497–499.
Abrahamse H; Hamblin MR Photomedicine and Stem Cells; Morgan and Claypool Publishing: San Rafael, CA, USA, 2017; ISBN 978-1-6817-4321-9.
Farfara D; Tuby H; Trudler D; Doron-Mandel E; Maltz L; Vassar RJ; Frenkel D; Oron U Low-level laser therapy ameliorates disease progression in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. J. Mol. Neurosci2015, 55, 430–436.
Blatt A; Elbaz-Greener GA; Tuby H; Maltz L; Siman-Tov Y; Ben-Aharon G; Copel L; Eisenberg I; Efrati S; Jonas M; et al. Low-Level Laser Therapy to the Bone Marrow Reduces Scarring and Improves Heart Function Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Pig. Photomed. Laser Surg 2016, 34, 516–524.
Tuby H; Maltz L; Oron U Induction of autologous mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow by low-level laser therapy has profound beneficial effects on the infarcted rat heart. Lasers Surg. Med 2011, 43, 401–409
Oron U; Tuby H; Maltz L; Sagi-Assif O; Abu-Hamed R; Yaakobi T; Doenyas-Barak K; Efrati SAutologous Bone-Marrow Stem Cells Stimulation Reverses Post-Ischemic-Reperfusion Kidney Injury in Rats. Am. J. Nephrol 2014, 40, 425–433.
Kang JM; Yeon BK; Cho SJ; Suh YH Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of Recent Clinical Trials. J. Alzheimer’s Dis 2016, 54, 879–889.
Holding DB et al. Low-level laser therapy in chronic autoimmune thyroiditis: A Pilot Study. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 42: 589-596 (2010)
Hofling DB et al. Low-level laser in the treatment of patients with hypothyroidism induced by chronic autoimmune thyroiditis: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci (2013) 28:743–753
Hofling DB. Assessment of the Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy on the Thyroid Vascularization of Patients with Autoimmune Hypothyroidism by Color Doppler Ultrasound. ISRN Endocrinology, 2012
de Freitas, Lucas Freitas, and Michael R Hamblin. “Proposed Mechanisms Of Photobiomodulation Or Low-Level Light Therapy”. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics 22.3 (2016): 348-364. Web.
Brochetti, R.A., Leal, M.P., Rodrigues, R. et al. Lasers Med Sci (2017) 32: 1825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2281-z