Tag: Red and Near-Infrared Light

The main reason for this blog,

Blood glucose and red light

There’s been increasing interest in photobiomodulation and muscles.

Researchers from Brazil have been looking further into this, curious to see what happens to blood glucose (often called blood sugar) when a combination of red and near infrared light is shone into muscles. Their interest was piqued by reports that photobiomodulation can help lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. Blood glucose levels stay high in diabetes and that causes all sorts of problems for the rest of the body.

Continue reading “Blood glucose and red light”

Does hair matter?

I’ve had several people ask whether it would be better to fit or shave off their hair so that the transcranial light device can penetrate further into the brain tissue.

I am a great fan of head hair. It looks lovely, feels nice and most importantly, it keeps your head warm. The has a lot of blood vessels close the to surface of the skin and being bald means that a lot of heat can be lost through the head. Hair serves a useful biological function as well as being of aesthetic value.

I would not recommend removing your hair, unless you have so little hair that the removal of the last strands will make no difference. If this is the case, then why bother! Keep those gorgeous strands.

Some people find that their head hair starts to regrow. Where there had been a shiny, bald pate, fuzz has started to appear. A comb may be required. Those remaining gorgeous strands might just proliferate. Don’t argue!

If you have a lot of hair, then flaunt it and enjoy it. Don’t cut it off or shave it off. You will still get red and near infrared light onto your brain cells. Remember that photobiomodulation works by the indirect effect as well as the direct effect.

Thanks to Neil in the photo, showing off his facial hair as well as his fine coiffure.

The Brain Orchestra

I’ve been reading a journal article by Professors John Mitrofanis and Luke Henderson of the University of Sydney.

The title says it all: How and why does photobiomodulation change brain activity?

Continue reading “The Brain Orchestra”

What wavelength is best for my condition?

If you have looked at the availability of rolls of red and near infrared LED lights, you will see that there is a bewildering array, between orangey-red (630nm) to out of the visible spectrum so that you can’t see it at all (940nm).

So what, you ask. Surely it doesn’t matter? Surely red light, near infrared light – it’s all the same? One wavelength is as good as another?

Wavelength matters – please be cautious!

I’ve been corresponding with lots of people over the last week. In my response, I always ask whether the query is for uncomplicated Parkinson’s disease, or for PD complicated by another neurodegenerative process. I’m not asking because I’m being nosey – the question is really important.

Continue reading “What wavelength is best for my condition?”

Talking to your doctor

This ABC story is generating interest in red lights and Parkinson’s disease.

You might want to discuss red lights with your doctor.

If you take in a copy of the ABC story, your doctor will most likely inwardly sigh and tell you not to believe everything you read.

Here’s a better idea – give your doctor original research articles!

Here’s how to do that:

Blind your doctor with science – it’s the kind thing to do…

Parkinson’s summary

I wrote the following for someone interested in the effects of red and near infrared lights in Parkinson’s Disease. It is a summary of PD-related redlightsonthebrain blog posts.
If you select the Parkinson’s tag on the blog, you get the posts that refer in some way to PD. https://redlightsonthebrain.blog/tag/parkinsons-disease/
Research findings blog posts are:
1. A summary of the findings of the people with PD using bucket light hats published in a peer reviewed journal.
2. A summary of a 2016 presentation given by Prof John Mitrofanis, an international leader in research on red lights and PD.
Interesting anecdotal blog posts are:
1. On sleep
2. On the subtlety of the effects of transcranial red and near infrared lights