Red Light Therapy For Weight Loss

Wouldn’t it be great if you could easily shed a couple of inches off your waist without the need to exercise or diet? The ability to lose weight safely and effectively has been a long pursuit for many people. For years now, millions of people in the United States have tried injections, pills, natural herbs, and even berries that are supposedly meant to help you shed some pounds. But unfortunately, most of these are not able to help you achieve the desired goals. If you also had to face disappointing results from appetite suppressants, strict diet plans, or other weight loss schemes, it’s about time you considered red light therapy for weight loss. This article will help you understand how red-light therapy can finally help you achieve your long-awaited goal of weight loss.

How Does Red Light Therapy Help You Lose Weight?

Also commonly known as low-level laser therapy, red light therapy is able to support weight loss in multiple ways. It exposes your body to red light and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths that offer therapeutic effects on the human body at the cellular level.

Enhanced Muscle Mass

Red light therapy has been associated with an increase in body muscle mass. Your muscles require more energy even when you are not exercising; this means that your body will burn calories even when you do not actively exercise. A study demonstrated that the use of red light therapy help athletes experience faster muscle recovery and enhanced muscle mass.

Increased Cellular Metabolism

Red light is known to stimulate cellular energy. When absorbed by chromophores in the mitochondria, photons from red light and NIR help stimulate the synthesis of energy in the cells. Enhanced energy levels lead to healthier cells and improved overall cellular performance. This plays a significant role in reducing inflammation and regulating cellular reproduction. What does this do? Your body is able to sustain increased metabolism and improved functioning of the body’s organs, helping in burning excess fat.

Fat Cell Reduction

Red light therapy is able to stimulate the production of minute pores in the fat cells of your body, which releases fatty acids, also known as lipids. Research has found that exposure to 635nm red light for just four minutes can cause 80% of lipids to be released from fat cells. And by a six-minute exposure to red light, almost all of the fat content is released. The scientific theory suggests that red light therapy can induce temporary pores in fat cells that facilitate the leakage of lipids. The red light was also found to stimulate the natural cell death (apoptosis) of adipocytes.

Suppress Appetite

Red light exposure can play a key role in controlling appetite-regulating hormones, commonly known as ghrelin and leptin. A study that was focused on the effects of red light on these hunger hormones in individuals suffering from sleep deprivation found a 19 percent reduction in the hormone levels. This control over hormonal regulation of appetite gives the right light therapy a unique edge over other weight loss methods. References:

1. Ferraresi C, Huang YY, Hamblin MR. Photobiomodulation in human muscle tissue: an advantage in sports performance?. J Biophotonics. 2016;9(11-12):1273-1299. doi:10.1002/jbio.201600176
2. Avci P, Nyame TT, Gupta GK, Sadasivam M, Hamblin MR. Low-level laser therapy for fat layer reduction: a comprehensive review. Lasers Surg Med. 2013;45(6):349-357. doi:10.1002/lsm.22153
3. Mariana G. Figueiro, Barbara Plitnick, Mark S. Rea, “Light Modulates Leptin and Ghrelin in Sleep-Restricted Adults”, International Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 2012, Article ID 530726, 6 pages, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/530726