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Humans and mice exposed to long-wavelength red light had lower rates of blood clots that can cause heart attacks, lung damage and strokes, according to research led by surgeon-scientists. The team exposed mice to 12 hours of either red, blue or white light, followed by 12 hours of darkness, in a 72-hour cycle. They then looked for differences in blood clots between the groups. The mice exposed to red light had nearly five times fewer clots than the mice exposed to blue or white light. Activity, sleep, eating, weight and body temperature remained the same between the groups. The team...

A study has concluded that the use of monochromatic infrared light in conjunction with conventional physical therapy is a promising alternative for the treatment of peripheral diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that most often affects the legs and feet, and one of the most frequent, insidious and incapacitating complications of diabetes. Pharmacological treatment is usual in this case, but other therapeutic possibilities can help relieve the discomfort without the side effects caused by drugs, such as dry mouth, postural hypotension and urinary retention. "The lives and functionality of people with diabetes are so severely damaged by the problem...

Light therapy could be a useful treatment for the most common form of age-related macular degeneration, a study says. The therapy, called photobiomodulation or "red light" therapy, can reduce the risk of vision loss and slow progression of the "dry" form of macular degeneration, researchers reported. About eight out of 10 people with macular degeneration have the "dry" form of the disease. They slowly lose central vision as the macula—a small but important area in the center of the retina—becomes thinner and accumulates tiny clumps of protein called drusen. There are effective drugs available for people with "wet" AMD, in...

Researchers have found that 670 nanometers (nm) of red light stimulated energy production within mitochondria, leading to increased consumption of glucose. In particular, it led to a 27.7% reduction in blood glucose levels following glucose intake, and it reduced maximum glucose spiking by 7.5%. Mitochondria provide energy for vital cellular processes, using oxygen and glucose to produce the energy-rich nucleoside adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Previous research has established that long-wavelength light between approximately 650–900 nm (spanning the visible through to the near-infrared range) can increase mitochondrial production of ATP which reduces blood glucose and also improves health/lifespan in animals. To explore...