Cardiovascular health is important for wellbeing and longevity, yet nearly 20% of Americans aged 65+ have been diagnosed with heart disease. Adding red light therapy as a preventative measure can help boost heart health in healthy individuals as well as those with existing circulatory system problems. This article explores the therapeutic connection between red light therapy and heart disease. What Is Red Light Therapy? Red light therapy uses wavelengths in the visible (red) and invisible infrared range. These are safe and highly therapeutic in thousands of human and animal studies. It is non-invasive, safe, and effective. Studies suggest that because of its revitalizing properties, long-term daily use may be beneficial to heart health and longevity. Most red light therapy today is delivered by LED devices. Red light therapy promotes beneficial biological responses by boosting mitochondrial energy which directly affects cellular functions including repair and regeneration. Red and near infrared wavelengths stimulate the synthesis of ATP, which is the primary fuel of our cells. This effect promotes heart and cardiovascular health but also other systems in the body. The other three primary benefits of red light therapy include reduced inflammation, improved circulation, and regulated collagen synthesis. Myocardial collagen is extremely important for the heart muscles to operate normally — and its production declines with age. Older adults also often suffer from increased chronic inflammation and decreased circulation due to atherosclerosis, which contribute to heart disease. Does Red Light Therapy Treat Heart Disease? Treating heart disease with red light therapy involves lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, supporting the muscles of the heart, and reducing inflammation. For example, 630nm red light reduced heart size, reduced pulmonary edema, and improved cardiac function in mice with heart failure. Red light therapy has been shown as a useful therapy for promoting healing and slowing the progression of age-related heart disease and hypertension, recovery from stroke, and treatment of heart arrhythmias. Although not necessarily directly related to heart disease, stroke is a circulatory disorder that can benefit from red light therapy. In a small study of ten stroke patients, the patients who received red light therapy had better functional mobility than patients who did not receive red light treatments. Perhaps most importantly, red light therapy boosts cellular energy production in heart tissue. This can help prevent heart disease as well as help the heart heal after a heart attack. Near infrared light (NIR) supports myocardial tissue after a heart attack. The mitochondria in heart tissue is responsible for converting raw materials into cellular fuel. After a heart attack, the mitochondria enter a shocked state and cannot produce adequate energy (ATP) which complicates recovery. NIR supports ATP synthesis to help these damaged tissues heal. NIR light also increases the number of new cells and prevents the loss of newly formed cells in a damaged heart. Can Red Light Therapy Help Prevent Heart Disease? Red light therapy can be useful in treating conditions that could contribute to heart disease. This treatment is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, but should be used as an additional therapy to help prevent heart disease. Slowed Cardiovascular Aging In a 2023 animal study, researchers concluded that red light therapy may slow cardiovascular aging and help prevent age-related heart deterioration and support healthy cardiac chamber dilation and function. For an aging population, this is important news. Biological aging results in decreased cellular function, which translates on a larger scale to loss of organ function and the development and progression of heart failure and other age-related diseases such as dementia. The study mentioned above explored the effect of red light therapy on heart function. Mice with heart disease were exposed to 850nm near infrared light for two minutes per day for five days per week over a period of 4-½ months. The light was delivered from an overhead LED light source rather than a targeted application of light to the heart area. In this study, researchers noted an improvement in heart function, specifically neuromuscular coordination, as well as mitigating the thickness of the cardiac wall. After treatment with red light therapy, echocardiograms showed no progression of heart disease and improved circulation, with a 100% survival rate compared to the 43% survival rate of mice with heart disease. The study was halted for several months due to Covid; but the therapeutic effects of the treatments of the initial period of 3 months persisted during the break which suggests that the effects are long-term. Healthy Blood Pressure Midlife hypertension, which is a characteristic of heart disease, has been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease. Red light therapy controls high blood pressure which may have a side benefit in mitigating age-related Alzheimer’s Disease. Lower Cholesterol High serum cholesterol increases the risk of cardiac diseases. Red light therapy has shown effectiveness in significantly reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels in ICU patients: 10 received 650-660nm red light treatments for 55 minutes every four days for two successive weeks. The control group received a sham treatment. Improved Heart Cell Health Red light therapy promotes cardiogenesis — the formation of new heart muscle cells — as well as increasing mitochondrial vitality in heart tissue cells. This could reduce the incidence of heart attacks and the number of deaths due to heart failure. Other studies show that red light offers protection against cardiac ischemia in diabetics, and protection from the formation of aortic aneurysms and arrhythmias. Improved Blood Circulation Improved blood circulation is one of the hallmarks of this therapy. Red light therapy stimulates nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide helps relax and dilate blood vessels which could be useful in treating peripheral artery disease (PAD) which is characterized by narrowed blood vessels in the legs. Red light therapy also promotes angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels. Increased Muscle Mass and Faster Recovery From Exercise Increased muscle mass helps with weight loss. Although nothing is superior to strength training in building muscle mass, the process can benefit from red light therapy to not only boost the growth of muscle fibers, but to promote faster recovery after exercise. A 2017 review concluded that red and/or NIR treatments used before exercise to pre-condition muscles and after exercise to promote recovery, can boost athletic performance. The review looked at 40 studies (1045 participants) and noted increased muscle mass after a workout, and decreased inflammation after a workout which led to faster recovery and better athletic performance. This is good news if pain and muscle weakness are keeping an individual from exercising regularly. Red Light Therapy and Heart Disease Symptoms Red light therapy can be used to mitigate the symptoms of heart disease such as chest pain, edema (swelling), poor blood flow to the extremities, and heart palpitations. Red light therapy has been used to treat lymphedema. It also shows benefits in treating peripheral neuropathy in diabetics. Since heart disease and diabetes are often linked, this could be another benefit to those suffering from these diseases. However, focusing on treating the symptoms should not take precedence over treating heart disease. As heart health improves, symptoms of heart disease should go away on their own. BIOMAX Series for Optimal Health It’s important to use the right light therapy device to support heart health. Devices that feature near infrared wavelengths that can absorb into heart tissue are optimal. The BIOMAX Series spectral array contains two red wavelengths, three near infrared wavelengths, as well as traces of blue and infrared wavelengths. Red light therapy has widespread applications throughout the body. Improving blood flow will boost cardiovascular health, but it is also important in treating chronic skin conditions, peripheral neuropathy, joint pain, and much more. The Learning Center is a wealth of information on the many ways you can use red light therapy to improve your health and well-being. Check out the BIOMAX Series for more information!
