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Red Light Therapy Research
The evidence base

Red light therapy research

Photobiomodulation, the science behind red and near-infrared light therapy, has a peer-reviewed evidence base going back more than thirty years. Below are 15 studies on red light and whole-body light therapy, covering recovery, performance, pain, skin and sleep. Every citation links straight to its record on PubMed so you can read the source yourself. Studies on whole-body light beds like NovoTHOR are listed first.

Whole-body RCT · Pain Ther · 2023

Short-Term Effects of Whole-Body Photobiomodulation on Pain, Quality of Life and Psychological Factors in a Population Suffering from Fibromyalgia: A Triple-Blinded Randomised Clinical Trial.

In a triple-blind randomised trial, four weeks of whole-body red light bed sessions significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life in people with fibromyalgia.

View on PubMed

Whole-body RCT · J Athl Train · 2012

Red light and the sleep quality and endurance performance of Chinese female basketball players.

Athletes given fourteen nights of whole-body red light slept better, produced more melatonin, and improved their endurance compared with a control group.

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NovoTHOR trial protocol · BMJ Open · 2022

Whole-body photobiomodulation therapy for chronic pain: a protocol for a feasibility trial.

A registered trial protocol designed to test whether a NovoTHOR whole-body light bed can safely help people living with long-term chronic pain.

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Whole-body RCT · Front Sports Act Living · 2020

The Effects of Whole-Body Photobiomodulation Light-Bed Therapy on Creatine Kinase and Salivary Interleukin-6 in a Sample of Trained Males: A Randomized, Crossover Study.

A whole-body light-bed study in trained men found the sessions were safe and well tolerated, though they did not significantly shift two specific post-exercise recovery markers.

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Controlled trial · Photomed Laser Surg · 2014

A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment in patient satisfaction, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, skin roughness, and intradermal collagen density increase.

People treated with red and near-infrared light showed smoother skin, fewer fine lines and wrinkles, and measurably denser collagen than an untreated group.

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Mechanism review · AIMS Biophys · 2017

Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation.

A foundational review explaining how red and near-infrared light calms inflammation by acting on the energy-producing parts of cells.

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Mechanism review · IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron · 2016

Proposed Mechanisms of Photobiomodulation or Low-Level Light Therapy.

A widely cited review describing how light therapy is absorbed in the mitochondria, the cell's power plants, to boost cellular energy and trigger repair.

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Meta-analysis · Lasers Med Sci · 2015

Effect of phototherapy (low-level laser therapy and light-emitting diode therapy) on exercise performance and markers of exercise recovery: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Pooling many trials, light therapy applied before exercise improved muscle performance and reduced markers of muscle damage and soreness afterward.

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Meta-analysis · Lasers Med Sci · 2018

Photobiomodulation therapy for the improvement of muscular performance and reduction of muscular fatigue associated with exercise in healthy people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Across healthy people, red and near-infrared light improved muscle performance and reduced exercise-related fatigue, working best when given before activity.

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Meta-analysis · J Strength Cond Res · 2024

Effects of Photobiomodulation on Pain and Return to Play of Injured Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Pooling trials of injured athletes, light therapy reduced their pain and helped them return to play sooner.

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Meta-analysis · The Lancet · 2009

Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials.

Published in The Lancet, this analysis of sixteen randomised trials found laser therapy eased chronic neck pain immediately and kept it lower for up to twenty-two weeks versus sham treatment.

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Meta-analysis · BMJ Open · 2019

Efficacy of low-level laser therapy on pain and disability in knee osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials.

Across randomised trials, knee osteoarthritis patients treated at the right dose had meaningfully less pain and disability than those given a placebo light.

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RCT · J Photochem Photobiol B · 2007

A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and split-face clinical study on LED phototherapy for skin rejuvenation.

In a placebo-controlled trial, red and near-infrared LED light reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity, with skin samples showing more collagen and elastic fibres.

View on PubMed

RCT · Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg · 2023

Photobiomodulation Reduces Periocular Wrinkle Volume by 30%: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

In a controlled trial of 137 women, light therapy reduced the volume of wrinkles around the eyes by about thirty percent.

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RCT · Photomed Laser Surg · 2018

Transcranial Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. The ELATED-2 Pilot Trial.

A blinded pilot trial found that near-infrared light applied to the forehead reduced symptoms in adults with major depression.

View on PubMed

These studies are shared for general education. Red light therapy at Avantir is a wellness service, not a medical treatment, and individual results vary. Please speak with your doctor about any medical condition.

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NovoTHOR® and StarFormer® are used as part of wellness programmes at Avantir Wellness. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is delivered in a 1.5 ATA soft-shell wellness setting. Avantir Wellness is a functional medicine wellness centre; sessions are wellness-focused and not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your physician before commencing any therapy programme.