Should You Try Red Light Therapy for Weight Loss?

Feeling frustrated about those lingering extra pounds? No matter how hard you diet and exercise, the weight just won’t budge. You’re not alone. Losing weight and keeping it off is a struggle for many people. But what if there was a completely safe and natural way to finally achieve your weight loss goals? Red light therapy may be the solution you’ve been looking for. But does shining red light on your body actually lead to weight loss? Let’s take an in-depth look at the science behind red light therapy and whether it’s an effective option for losing weight.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a natural, non-invasive treatment that uses low-level red light to interact with cells. It’s been around for over 50 years and used by NASA to grow plants in space!

Today red light is mostly used as a skin treatment for anti-aging and acne. But recent research suggests red light may also help enhance weight loss efforts. So how does it work? Red light uses LEDs (light emitting diodes) to emit wavelengths of visible red light. When this light enters the skin tissues, it interacts with our cells.

Red light boosts ATP production and key cell mitochondrial functions. ATP is the “energy currency” of cells. This energizes cells so they can grow and repair faster. The light improves blood flow and forms new capillaries. This brings more oxygen and nutrients to help heal damaged tissue. Red light also reduces inflammation and reactive oxygen species that delay healing. It even helps modulate immune responses.

How Does Red Light Therapy Promote Weight Loss?

So how exactly could shining red light on your body help you lose weight? Let’s take a look at some of the key scientific findings surrounding red light therapy and weight loss:

1. Enhancing Mitochondrial Function

Your mitochondria act as the “powerhouses” of your cells, converting nutrients from food into usable energy. Research shows that exposure to red and near-infrared light enhances mitochondrial function and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production.

With greater energy production, your cells can operate more efficiently. Your body requires less food energy, thus potentially reducing total calorie needs and body fat over time.

2. Increasing Fat Breakdown

Some studies also suggests red light therapy may play a role in fat breakdown, known as lipolysis. By enhancing lipolysis, red light therapy may help triglycerides stored in fat cells to be released and used for energy, supporting weight loss.

A 2011 study published in the journal Obesity Surgery found that red light therapy increased fat loss from adipocytes by releasing triglycerides, with subjects losing -2.15 cm in waist circumference after 4 weeks.

3. Appetite Suppression

A 2012 study found that exposure to red light can reduce levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. At the same time, it increases levels of leptin, a satiety hormone that signals fullness to the brain.

By curbing appetite and promoting feelings of fullness, red light therapy makes it easier to reduce caloric intake without hunger pains and cravings getting in the way. This assists weight loss through simple calorie restriction.

4. Faster Recovery from Exercise

Exercise and building muscle mass are pivotal for shedding excess fat. Multiple clinical studies have proven that red light therapy improves workout recovery times by reducing muscle soreness, fatigue, and damage. This allows you to exercise more frequently and intensely to maximize calorie burn.

The light also stimulates fibroblasts that generate new collagen and elastin. This makes your skin firmer and enhances overall tone as you lose underlying fat.

5. Lower Inflammation

Chronic inflammation in the body is tied to imbalances in glucose, fatty acids, hormones, and metabolism – all factors that influence weight control. By lowering inflammatory markers, red light therapy helps restore optimal functioning in cells and hormones that regulate appetite, fat burning, blood sugar control, and more.

6. Improved Stress Response

Psychological and physiological stress can disrupt normal metabolic processes and hormone levels in ways that promote weight gain and fat accumulation. Red light therapy calms the body’s stress response, helping bring systems back into balance. This supports healthy cortisol, insulin, thyroid and sex hormones.

In summary, red light therapy provides multiple avenues to encourage fat loss and a slimmer physique. It works with your body at the cellular level to prime tissues for shedding excess weight and keeping it off.

Advantages of Red Light Therapy for Weight Loss

If proven effective, red light therapy offers several advantages as a supplemental weight loss aid:

• Convenience: Most devices are easy to use at home. Sessions are short, allowing red light therapy to fit conveniently into your daily routine.
• Non-invasive: Red light therapy is entirely external and non-invasive, unlike harsher fat reduction procedures like liposuction.
• Pain-free: The treatment requires no pain or discomfort. You can relax and go about your normal activities during the sessions.
• No major side effects: Red light therapy is generally very safe when used appropriately (more on this later). Most people tolerate it well with minimal risk of side effects.
• Affordability: Home red light therapy devices have become more affordable in recent years. Less expensive than procedures at medical clinics.
• Whole-body effects: Red light penetrates tissue diffusely, able to improve cell function and potentially aid fat loss across the whole body.
• Supplemental: Red light therapy can complement your nutrition plan, exercise regimen, and other weight loss techniques.

When used properly, red light therapy offers a safe, convenient supplemental approach to overcoming a weight loss plateau or speeding your results.

Red Light Therapy Devices for Home Use

At-home red light therapy devices provide a convenient way to harness these weight loss benefits from the comfort of your own home. With routine use, they deliver clinical-grade red and near-infrared light for systemic effects.

Here are some things to look for when choosing a device:

• Full body coverage – For weight loss, you want broad coverage to reach adipose tissue all over the body. Look for panel sizes of at least 24 x 48 inches.
• Power density – This measures light energy delivery and is expressed in mW/cm2 (milliwatts per square centimeter). For fat loss, look for power densities between 30 to 100 mW/cm2.
• Red/near-infrared LEDs – These emit targeted wavelengths shown to stimulate fat cells and metabolism. Avoid devices with superfluous colors like blue or purple.
• Auto-timer – Built-in timers eliminate guesswork for treatment durations. They should allow at least 10-20 minute session times for weight loss.
• FDA cleared – Seek Class II FDA cleared devices, which have undergone rigorous safety testing for both red and near-infrared wavelengths. This ensures therapeutic realness.

RedDot LED offer FDA cleared full body red light therapy panels suitable for weight loss. Also consider getting smaller handheld devices that can target problem areas like the abs, thighs, and upper arms. Using larger and smaller units together provides customizable red light therapy tailored to your physique.

How to Maximize Red Light Therapy for Weight Loss?

To give yourself the best chance of success, follow these tips when using red light therapy for weight management:

• Consistent sessions. Effects are cumulative, so aim for consistent sessions several times per week to accrue benefits. Skipping days can slow results.
• 20-30 minutes per session. Most research indicates sessions of 20 minutes or longer provide optimal benefits. Less may produce limited effects.
• Whole body exposure. Position the light panel/lamp to shine evenly over your full body, including front, back and sides.
• Multiple angles. Adjust your position during a session to target the light from varying angles and ensure good coverage.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle. Red light therapy complements other weight loss efforts, not replaces them. Maintain an active lifestyle and calorie-controlled diet.
• Track changes. Monitor your weight, body measurements, before/after photos, and energy levels to gauge your progress over the first few months.
• Be patient. Effects manifest gradually over weeks and months. Stick with it long term to experience the potential full benefits.

With consistency and proper technique, red light therapy may optimize your weight loss results safely and effectively. Discuss with your doctor to decide if it’s right for you.

Conclusion

Losing those stubborn extra pounds often requires patience and consistency with healthy habits. Adding red light therapy to your regimen shows promise for giving your weight loss efforts an extra boost in the right direction. Take the time to do your research and find a high quality device to implement the therapy properly. If you stick with the protocol, red light therapy may aid you in finally achieving your body composition goals this year.

 

Published by reddotled.com (Repost Tips)