Red Light & Minerals
Research shows that red light therapy is effective on its own—but you can get even more benefits by combining red light exposure with a mineral supplement.
Here’s a look at how minerals support red light therapy, and how you can use the two together to enhance your energy, muscle repair, and more.
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy (also called photobiomodulation therapy or low-level laser therapy) involves exposing the body to specific wavelengths of light for an extended period of time.
Light therapy has been used medically since the 1960s. [*] It was accidentally discovered in 1967 by Endre Mester, a Hungarian researcher, when Mester noticed that wounded rats healed faster after exposure to low-power lasers, and the results led to more research and adoption by hospitals for enhancing wound treatment. [*] Since then, researchers have discovered that humans respond to many different wavelengths of light.
Red light therapy works by repeatedly exposing your skin to red and near-infrared light. Research shows that this spectrum of light penetrates your skin and reaches your cells, triggering a variety of benefits. [ * ]
Benefits Of Red Light Therapy
There are several benefits to red light therapy, including:
Muscle growth and recovery. A 2016 study found that red light exposure after training increased participants’ muscle growth. It also decreased soreness and oxidative stress, encouraging faster recovery. The authors concluded that red light therapy offers a significant advantage in sports performance. [ * ]
Enhanced brain function. A 2016 review found that shining red and near-infrared light on the brain increases energy production in neurons, which can enhance cognition and brain repair. [ * ] Red light therapy is currently being studied to prevent dementia and help the brain recover from strokes and other trauma. The authors also note that “brain caps”, helmets lined with red lights on their interior, are an effective and increasingly affordable way to get the mental benefits of red light therapy.
Anti-aging. A 2014 review found that red light therapy stimulated repair, increased blood and nutrient flow, and enhanced collagen production in skin cells. As a result, skin exposed to red light had fewer wrinkles and greater elasticity. [ * ]
Relieving skin conditions. The same review also noted that red light therapy is useful in dermatology. Red light exposure decreased inflammation in psoriasis, eczema, and other inflammatory skin problems. It also decreased acne and made skin tone more even in pigmentation disorders. [ * ]
Most of red light therapy’s benefits come from its effect on mitochondria . Your mitochondria are the power plants of your cells—they make the energy that fuels everything you do, from walking to thinking to breathing to exercising.
As you age, your mitochondria begin to decline. Red light therapy can help reverse that process by supercharging your mitochondrial energy production.
A 2019 review found that prolonged red light exposure increases delivery of oxygen and electrons to your mitochondria, making them significantly more powerful over time. [ * ]
The best part of red light therapy is that you can decide where you get the benefits of stronger mitochondria, based on where you shine the light. You can focus on your brain, skin, sore muscles, and so on, providing local support for your cells.
How Minerals Enhance Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy alone is a powerful way to enhance your mitochondria—but if you want to give them an even bigger boost, a simple way is to increase your mineral intake.
Your mitochondria use a huge amount of minerals in energy production, and if those mineral stores run low, your mitochondria will slow down. A hallmark 2022 study found that mineral deficiencies are a common cause of mitochondrial decline—and, conversely, that getting extra minerals “tunes up” your mitochondria, increasing their energy production. [ * ]
To quote the study’s authors:
“ Mitochondria are particularly rich in minerals , where they function as essential cofactors for mitochondrial physiology and overall cellular health…nutritional recommendations should be adjusted in order to ' tune-up' metabolism and reduce mitochondrial decay , a hallmark of aging and many disease processes. A major subset of tunable nutrients are the minerals, which despite being integral to every aspect of metabolism are often deficient in the typical Western diet. ”
Red light therapy and a high-quality mineral supplement are a perfect pairing—though you have to be sure you get the right red lights. Many producers save money on manufacturing by offering weak or incomplete red light devices. We recommend a Mito panel, which contains the full range of wavelengths used in most research.
Red Light Therapy + Minerals: A Perfect Match for More Energy
Most cellular processes only require a few different minerals to run properly. Mitochondria are different. They need almost every single essential mineral in order to function at their best. [ * ]
With that in mind, the easiest way to support your mitochondria is to take a supplement that delivers the full range of essential minerals.
