Summary of New Research Indicates That Light Therapy May Slow Cardiovascular Aging:
A recent study has suggested that light therapy could slow down cardiovascular aging, which can lead to age-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. The study, conducted on mice, showed an improvement in heart function and a decrease in the thickness of the cardiac wall after exposure to low-dose near-infrared light. The therapy also improved neuromuscular coordination and mitigated heart disease in mice with severe heart conditions. The study’s co-principal investigator said that PBM, or photobiomodulation therapy, may benefit heart health and longevity. The next step is to conduct controlled human clinical trials.
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Light Therapy May Slow Down Cardiovascular Aging: Study
A recent study suggests that light therapy could be an effective means of slowing down cardiovascular aging. The study, conducted on middle-aged mice, showed an improvement in heart function after exposure to photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, indicating that it may delay the onset of age-related diseases like heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Why Use Light Therapy?
Light therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for various illnesses. PBM, in particular, has been known to promote healing, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function. The study showed that this could be due to the activation of a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1), which plays an important role in human health and disease, especially in age-related diseases. TGF-β1 regulates stem cell activity, inflammation, and immune system function and could explain why light therapy works.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The study focused on heart condition and function in middle-aged mice 14 months of age. The experiment exposed mice to a dose of near-infrared light using an overhead LED rather than a focused light source. The ambient low-dose exposure occurred five days a week for two minutes daily. One group of genetically manipulated mice gets severe heart disease, which usually causes death. After treatment with PBM, heart disease among these mice with heart disease did not progress. The survival rate among the most susceptible group was 100%, compared to the usual survival rate of 43%.
What Are the Next Steps?
Light therapy is only effective if it is administered with appropriate parameters. Certain kinds of light, such as ultraviolet light and light produced by lasers, can be harmful. Other mornings, while harmless, may not be effective. To be effective and safe, it is important to use specific light wavelength (color), intensity (dose), and length of exposure. This study shows that long-term exposure to a low-dose near-infrared light in a non-thermal manner, carefully adjusted, may benefit heart health and longevity. The next step, Arany said, is controlled human clinical trials.
Conclusion
Almost 20% of Americans older than 65 have been diagnosed with heart disease, which continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. The study’s results indicate that PBM therapy may be a promising non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical intervention that could mitigate cardiovascular aging and improve heart health and longevity. It could benefit many aging populations by reducing the risk of contracting age-related heart diseases. However, it must be administered with specific parameters, and human clinical trials are needed to prove its efficacy and safety in humans.
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