Can Red Light Therapy Increase or Create Vitamin D?
No, there is no evidence that red or infrared light directly contributes to vitamin D production. Vitamin D is produced by our body during and after exposure to UVB (ultraviolet B). However, there is an important factor that makes Red Light Therapy very interesting for the production of vitamin D in an indirect way.
This video gives an English explanation similar to this article. Ideal if you’d rather listen than read. This video was not made by us and is not a copy of this article.
Red Light Therapy can help prevent UVB damage
A 1992 study in Kyoto Japan already showed on the skin of mice that skin pre-treated with infrared had a significant reduction in cell damage after being exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation (290-320nm). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1610218/
An article written by scientist Daniel Barolet and colleagues in Montreal Canada called Infrared and skin: Friend and foe describes how it was proposed that infrared A from the sun might be just as harmful as UV. Investigate this, however, used devices that are not representative of the radiation of the sun.
They elaborate on this by saying that the advantages of infrared are many times higher than the assumed disadvantages. Studies indicate that infrared light preconditions the skin, in English ‘photo prevention’ as in nature takes place with much more infrared from the sun compared to UV in the morning and evening, so that the skin can better withstand UV due to the extra infrared.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jphotobiol.2015.12.014
For example, Barolet indicates in a study from 2008 that at least 85% of people who have had a number of pre-treatments with LED at 660nm showed a significant reduction in erythema. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18306161/
Finally, he concludes the results, a sun protection factor SPF-15-like effect and reduction in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation were observed in the LED treated subjects.
Combination Red and Infrared LED light even better
A 2012 study in Korea tested LED red light therapy on narrowband UVB-induced skin aging. The researchers concluded not only that Red Light Therapy works, but also that a combination of, for example, 630/850nm or 660/830nm works even better than a single frequency.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22804869
How Red Light Therapy can contribute to Vitamin D production?
Now that we know that Red and Infrared Light Therapy can help prevent ultraviolet (UV-B) damage and provide SPF-15-like protection for your skin, you can spend longer in the hours when UVB is highest for vitamin D production. being present in the sun without an artificial protective layer on the skin, so that the absorption and production of vitamin D is realized.
Of course, even with a possible pre- and post-treatment with LED Red Light Therapy, common sense remains an important factor with regard to spending time in direct sunlight. Burning must be prevented and avoided at all times in order to maintain optimum health.
More Skin improvements possible with Red Light Therapy
The article Skin Health and Collagen explains other applications of light therapy for and on the skin in detail. All references to the studies can be found at the bottom of the page.
