Brain injuries occur in major traumatic ways, as well as minor injuries that may go unnoticed. From one too many concussions to a fall you barely noticed, many individuals live with damaged brain tissue without even knowing it. The good news is that it is possible to repair your brain in a non-invasive way with near infrared light.
The journey to full recovery after a brain injury can be horrendous for those suffering from severe trauma. The brain is complex and many aspects of its function remain a mystery like the depths of the oceans. An injured brain is frightening because there is still so much more to learn about how to truly heal this critical aspect of the human body. It is, however, understood that mal adapted or wounded mitochondria can slow down the healing process after a brain trauma. It is also known that high functioning mitochondria can hasten recovery. If mitochondrial function can be improved then hope may be restored for those living with a brain injury.
On the slow road to recovery from brain injury it becomes imperative to find ways to improve mitochondrial function. What modalities can contribute meaningfully to improvements for mitochondrial function? The answer is humblingly simple, in contrast to the gravity of a brain injury: Light. Specifically the bandwidth of light called near infrared light. This invisible wavelength of light despite being unseen by the human eye may have the potential to positively affect brain injury recovery.
Among the world’s leading publishers of peer reviewed scientific journals is Springer Nature. In December of 2023, they published a paper that may change the way that science and medicine looks at the recovery process from cardiac arrest induced brain injury forever. You can discover the specific details of this research in easy to read language by following along here. The results from this research are astounding as the authors describe how near infrared light, with dose appropriate exposure, may powerfully influence mitochondrial function to hasten brain injury recovery. (1)
Furthermore, the use of near infrared light is non-invasive, and can be done from home with access to this spectrum of light. Discover for yourself what the elite scientists have unveiled regarding the use of near infrared light to rapidly increase brain injury recovery without ever touching the skull, adding, or subtracting any substances into the body. Through the power of light alone the dark tunnel out of brain injury may just be a little bit brighter.
What is Near Infrared Light? The Invisible Superhero
With such a robust impact on brain function and repair one might imagine that near infrared light is some type of elusive superhero, and in a way it is. Near infrared light, and its effects can be felt, but not seen. The electromagnetic field that emanates from the sun is a spectrum of different wavelengths all moving to their own unique frequency.
Within this spectrum exists the entire visible spectrum of light. As the visible light moves from blue all the way to red, which humans can see, and just after the visible spectrum of red there appears the near infrared light spectrum. These wavelengths move slightly slower than the visible red, and are therefore slightly more powerful in their reach. In fact, near infrared light is able to penetrate into the soft tissues of the body.
Once infrared light enters the body it moves from a wave-like movement and disperses as particles reaching all aspects of the physical body. This will become important to remember when coming to understand why and how near infrared light can influence the speed at which the brain recovers after injury.
The unique relationship between near infrared light and the mitochondria is one of great mystery, and promise! But what are mitochondria?
What are Mitochondria? Your Body’s Secret Power House
The body is made up of roughly 30-36 trillion cells, a number most of us cannot begin to fathom. Within each and every cell exists little organelles all with their individualized, unique functions, and duties. One of these organelles is called the mitochondria. The mitochondria have many functions, and one of which is to convert input resources from outside into usable energy for the body.
When mitochondrial function is working well the body has plenty of energy to sustain itself, including repairing portions of the body that may be injured or sick. Since mitochondria are everywhere in the body, in every cell, and the body is simply made up of a huge number of cells, healthy mitochondria equals a healthy body.
The issue is how to maintain healthy mitochondria. What can each individual do to support the mitochondria? There are several different modalities to engage in to support this tiny powerhouse, one of which is to expose the body to near infrared light. Later you will learn how near infrared light interacts in a very specific way to positively affect mitochondrial health, and in turn may improve brain repair.
Modulation of Mitochondrial Function With Near Infrared Light to Improve Brain Recovery After Injury: The Study Details
Facing the devastating impacts of a brain injury can leave the victim and their families feeling lost and hopeless within an unknown timeline for healing. There may be some light at the end of the tunnel for these individuals with emerging research that clearly demonstrates how near infrared light can powerfully improve recovery after a brain injury.
Among the most elite scientific and technological journals on the planet is Springer Nature. This highly regarded publisher released the paper entitled ‘Modulation of mitochondrial function with near-infrared light reduces brain injury in a translational model of cardiac arrest’. (1)
The researchers of this paper set out with a very specific objective, to uncover how improved mitochondrial function may positively impact brain injury recovery.
“Brain injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to brain injury following cardiac arrest; therefore, therapies that limit mitochondrial dysfunction have the potential to improve neurological outcomes.” (1)
As the researchers set off on their odyssey to find modalities that enhanced mitochondrial function it was evidenced from previous studies that near infrared light was a keynote player in the field of mitochondrial enhancement.
During times of injury there is a high energy demand from the body, which means that mitochondria must generate ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) at a rate that is higher than the injury repair needed in order for healing to occur. Unfortunately, after a trauma to the brain from a cardiac arrest event, for example, many mitochondria die. In short, the patient is left with less mitochondria than before, but with a greater need for high functioning mitochondria, and it is this very dilemma that the researchers hope to solve.
Here is how the authors of the paper write about the demand for energy during a time of duress.
“The generation of mitochondrial ROS in the brain is dependent on the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), an electrochemical gradient across the inner membrane that powers ATP synthesis. In healthy mitochondria, respiration is highly regulated through cell signaling cascades, allosteric control and feedback mechanisms that optimize ΔΨm to meet cellular energy demand while minimizing ROS production.” (1)
*** ROS = reactive oxygen species (2)
When examining the impact that near infrared light has on mitochondria, the key is to look at the membrane surrounding mitochondria. This is the platform that ‘picks up’ the particles of near infrared light that have been dispersed within the body. As the authors write, this membrane can be considered an electrochemical gradient.
“an electrochemical gradient across the inner membrane that powers ATP synthesis” (1)
The authors describe the parts of the brain that have been positively impacted by near infrared light and its effect on mitochondrial function.
“NIR has been evaluated as a treatment for I/R injury in multiple tissues, including myocardium, forebrain and skeletal muscle. The traditional mechanistic theory purports that NIR evokes a salutary biological effect by increasing ATP synthesis through stimulated mitochondrial respiration.” (1)
*NIR = Near Infrared Light
The researchers of this paper were able to narrow down the specific type of energy produced by the mitochondria in response to near infrared light.
“Our group has recently confirmed that specific wavelengths in the NIR spectrum stimulate mitochondrial respiration through directly increasing cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity, including the frequently studied 808 nm range.” (1)
This study examined how near infrared light affected damaged brain tissue and neurons from other non-human mammals. While this study was not conducted on human subjects, there is enough evidence from this research as well as from other databases that near infrared light can in fact help to heal damaged brains after injury.
According to the authors of this paper, it is unlikely that the brain can recover from specific types of injury without a serious increase in mitochondrial function.
“Maintenance of mitochondrial integrity is critical to preserve cellular function and prevent post-ischemic cell death. Our previous studies suggest that mitophagic flux is significantly upregulated in neurons destined to die following ischemia, and we propose that mitochondrial damage induced by I/R leads to an unsustainable induction of this recovery pathway.” (1)
If the goal is to improve mitochondrial function after a brain injury event as a result of cardiac arrest, or for any other reason, near infrared light appears to be a promising leader in its ability to upregulate mitochondrial function.
The authors of this highly regarded paper state their concluding remarks here.
“Noninvasive modulation of mitochondria, achieved by transcranial treatment of the brain with NIR, mitigates post-cardiac arrest brain injury and improves neurologic functional outcomes.” (1)
If you, or someone you love is suffering from a brain injury, speak with your brain care specialist to find out if you can include near infrared light as a portion of your treatment plan. Many individuals live with non-critical brain injury. This means they may be walking around with several concussions under their belt throughout a lifetime without noticing any particularly dysfunction. This underserved demographic would do well to also focus on healing their brain with near infrared light to augment mitochondrial function.
How to Help Heal Your Brain From Minor, Unnoticed Injury: A General Guide to Capture the Correct Wavelengths To Upregulate Mitochondrial Function
Clearly, if you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with a severe brain injury, this section of this article is not for you. Rather, it is intended for the multitude of humans that have suffered from various concussions or mild blows to the head, falls onto the head, as well as a myriad of other ways that the brain sustains injury throughout a lifetime.
Whether you played football, competed as a gymnast, or simply lived a life, the chances are high that you have sustained some injury, even if not felt, to the brain. With the use of near infrared light it is possible to improve your brain health with exposure to near infrared light.
If you already have a full spectrum infrared sauna, then you have been exposing yourself to near infrared light already! If you want to convert your full spectrum infrared sauna to only near infrared light to focus on your brain health without the high heat, simply disconnect the far infrared heaters in the roof.
You can also purchase near infrared light devices. You do not need to shine the light directly on the brain, but rather as stated early, near infrared light travels as waves through space until it enters the body and disperses as particles. At this point the membrane surrounding the mitochondria will pick up the charged particles and begin to immediately convert the once light wavelengths into ATP.
Ameliorating your mitochondrial function with near infrared light either in a full spectrum infrared sauna, with a device or even from the sun (near infrared light is strongest as the sun rises and sets) it is very possible that your brain will begin to heal and function at a high rate.
This non-invasive means of healing the brain heralds good news for all those who walk around with ‘quiet’ brain injuries. It is not, however, the only solution, nor is it the correct care for someone who has recently sustained a brain injury. If you have recently experienced a blow to the head, please go to the emergency room and follow the advice of your brain care specialist.
For all those who walk around with an unknown brain injury, it may be possible to turn to the light of near infrared frequency to begin to heal your brain. So, yes, you can heal and repair your brain with the use of near infrared light, and do so from home!
Sources Cited:
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13054-023-04745-7
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5921829/
- https://biausa.org/brain-injury-as-a-chronic-condition
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38098060/