It may seem as if countless individuals are monitoring their glucose levels these days with an overflow of watches available on the market designed to keep you updated on your blood sugar levels around the clock. With a spotlight on the importance of measuring glucose levels among the general populace there naturally evolve many questions about how to maintain optimal glucose levels.
For the most part blood sugar levels have been tied to food consumption, or nutrition, or potentially insulin sensitivity, but not usually light. Extensive research and data demonstrate that specific wavelengths of light will actually affect glucose regulation. So, what is the magic light wavelength? Near infrared primarily, mixed with some visible color red, and far infrared light.
While this light spectrum may be invisible, it is mighty when it comes to healing the human body. This article aims to shine a light on the brilliant research from Dr. Glen Jeffrey on how infrared light can help stabilize glucose level independent of food or drink consumption. You will also learn how to use sunlight or your infrared sauna in order to optimize your glucose levels from home.
Dive deeply into the relationship between glucose, your brain and body, as well as infrared light to optimize your health, cognition, and overall wellness.
Why Glucose Levels Matter For Your Health and Brain
Glucose is a type of sugar that is required for every cell in your body to function properly. Blood sugar that is too low or too high can endanger individual cells. Maintaining a consistent level of glucose in the body is extremely important for optimal health as well as brain function. (1)
According to Dr. Vera Novak, MD, PhD of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, “The brain is dependent on sugar as its main fuel” (1), every neuron (brain cell) is fueled by the conversion of sugar into usable energy. Without proper levels of glucose memory, cognition, learning, and even decision making can be negatively affected. The brain is the most energy consuming organ in the body. Too much of the wrong kind of sugar can also negatively affect brain function. (1)
Even the healthiest of people must maintain proper glucose levels in order to maintain mood stability and proper brain function. An article published by Harvard Medical, entitled ‘Glucose and the Brain’ writes this.
“High blood glucose levels can affect the brain’s functional connectivity, which links brain regions that share functional properties, and brain matter. It can cause the brain to atrophy or shrink. And it can lead to small-vessel disease, which restricts blood flow in the brain, causing cognitive difficulties and, if severe enough, spurring the development of vascular dementia.” (1)
Monitoring glucose levels is also extremely important for the diabetic. The same article published by Harvard Medical writes this regarding the importance of glucose monitoring for both Type I and Type II diabetes.
“The effects of glucose and other forms of sugar on the brain may be the most profound in diabetes, a group of diseases in which high blood glucose levels persist over a prolonged period of time. Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone used by the body to keep blood glucose levels in check. Type 2 diabetes, caused by dietary and other environmental factors, is a condition in which cells become overwhelmed by insulin and fail to properly respond; they become resistant to insulin.” (1)
Whether you are a diabetic or not, maintaining a critical level of consistent glucose in your body is necessary for the conversion of energy. This is especially true for all cognitive functions since the brain uses the most amount of glucose energy.
It is now understood that exposure to certain wavelengths of light can in fact maintain positive glucose levels. Scientists have discovered that with exposure to longer wavelengths of light that individuals are able to stabilize their glucose levels. These longer wavelengths of light occur at 660-900 nanometers (nm), which is exactly what you will find in a full spectrum sauna. (2)
A full spectrum infrared sauna includes light frequencies of both near and far infrared light. This is necessary to impact glucose stability in the brain and body. (2)
An Exploration Into the Research on How Glucose Levels Are Found to be Positively Affected by Infrared Light Exposure
Until a mind expanding peer reviewed article was published in 2022, very little was known about the relationship between light and glucose levels. In fact, for the most part the scientific community believed that glucose was primarily affected by nutritional factors, or issues with insulin sensitivity as found in the diabetic. Due to a large body of work primarily published by Dr. Glen Jeffrey PHD, we are all welcomed into a world where glucose may be stabilized through exposure to specific light frequency.
This light frequency does not involve being outside at high noon during periods of the day where the UV index is high, but rather by exposure to infrared light either naturally during the rising and setting sun, or even in your full spectrum infrared sauna.
Dive deeply into the new discoveries of how long wave light frequency can affect glucose levels in the body and brain by examining the work of scientists Glen Jeffrey and his co-author Michael B. Powner in their article ‘Systemic glucose levels are modulated by specific wavelengths in the solar light spectrum that shift mitochondrial metabolism’, published by the peer reviewed journal PLOS (Public Library of Science). (2)
Dr. Jeffrey’s work has opened the eyes for scientists across the globe as well as for individuals looking to optimize their health and longevity.
Here is Dr. Jeffrey’s opening statement in his aforementioned article on long wavelength light and the maintenance of appropriate glucose levels.
“Systemic glucose levels can be modulated with specific solar wavelengths that influence mitochondrial metabolism. Mitochondrial respiration can be modulated using light that shifts ATP production with exceptional conservation of effect across species, from insects to humans. Known wavelengths have opposing effects of photobiomodulation, with longer wavelengths (660–900 nm red/infrared) increasing ATP production, and 420 nm (blue) light suppressing metabolism. Increasing mitochondrial respiration should result in a greater demand for glucose, and a decrease should result in a reduced demand for glucose.” (2)
This is specifically how infrared light is absorbed by the organelle called the mitochondria (energy plant of each cell).
“Instead, the mechanism of action is proposed to be via light absorption by nanoscopic interfacial water layer surrounding mitochondrial ATP rotor pumps. This reduces the waters viscosity, allowing the rotor pump to achieve greater momentum. In support of this, there is marked overlap between the spectrum of water absorption of longer wavelengths and improved mitochondrial function,” (2)
As ATP production is increased positively by exposure to infrared light, it is conversely, reduced with exposure to the color light spectrum, particularly blue light. This means, that through light alone mitochondrial metabolism can be altered in either direction.
“Mitochondrial ATP production requires a supply of substrate, the primary source in animals being glucose, released into the blood from stores, or immediate uptake through digestion. Hence, an increase in mitochondrial activity should be associated with a lower systemic glucose level. While the converse should be associated with 420nm exposure….Here, we report that selective wavelengths of solar light modulate systemic glucose concentration in a bidirectional manner. 670 nm red light reduces peak glucose concentrations after feeding, while 420 nm blue light prolongs the duration of elevated glucose levels post feeding.” (2)
In addition to affecting glucose production levels, it was also found that exposure to red and near infrared light as seen in photobiomodulation also impacted the longevity of the life of bumble bees, as well as their mobility within their life extension. Although it is difficult to measure the effect of red and near infrared light on the longevity of humans, it may be deduced that given the similar cellular make-up to bees, that exposure to the correct light wavelength may produce similar results in humans.
“Red light photobiomodulation has many beneficial effects, including increased insect mobility with age and extension of insect lifespan. The extension of bumblebee lifespan after 670 nm light and mobility, we observed previously, may be linked to the tighter regulation of glucose, as displayed here. However it would be naïve to assume that red light only shifts ATP production and does not influence other intra or extracellular signaling critical for function, including general metabolism.” (2,3,4)
It is possible that by regulating glucose with exposure to infrared there may be a way to increase longevity, and even potentially the quality of life (including mobility) with the extension of the quantity of years.
Furthermore, the difference in exposure to the color light spectrum versus infrared light was so drastic that these were outcomes when tested on subjects.
“670 nm light exposure significantly reduced the peak haemolymph glucose concentration by 45%, two hours after glucose challenge. In contrast, 420 nm light, known to inhibit mitochondrial respiration, reduced glucose clearance from haemolymph. Here there was an average 54.5% increase in glucose levels, eight hours post glucose challenge in 420 nm light exposed bumblebees compared to controls.” (2)
So, how can each individual begin to regulate mitochondrial metabolism and glucose regulation with exposure to red, near infrared, and far infrared light?
The full light spectrum naturally exists from the sun’s radiance. At different times of the day there are more or less of specific wavelengths of light. For example in the middle of the day, there is more UV light, which is why it is possible to burn or tan the skin at this time of day. In the early morning, or in the late evening when the sun is setting (depending on the time of year and your particular placement on the planet), infrared light is most accessible.
Simply going outside for twenty minutes during these times of the day when infrared light is most concentrated can help improve glucose regulation.
If this is not accessible, you can also use a full spectrum infrared sauna, or red light therapy (that includes near infrared light) to affect positive change on ATP production within the mitochondria, and therefore help to regulate glucose levels.
How and When To Use Your Sauna to Positively Affect Change in Glucose Levels
If you have decided to use a full spectrum infrared sauna to alter mitochondrial metabolism and therefore regulate glucose levels, you do not need a high heat, nor an extended amount of time in the sauna.
“Effective 670 nm light exposures require only short duration, down to one minute. With a single exposure eliciting improved function for up to five days” (2)
While you can affect positive change with as little as 1 minute of exposure to infrared light, it is advised to use your sauna for 20 minutes for best results. The temperature does not need to be set particularly high, and you do not need to sweat. Simply sitting in the sauna and exposing your body to long wavelength light will help to regulate glucose levels.
If you have a chromotherapy device in your sauna, then you will want to make sure that you have the red light turned on, and no other color light or reading light.
It is best to do this procedure in the evening. This means that if you want to use your sauna for heat and excessive sweating, you can do so in the morning and use other color lights in your chromotherapy and save the glucose treatment for the evening.
If you have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes exposure to infrared light is not a substitute for medical treatment.
Many devices such as rings, or special watches are available to measure glucose levels, so you can test the infrared sauna method for yourself and create the optimal protocol for your glucose regulation needs.
For further reading on the effects of infrared light on glucose levels please read Dr. Jeffrey’s body of work as it is displayed in many peer reviewed articles and scientific publications.
https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/7465-glen-jeffery/publications
Sources Cited:
- https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/sugar-brain
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0276937#pone.0276937.ref008
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-02311-1
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0166531