Skip to main content

[@hubermanlab] Using Red Light to Improve Metabolism & the Harmful Effects of LEDs | Dr. Glen Jeffery

· 8 min read
[@hubermanlab] Summarizer
Video Bot

@hubermanlab - "Using Red Light to Improve Metabolism & the Harmful Effects of LEDs | Dr. Glen Jeffery"

Link: https://youtu.be/iT8W6kaD-RA

Short Summary​

Dr. Glenn Jeffrey and Dr. Andrew Huberman discuss the impact of light, particularly long-wavelength light (red, near-infrared, and infrared), on human health, emphasizing its positive effects on mitochondrial function, blood sugar regulation, and even potential protection against damage from short-wavelength LED light. They highlight the potential dangers of overexposure to short-wavelength light from modern LED lighting and suggest strategies such as increasing exposure to natural sunlight, using incandescent lighting, and increasing the amount of plants indoors to balance exposure and improve overall health.

Key Quotes​

Here are 5 quotes from the transcript that represent valuable insights or strong opinions:

  1. "This is an issue on the same level as asbestos. This is a public health issue and it's big. And I think it's one of the reasons why I'm really happy to come here and talk because it's time to talk." (Expresses strong concern about the widespread use of short wavelength light.)

  2. "When we use LEDs, the light found in LEDs, when we use them, certainly when we use them on the retiny looking at mice, we can watch the mitochondria gently go downhill. They're far less responsive. They their membrane potentials are coming down. The mitochondria are not breathing very well. Can watch that in real time." (Presents alarming data on the impact of LED light on mitochondrial function.)

  3. "All cause mortality is lower in people that get a lot of sunlight and his argument is that the only thing you've got to avoid is sun burn." (Challenges the conventional wisdom about sunlight and skin cancer, citing Richard Weller's work.)

  4. "If you really upset mitochondria in one place, then other things are changing in different places. So the big takeaway here, and it's not controversial to say, I've heard lots of people saying it, and I didn't say it originally, is that they're a community. You can't deal with them in isolation." (Emphasizes the interconnectedness of mitochondria throughout the body.)

  5. "I think that in the built environment, we are suffering from a suppression of our physiology that is just being produced by the built environment." (Expresses that modern built environment is actively working against our bodies, especially from the use of LED lighting.)

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript, presented in bullet points:

Key Topics:

  • Light and Health: How different wavelengths of light affect cellular function, metabolism, eyesight, skin health, and longevity.
  • Mitochondrial Function: The role of mitochondria in aging, cellular function, and how light affects their performance, particularly ATP production.
  • Long Wavelength Light (Red, Near-Infrared, Infrared): Benefits, penetration through the body, effects on blood glucose, cell death, and vision.
  • Short Wavelength Light (Blue, Violet, UV): Potential detrimental effects of excessive exposure, especially from LED lighting.
  • Indoor Lighting: Concerns about the shift to LED lighting with its short wavelength bias and lack of balanced full-spectrum light.
  • Circadian Rhythms: The importance of sunlight exposure, particularly in the morning, for setting circadian rhythms and the impact of light exposure on blood glucose regulation.

Arguments and Information Discussed:

  • Sunlight Spectrum: The visible spectrum (400-700nm) is a small part of the total spectrum, which extends to 3000nm (infrared) and down to 300nm (UV).
  • Ionizing vs. Non-Ionizing Radiation: UV and below are ionizing and can alter DNA, while longer wavelengths are non-ionizing.
  • UV Exposure & Vitamin D: Some UV exposure is needed for Vitamin D production, but sunburn should be avoided.
  • Rethinking Sunlight and Skin Cancer: New data suggests all-cause mortality is lower in people with more sunlight exposure (Richard Weller's work). Sunburn is the key risk factor. Some melanomas are not associated with sun exposure.
  • Mitochondria and Water: Mitochondria don't directly absorb long wavelength light. Instead, the light interacts with the water surrounding mitochondria, potentially increasing the spin rate of the ATP producing motor.
  • Water & Absorption of Light: Absorption of long wavelength light is tightly correlated with what water absorbs.
  • Penetration of Light: Long wavelength light penetrates deeply into the body and scatters. A small percentage of long wavelength light even passes through the body. It can also pass through clothing.
  • Blood Glucose Regulation: Shining long wavelength light on a small area of the back can improve blood glucose response (lowering the spike after glucose consumption).
  • Parkinson's Disease: Studies show that long wavelength light shone on the abdomen in primates can reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
  • Rod Cell Preservation: Red light can reduce the pace of cell death in the retina, preserving rod photoreceptors.
  • Mitochondria as a Community: Mitochondria act as a community, communicating with each other across cells and in different areas of the body.
  • Brain Health: Long wavelength light can penetrate the skull and potentially improve brain health.
  • Retinal Aging: Studies show that exposing eyes to long wavelength light can improve color vision, particularly in individuals over 40.
  • Long Wavelength Light Dosage: A small torch emitting 670nm light for 3 minutes every 5 days can improve vision. Sunlight also contains those beneficial wavelengths. The biggest effect is always in the morning.
  • Wavelength Band: The wavelengths in the 670nm+ range (up to 800nm) seem to be effective.
  • Vision Improvements: There can be up to a 20% threshold improvement of visual function. 5-day effect with 670nm stimulation.
  • Macular Degeneration: Long wavelength light may help those in early stages of macular degeneration.
  • Long Wavelength Safety: Long wavelength light is non-ionizing and generally considered safe.
  • Short Wavelength Risk: Excessive short wavelength light from LEDs may be as detrimental as asbestos exposure.
  • LED Lighting: Concerns about LEDs lacking a balanced spectrum and containing a blue spike. They are shown to cause decline in mitochondria, especially on the retiny.
  • **The problem isn't just short wave light, it's the absence of longwave light that the short wave isn't counteracted by.
  • Longevity Decline: After 2010 the increase in Western Europe Lifespans are trending down and LED usage may be a contributing factor.
  • Mitochondria Can Distinguish Light Source: Mitochondria can distinguish between continuous spectrum light sources like incandescent and sources with distinct light "spikes" from groups of LEDs
  • Incandescent Bulbs & Firelight: Incandescent bulbs emit light similar to sunlight, which is broad-spectrum. Can't buy incandescent in USA. Can buy halogen bulbs.
  • Lighting Priorities: Last thing to get budgeted when a new building goes up is the lighting and lighting overruns get cut first.
  • Effects of Concrete Building on blood markers: Blood drawn from subjects is concrete building is worse than blood drawn from them in parks and woodlands.
  • Role of Plants: Plant matter reflects infrared light. Trees on the north side of buildings will reflect light into the building.
  • Benefits of Greenery in the Built Environment: One study has found reduced stress markers in cities with trees planted in them.
  • What happens to your health if you spend time in a concrete box versus a park: Researchers are studying the change in health markers of subjects that sit for a while in a concrete box with tinted windows and leds versus those in a park.
  • Screen Light: It is less harmful than previously thought because blue wavelengths are slightly longer and don't get into the dangerous zone.
  • Close Work & Myopia: Close work and screen time is associated with Myopia, which leads to higher levels of retinal tears in people as they age.
  • **Kids should have windows in classrooms so they are getting more light and they are not squinting too much while reading.
  • Lasers used in myopia control are dangerous and they should be used.
  • Effect of a simple halogen kitchen lamp to give you light: You can use a simple halogen lamp in the kitchen when you wake up to help give you light and correct for deficiencies during the day.
  • Public Policy Changes: The goal is to make these fixes have zero-cost and for policymakers to listen and take action.
  • What to Do At Home: Use halogen lamps on dimmers, avoid LEDs, and always plant greenery in your home to help reflect needed wavelengths of light into your living space.
  • Monochromatic Light: Lasers are a form of alien monochromatic light that our body does not know what to do with.
  • Nursing Home Lighting: One idea is to change the lighting and add incandescent light sources that provide heat to wheel patients near and give them this balanced light
  • Importance of Economic Arguments: Emphasizing the economic benefits of healthier lighting (fewer sick days, faster recovery) is crucial for adoption.
  • Mitochondrial Diseases: Early anecdotal evidence and clinical trials suggest long wavelength light might help children with mitochondrial diseases.
  • Building Design: Modern buildings using IR blocking windows and LED lighting may be detrimental to health. New building design incorporating better lighting and IR reflecting plants is important.
  • Critical Lighting Time of Day When you need it to go to sleep or after sunset, when you need it most is when you wake up.

This comprehensive summary should give you a solid understanding of the key topics, arguments, and information presented in the YouTube video transcript.