We are surrounded by health and wellness trends and it can take time to sift through them and find what works for you. This can be an even more sensitive topic when seeking support for your reproductive health.
Reproductive health problems can range from disorders such as endometriosis and PCOS. It can also mean you’re looking for extra help navigating painful periods, fertility or menopause. The thing is, reproductive health can be complicated, so you want tools that work.
A new tool gaining popularity is red light therapy. You may have heard of the use of red light therapy as a skin care treatment, but it has many other applications – including supporting reproductive health.
What is red light therapy?
Red light therapy is a technology originally developed by NASA as a possible way to help astronauts’ wounds. That means it’s not just another fad, it’s a valid medical tool created by some of the most brilliant scientists on the planet.
But how does it work?
The cells in your body are made up of many different parts or organelles. An organ, the mitochondriahelps create ATP, which is the main source of energy for most physiological processes in the body such as movement and homeostasis.
Red light therapy helps stimulate mitochondria, increase in ATP formation. More ATP means more energy, which allows cells to work more efficiently and helps parts of the body heal. This technology can help reduce inflammation in cells and increase blood flow to tissues, among other benefits.
Different forms of red light therapy are used to help with treatment:
Red light therapy can be an excellent option for treating a wide range of health problems, especially since it is minimally invasive, can be performed as an outpatient treatment, and currently has no known long-term side effects when done correctly. Can it also be used to help with reproductive health issues?
Can red light therapy help reproductive health?
If NASA trusts it, there must be something to this technology. The short answer is yes, red light therapy can help with a wide range of reproductive health issues.
Painful periods
Period pain is not necessarily normal, but unfortunately, it is common. If you experience painful periods regularly or occasionally, we feel you. This is one area of reproductive health that red light therapy can help support.
ONE Korean study on women experiencing period pain, dysmenorrhea, examined the use of red light therapy through the use of an LED belt. They found that using near-infrared rays helped relieve period pain and improve their quality of life.
While studies are limited, red light therapy is relatively low-risk and is supposed to help relieve period pain by reducing inflammation and promoting relaxation and circulation.
Endometriosis
A possible cause of painful periods is endometriosis. The lining of the uterus is called the endometrium. In endometriosis, cells similar to this lining grow in places outside the uterus, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Endometriosis can cause life-changing symptoms such as extreme period pain, pain during penetrative sex, and heavy periods. Although there is no known cure for endometriosis, there are some tools that can help minimize symptoms.
One study looked at 40 women with endometriosis ages 24-32. The researchers found that the high-intensity laser treatment group had reduced endometrial adhesions and a significant improvement in period pain.
Thyroid disorders
We usually think of reproductive health disorders that directly affect the reproductive organs. However, many reproductive disorders are endocrinological, meaning they have to do with the hormonal system.
This is true in his case thyroid disorders. This tiny gland in your throat secretes hormones and helps regulate your metabolism, heart rate, energy levels, and more. When the thyroid is out of balance, it can wreak havoc on the body.
One of the most common thyroid disorders among women is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a form of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, which usually requires medication. The researchers found that patients who received low-level laser treatment required lower doses of their thyroid medication after treatment. This suggests that red light therapy may help improve thyroid function and work alongside other treatments for autoimmune thyroid disease.
Infertility
One of the most difficult reproductive health issues is infertility. If you are going through this, our hearts go out to you. We understand how difficult it can be to feel like nothing is working, that you’re not getting answers or that pregnancy loss experience.
While we want to be gentle about this and don’t want to give anyone false hope, research on red light therapy has shown that it can be beneficial for infertility. A Japanese study of women deemed ‘severely infertile’found that 21.74% of those treated with red light were able to become pregnant, of this group, 68% had a successful live birth.
Another study focused on IVF patients who had experienced recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Patients who received laser treatment before embryo transfer had higher rates of clinical pregnancy, implantation and a lower risk of miscarriage – 18.2% compared to 27.3% in the control group.
Side effects of red light therapy
Not only are there different types of red light and laser therapy available, this technology has a wide range of applications, especially when it comes to reproductive health. Are there any possible side effects?
A huge benefit of red light therapy is that it is extremely low-risk, requires little downtime, is minimally invasive, and has no known long-term side effects. That said, some people should avoid it such as those with a photosensitizing medical condition like lupus. Most providers believe it is safe to use on a regular basis.
Wondering if red light therapy can help you? This is a discussion you should have with your healthcare provider. They can help you decide if red light therapy is right for you, as well as the best home treatment or device for your specific needs. If you’re dealing with reproductive health issues, our hearts go out to you, we hope this helped shed some *light* on a tool that can help.
