- 23 min read

Red Light Therapy For Parkinson's Disease: A Hopeful Strategy!

Red light therapy shows promise for Parkinson’s disease. Discover how light impacts brain health and get to know some of the latest devices!

Red Light Therapy For Parkinson's Disease: A Hopeful Strategy!
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Introduction

"Light therapy for Parkinson's Disease", you may think?

There's some surprising emerging evidence that light therapy is extremely helpful in this case. And that's great because Parkinson's Disease - as a neurodegenerative disorder - is hard to treat and currently impossible to reverse in terms of its course.

I've seen some people with Parkinson's Disease in my time as a physical therapist. And, some people in my environment have also been affected by the condition. So I was really happy to dig deep into the science published on red light therapy for Parkinson's Disease–the outcome is quite hopeful too!

Also, if you're short on time, just read the summary I've included below. If you want my full argument, read the entire article. Let's move towards better health:

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Red Light Therapy For Parkinson's Disease Summary:

Parkinson's Disease is a complex neurodegenerative condition affecting not only the brain but also other tissues. Gut function may lead deterioration in brain function, and Parkinson's always ends up with loss of function in the "substantia nigra" part of the brain where dopamine is produced.

Dopamine is necessary for motivation, movement, abstract though, and other higher-order cognition. Once dopamine function goes down, people with Parkinson's end up with a host of symptoms that can vary from person to person.

Early diagnosis is based on symptoms, such as shaking at rest (tremors), slowness in movement and movement plus posture problems, and rigidity. Non-motor function is also affected, with gut problems, depression, insomnia, and cognitive issues. Different subtypes of Parkinson's Disease have different symptoms and unique development over time.

In the aforementioned substantia nigra, Lewy bodies accumulate and lower nervous system cell health. Also, there's often chronic inflammation and gut dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease - which is where light therapy comes in! The gut-brain axis seems vital here, not only in the origination of the disease but also light therapy treatment.

Studies in humans show encouraging results, particularly with devices using near-infrared light (e.g., 810–904 nm). Here, you'll see improvements in motor skills, cognition, and quality of life without significant side effects. Longer-term studies yield the best results here, so treatments over months and years likely have the best outcome!

I suggest several red light therapy devices for Parkinson's, including those from SYMBYX and Vielight, both of which have shown positive outcomes in earlier studies. At-home treatment protocols are recommended with careful monitoring and dosage adjustment, but generally, you'll stay close to the treatment parameters used in the studies anyway! You can find my full device and treatment recommendations later in this article.

We'll need light therapy as an intervention, as well as new therapeutics because the medication is primarily given to people with Parkinson's (L-Dopa) only manages symptoms and doesn't change the course of the disease. From a broader perspective, both lifestyle and nutrition are tremendously important for preventing Parkinson's as well as its deterioration and hence, I recommend focusing on these as well!
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In this article, I use some technical terms related to red light therapy (or "photobiomodulation"). Examples here are "wavelengths" and terms from red light therapy dosing, such as "mW/cm2," to signify the quantity of light.

If you need an introduction to what these terms mean, check the following resources:

What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red Light Therapy Explained: Basic Terms Guide
Start Here - Light Therapy 101 & Buyers Guide
Red Light Therapy Dosing Chart: The Raw Data From Hundreds Of Studies
Red Light Therapy Dosing: Why It's Complicated!
Red Light Therapy Wavelengths Benefits: The Ultimate Guide
How Often Should You Use Red Light Therapy Explained

These resources should give you a basic understanding of how red light therapy works, and the discussions around it!
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This blog post is written 100% by humans - Bart Wolbers in this case - and not by AI. So no word or sentence in this article was created by AI. If we ever would use AI-written content on Light Therapy Insiders, we would honestly tell you!

Parkinson’s Disease Introduction. Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, And More

So let's consider what Parkinson's Disease is first. I'll go through tons of different reviews of the last 5 years on the topic (1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11). Parkinson's Disease is a neurodegenerative brain condition but it's more complex than that–more on that later–let's first consider what Parkinson's Disease looks from the outside:

Parkinson's Diagnosis

Parkinson's Disease starts with the beginning - a diagnosis (1). This diagnosis is primarily made by a clinician based on symptoms. That clinician asks for your medical history, does a physical and neurological exam, checks whether you accord to the diagnostic criteria of Parkinson's Disease, may do CT and MRI scans, or different ones, and may try medication to see how you respond.

Here, you may have a combination of motor and non-motor symptoms - these become very important for us later on (12; 13). Here are the motor symptoms - so mostly concerning movement:

  • Tremors (shaking) at rest
  • Slow movement (bradykinesia)
  • Freezing of movement
  • Rigidity
  • Problems holding your posture
  • Speech problems
  • General fine motor problems, such as writing

Other non-motor problems exist as well - many of these I'll talk about again when considering red light therapy for Parkinson's, as it's not just necessary to treat the brain but also other areas of the body:

  • Gut issues (hint!)
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Loss of smell
  • Changes in cognition, such as your processing speed

These symptoms are different in different people. Different Parkinson's subtypes also exist. Here's what a recent review states about these subtypes:

"Parkinson disease has multiple disease variants with different prognoses. Individuals with a diffuse malignant subtype (9%-16% of individuals with Parkinson disease) have prominent early motor and nonmotor symptoms, poor response to medication, and faster disease progression. Individuals with mild motor-predominant Parkinson disease (49%-53% of individuals with Parkinson disease) have mild symptoms, a good response to dopaminergic medications (eg, carbidopa-levodopa, dopamine agonists), and slower disease progression. Other individuals have an intermediate subtype. For all patients with Parkinson disease, treatment is symptomatic, focused on improvement in motor (eg, tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia) and nonmotor (eg, constipation, cognition, mood, sleep) signs and symptoms." (12).

Medicine is mostly based on dealing with motor symptoms and, secondarily, non-motor symptoms. Unfortunately, the medications don't change the course of the disease (12)!

Men are more likely to be affected than women (13). At age 60, about 2% of the population has the condition, which rises to 4% at age 80 (13). Your physician initially makes that diagnosis based on early symptoms, but a specialist will generally make the final diagnosis in most countries (1). Next up, let's consider what happens in the brain and other tissues for that Parkinson's diagnosis to develop:

Parkinson's, The Brain, And Other Tissues

So, let's talk about how Parkinson's Disease develops in the brain and other tissues (13; 14; 15). The center of the neurodegenerative problem in the brain is the "substantia nigra" - or "black substance" loosely translated - neurons which are responsible for producing dopamine.

I've written a lot about dopamine previously (16; 17). Contrary to popular opinion, dopamine is not only involved with pleasure but, more accurately, "motivation." And, dopamine is strongly concerned with abstract thought in humans, and planning. In a sense, dopamine is humans' predominant development of higher-order cognitive functions. And, dopamine helps regulate movement, so it's not a surprise that in Parkinson's Disease, where some neurons in the substantia nigra are affected, movement problems occur, but also cognitive problems, and problems with motivation (i.e., the depression and anxiety I talked about before!)

Hence, you understand why I started talking about symptoms first in this article!

That Substantia Nigra accumulates so-called "Lewy bodies" which are proteins that aggregate and disrupt normal function. Finally, this disruptive process leads to a more poorly functioning dopamine system in the brain and, eventually, cell death, which worsens matters.

Over time, the disease can also affect your other brain regions. And, when these regions' functions go down, the cognitive, mood, and autonomic symptoms (such as the gut) worsen!

However, it's not as simple as I make it seem above. Here's what researchers write:

"Recent work has also highlighted maladaptive immune and inflammatory responses, possibly triggered in the gut, that accelerate the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease." (13)

So, gut function, immune function and inflammation may play a role in the development of Parkinson's Disease–which is important to remember as these domains can be affected by red light therapy as well!

Then there's the brain-gut axis - the way your brain and gut interact - in relation to Parkinson's (4). Here's what researchers say about that fundamental dynamic:

"However, recent research suggests a potential relationship between the commensal gut bacteria and the brain capable of influencing neurodevelopment, brain function and health. This bidirectional communication is often referred to as the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the onset of non-motor symptoms, such as gastrointestinal manifestations, often precede the onset of motor symptoms and disease diagnosis, lending support to the potential role that the microbiome-gut-brain axis might play in the underlying pathological mechanisms of Parkinson's disease." (4)

More on that later. If you can optimize gut function with light therapy, you'll be better able to manage symptoms at the very least. Hopefully, one day, we can prevent the condition altogether and slow its progression dramatically.

But how do you prevent Parkinson's? Let's find out:

Parkinson's Disease Risk Factors

So how do you reduce the risk of Parkinson's? Genetics plays a role in the development of Parkinson's Disease - but only for about 35% (15). Fortunately, we've got tons of review studies available on this topic (16; 17; 18; 19; 20). The most substantial right now are these:

"Modifiable lifestyle factors such as physical activity and tea and coffee drinking may reduce the risk of PD" (16).

So, more physical activity and exercise is generally very highly protective against Parkinson's Disease!

Pesticide exposure is likely also a risk factor (17). Strangely enough, for this disease, smoking is protective - likely because nicotine enormously boosts dopamine function, although it's more complicated than that (17). The same is likely true for coffee!

Then, there's a long list of risk factors that you may want to consider:

"Potential risk factors include traumatic brain injury, [...] organic solvent exposure, lead exposure, air pollution, Type 2 Diabetes, some dairy products, cardiovascular disease, and some infections including Hepatitis C, H. pylori, and COVID-19" (18).

Even diet can be highly preventive, such as a Mediterranean or similar diets specialized on neurodegeneration (19).

So we end up with 35% explaining the risk of Parkinson's Disease, and 65% environmental factors (such as lifestyle, toxin exposure, etc!). It's also highly likely that many of the risk factors haven't been correctly identified yet.

When Parkinson's Deteriorates

As you can imagine, Parkinson's affects your quality of life (2). That's not coincidental because dopamine itself is necessary for a good mood and motivation–and the disease causes mood changes.

The symptoms become very complex and disabling at the late stages of the condition (3). Falls increase, cognition may decline further, digestion may function even worse, and so forth! And, with more depression, other medication may need to be introduced, which comes with potential side effects of its own (6).

Many people in the developing world, even though Parkinson's exists there as well, don't receive excellent treatment either (5). Treatment? Let's consider the best options:

Current Treatment Options And Limitations

Medications that boost dopamine function, primarily L-Dopa, are the main intervention for Parkinson's right now (8). Tons of other secondary medications are used as well, but all for symptom management (8).

Fortunately, new treatment strategies are being tested and developed (7; 21). These include new drugs, for instance, brain stimulation, immunotherapy, and others (22; 23).

Other studies focus less on a pharmacological approach and look at the link between Parkinson's Disease and mitochondria. Mitochondria are the "energy-producing factories" of your cells. Poor mitochondrial function - which declines with age unless you have a great lifestyle - is linked to many different health conditions over time.

Recent studies have linked poor mitochondrial function with Parkinson's Disease and a key method for intervention (24; 25; 26; 27). The same applies to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation (24; 25; 26; 27). Cell repair and recycling (autophagy) and the same processes for mitochondria (mitophagy) are likely also impaired.

Again, that's both good and bad news!

The news is good because red light therapy strongly affects all these domains. The news is bad because we don't know exactly how to yet! Nevertheless, this is also why I think exercise is such a strong preventive measure of Parkinson's Disease– it's very closely linked to mitochondrial function (9; 10; 11)!

Talking about mitochondria, let's consider the role of light therapy now:

The Brain-Benefit Hypothesis Of Red Light Therapy

About 600 studies on red light therapy for the brain (28). In the past, I've written about red light therapy for the brain in general. Today I'll only cover the basics of that article regarding overall brain health, supporting cognition, and avoiding neurodegenerative disease:

In that brain red light therapy article I wrote that different wavelengths of light, mostly in the near-infrared range (810 - 1,070 broadly speaking) work well for the brain. That light may help improve cognitive function, mood, and treating neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injuries, depression, and anxiety.

The dosing here is more complex, however! And the mechanisms by which red light therapy works for the brain is complex as well, as we still don't fully understand whether the light penetrates through the skull or whether it just irradiates the blood flow on the scalp - read my thoughts about that topic in my PBM 2024 conference article!

The good news is that researchers are finding tons of different physiological parameters that are changed in the brain. Examples you can expect are improved cerebral blood flow, reduced brain inflammation, boosted brain metabolism, and enhanced functional connectivity (communication between brain regions) and EEG patterns.

Nevertheless, higher power outputs because of the skull and dosing of around 60 J/cm2 seem best right now for overall brain health. Each condition differs, of course, as can be seen in my red light therapy for epilepsy article.

So there's no universal dosing protocol for all brain conditions - so you'll have to finetune the protocol for each condition. That's why you and I will have to look at the currently published studies on the topic:

Red Light Therapy For Parkinson's Disease Clinical Studies

Below, I'll use any studies categorized by the great Vladimir Heiskanen (28). Heiskanen built an Excel sheet with 8,000+ studies on light therapy.

In total, there are about 60 studies on light therapy for Parkinson's out there, of which lots of animal studies as well (28). I'll skip the animal studies for now, unless for popular request. I'll first look at all human publications on red light therapy for Parkinson's Disease:

Human Studies

Here are all the human studies on red light therapy benefits for Parkinson's:

  • First up is a five-year follow-up from an earlier study (29). Here, 12 participants agreed to be re-assessed after five years. The great news here is that seven of the original participants had maintained their light therapy sessions over a five-year period. One participant wasn't included in the final analysis because of another diagnosis. Here's the very spectacular outcome of this study:
"For the remaining six participants, there was a significant improvement in walk speed, stride length, timed up-and-go tests, tests of dynamic balance, and cognition compared to baseline and nonsignificant improvements in all other measures, apart from MDS-UPDRS-III [which is a test for the severity of motor symptoms], which was unchanged and one measure of static balance (single leg stance, standing on the unaffected leg with eyes open) which declined. Five of six participants either improved or showed no decline in MDS-UPDRS-III score and most participants showed improvement or no decline in all other outcome measures. No adverse effects of the photobiomodulation therapy were reported." (29)
  • That outcome is incredible. Of course, we need more long-term studies like these to confirm the effects. Nevertheless, it seems that light therapy can have a huge impact! The original study used 810 nm and 904 nm (30).
  • I may as well go through the science of that paper right now, as they're paired together (30). Here, six participants received treatment and six didn't, but the control group of participants who didn't receive treatment received treatment later. The study lasted a long time, with home treatment also included after in-clinic treatment was finished. 810 nm light was used with a Vielight intranasal device, and the 904 was a laser applied to the abdomen and back of the neck. Here's the outcome after the first year:
" Many individual improvements were above the minimal clinically important difference, the threshold judged to be meaningful for participants. Individual improvements varied but many continued for up to one year with sustained home treatment." (30).
  • They also state:
"[Red light therapy] was shown to be a safe and potentially effective treatment for a range of clinical signs and symptoms of [Parkinson's Disease]. Improvements were maintained for as long as treatment continued, for up to one year in a neurodegenerative disease where decline is typically expected. Home treatment of [Parkinson's Disease] by the person themselves or with the help of a carer might be an effective therapy option. " (30).
  • Overall, this is amazing news. I'll return to that study later when the devices are discussed.
  • Another study uses 72 treatments over 12 weeks with 635 nm red and 810 nm infared light combined - the SYMBYX device that I'll come back to later in this article (31; 32).The control group received an identical device that didn't emit light. Here you can see the SYMBYX helmet - an earlier design, it seems - from the study:
CC BY Lisence.
  • The light therapy lowered the intensity of the motor function symptoms of the participants with Parkinson's. The symptoms you can imagine as part of Parkinson's are tremors (shaking at rest), rigidity, slowness of movement, postural instability, and problems with your gait. Only very mild side effects were reported. Here you can see the outcomes in the study over time for both the initial control group (that switched to treatment after 12 weeks and the intervention group):
CC BY Lisence.
  • Then, another study used 635 and 810 nm (33). Both groups here saw improvement in their motor functioning (placebo + intervention), but there wasn't a difference between the groups. The whole situation is a bit more complicated than that, but overall, that's the conclusion. The SYMBYX Neuro helmet was used again, here (34).
  • Next, there's a case series using 904 nm light (35). Seven participants are included here. Here, the 904 nm laser is applied to nine points on the abdomen and one at the back of the neck. The participants used the laser in a clinic for 12 weeks and then 33 weeks at home. However, this study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made the process harder. Here's what researchers describe:
"A number of clinical signs of [Parkinson's Disease] were shown to be improved by remote [red light therapy] treatment, including mobility, cognition, dynamic balance, spiral test, and sense of smell. Improvements were individual to the participant. Some improvements were lost for certain participants during at-home treatment, which coincided with a number of enforced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown periods." (35)
  • Again, these results seem very impressive!
  • A 904 nm study, moreover, combined light applications in the mouth (to reach the brain) and through the skull (36). Once again, there was a placebo effect. So I can clearly see that the papers I've covered above have learned from earlier study outcomes!
  • Then, a 904 nm study used hydrogen water and red light therapy (37). The power output was only 6 mW/cm2 and applied at the back of the neck. However, the outcome of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) did improve. I've covered that UPDRS above where only motor function was included, but here, mental functions, activities, and therapy complications are also covered. The participants experienced immediate effects in the first week, and the results improved in the second week. Remember that these results cannot be attributed to either therapy alone but to both!
  • A red light therapy helmet study 660, 670, 810 and 850 nm, moreover, by five participants (38). One participant used a 660 nm intranasal device. Here's the study outcome:
"We found that 55% of the initial signs and symptoms of the six patients showed overall improvement, whereas 43% stayed the same and only 2% got worse. " (39).
  • Again, this is a good improvement, especially given that the study duration was a whopping 24 months! So, Parkinson's Disease seems to be a primary example here of how longer-term light treatment brings significantly better results over time.
  • One more study uses 670 nm at 60 mW/cm2 and 8 J/cm2, with no result (40). In my opinion, the power output and especially the total dose is likely too low here.
  • A 632 nm study uses intravenous light therapy, so the light is directly applied into the blood (41). The study is Russian, and I can't access it, but it does seem that the light has a direct effect on the blood.

Overall, I think the benefits of red light therapy for Parkinson's Disease are extremely promising. Yes, there are differences in application methods, such as whether a helmet, an intranasal device, or light at the back of the neck or at the abdomen is used. Longer-term studies, nevertheless, seem to show either a slowdown of the progression of Parkinson's Disease or a maintenance of current health status.

Next up, let's consider a few of the most recent reviews on the topic - just to ensure I haven't missed anything in my own analysis:

Reviews

Next I'm looking at a few of the most recently published reviews and check their findings (42; 43; 44). Here's a summary of the most important arguments made in them:

The first review states that red light therapy can help with the clinical signs of Parkinson's (42). Specifically, neuroprotection is also mentioned. The review mentions that a small number of clinical trials has found benefits for both non-motor and motor ability in Parkinson's Disease (42).

The researchers also make many interesting observations, such as that some types of Parkinson's Disease literally start in the gut (45). Another statement is that the causes of Parkinsons's Disease aren't fully known yet, or even "largely unknown" - in their own words (45). The review also treats animal studies and here's what it has to say about the outcome.

Here, other results are found not seen yet in human studies, such as (45):

  • the lowering of oxidative stress (a byproduct of energy production but is damaging in excess)
  • a reduction in gliosis, which is a protective mechanism as a result of nervous system damage,
  • the lowering of systemic inflammation
  • a decrease in leaky blood vessels
  • a few other mechanisms such as lower α-synuclein toxicity, fewer Fos+ cell numbers, and more.

The review also very nicely states the problem in reaching the areas affected in Parkinson's Disease, the "Substantia Nigra pars Compacta" - where dopamine is created in your brain:

"While the animal models and the limited clinical studies are promising, a major hurdle for the use of [red light therapy] to the target symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is the delivery of light to the appropriate area of the brain [...]. Neuronal death begins in the "Substantia Nigra pars Compacta". While transcranial penetration of [red light therapy] to the "Substantia Nigra pars Compacta" in rodents is not a problem, it becomes a major concern in humans and larger animals. Transcranial [red light therapy] needs to penetrate the human hair, skin, tissue, bone, dura, blood, meninges and [cerebrospinal fluid] to reach the neurons in the brain. The maximum depth of penetration transcranially is most probably in the order of 20 to 30 mm, with progressively fewer photons with increasing depth. [red light therapy] light reaching the "Substantia Nigra pars Compacta" in humans where most damage is occurring is not physically possible. In an effort to overcome this problem, some studies have attempted to target the [red light therapy] towards the "Substantia Nigra pars Compacta" by placing the laser on the palate, using intranasal devices or by placing the LED on the mid-line of the neck, pointed toward the midbrain." (45)

You can visualize that brain area here and see how far the substantia nigra pars compacta is located in the brain:

CC BY 4.0 lisence. File:Basal ganglia circuits.svg. Created: 4 May 2010. Uploaded: 25 February 2020 to WikiPedia.

What's interesting is that researchers have tried implanting the light very deep into the brain - although that's super experimental (45). That way, theoritically, these regions very deep into the brain could be reached.

As a side note, at PBM 2024, I've also heard people talk about the "lollipop" devices you put in your mouth. Through the oral cavity, you could then irradiate the brain–and in the case of Parkinson's, that seems extremely promising to at least try! But that's what's meant by "placing the laser on the palate" in the quote above.

Overall, the outcome of this first review is more or less in line with my conclusion (45). The conclusion section of the full text is reasonably readable for the average person, so if you're interested, click the reference - (45).

The second review focuses more on vascular Parkinsonism but doesn't go into great detail about red light therapy (43). This is because it's a broader review of new Parkinson's Disease interventions. For the third review, that trend is somewhat similar, but red light therapy is once again spoken highly of (44). So the rest of these reviews aren't really that valid for my analysis.

The most important thing is that my conclusion more or less agrees with the first review I covered above. If there were huge discrepancies there, I'd have to check my analysis as many of these researchers have worked on that topic for years - so they know their topic!

Red Light Therapy Companies Focusing On Brain Health

Here, I want to talk about a few red light therapy companies focusing on brain health - and specifically Parkinson's Disease later on. I do have a small disclaimer, though:

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Affiliate Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to review. However, my receipt of the product did not influence the outcome of this review. I try to be as fair and critical as possible in any review, and this review reflects my genuine and honest opinion of the product.

Here are the best red light therapy devices for Parkinson's disease by different companies. Most of these have been reviewed by my friend and the founder of this company, Alex Fergus. Check the YouTube videos below:

The Vielight Duo is probably your best bet there–or the MIP! Use discount code ALEX10 if you're interested in the device.

That Vielight offers much higher power output at critical structures of the brain. The intranasal MIP device has the considerable advantage of irradiating blood flow in the nose. That way, you're much more likely getting good treatment for the Substantia Nigra regions where the dopamine is created. The blood of the brain passes by your nose, so irradiating that nasal area is a natural way at which you can influence brain health!

Moreover, you may also want to check out this interview on Vielight:

Then, you may want to consider the Neuronic Neuradiant 1070 helmet described here:

Neuronic has recently upgraded its helmet to a new model with more powerful LEDs and a lower price.

If you grab a Neuradiant 1070, use discount code ALEXF5 - again we get a commission on these and you get a discount!

Then there's the SYMBYX helmet - the company that has produced the helmets for Parkinson's specifically:

You can see me interviewing the founder and CEO of SYMBYX Biome in the video above. The only downside here is that Alex hasn't independently tested the SYMBYX devices yet.

I also don't have a discount code yet for this company.

And, lastly, there's a great company called SunPowerLED, which also hasn't been tested by Alex Fergus but looks extremely promising, to be honest:

For SunPowerLED, use discount code ALEX5 to save!

Then, there's the first and final device, the Cera - code ALEX saves here:

Lastly, let's consider what the best red light therapy devices for Parkinson's are, right now. I don't consider all the companies offering light therapy for Parkinson's devices equally good - here's why:

The Most Promising Red Light Therapy Devices For Parkinson’s Disease

We've now considered five different devices for Parkinson's Disease. In my opinion, right now, the best options here are:

  • SYMBYX Neuro from SYMBYX Biome - because this company literally sells the devices used in many Parkinson's Disease trials! It's very hard to argue for any of the other devices as with these, you're far more likely to be guaranteed to get the exact outcomes that participants in these clinical trials had.
  • However, some of the trials also used the Vielight devices. And, Vielight has the mechanism close to correct, in my opinion, with the Vielight MIP for intranasal treatment. Also, you can get a vagus addition with the Vielight Duo, which will affect the brain-gut axis. The only issue is that the last option isn't really validated with the studies yet. I will also say that Vielight has a fantastic track record for red light therapy for neurological disorders overall.
  • Thirdly, I'll probably recommend the SunPowerLED because of its sheer power output and low treatment time. Yes, Alex still has to review this device but it seems extremely powerful and seems to hold the best cards by far for the red light therapy hat for Parkinson's Disease model.

Should You Start At-Home Red Light Therapy Treatment? If Yes, How?

Yes, I highly recommend starting an at-home red light therapy treatment protocol. Please follow the instructions on the devices carefully so you don't overdo it!

But, also monitor your response very well. A neighbor of mine in Holland, who has Parkinson's Disease, for instance, tried my older Vielight device. But, he got headaches with it and discontinued treatment without telling me. Unfortunately the very nice guy is now deceased, but, he could have optimized his treatment protocol just by talking to me.

If you're getting mild side effects such as headaches, it's a sign the device is working. And, just like if you're getting horrible muscle soreness after workouts, it's a sign you're maybe overdoing things. So if I had talked to him before he passed away, I would have told him to half the treatment time and check how he's doing with that.

So, know your instructions - which work great for 90 - 95% of people mostly! But, also monitor how you're doing and adjust your treatment parameters if necessary. Read my guide on red light therapy dosing if you don't understand the principles behind my thoughts. Just like there's no universal diet that works perfectly for all humans, or a universal exercise program, the same is true for your light therapy routine.

The key here is to understand that if you don't get instant results, don't immediately give up! Many of these companies also have great customer service, such as SYMBYX Biome will literally help you tweak your routine with the devices so that they do work for you!

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As Parkinson's Disease is a complex health condition where often medication plays a major role, I only recommend using red light therapy together with a clinician who monitors your light therapy sessions and outcomes. Some studies do show some small side effect (impermanent), so you may need to adjust your sessions slightly over time. Hence, talk to your doctor first when using red light therapy for Parkinson's!

Conclusion: So, Does Red Light Therapy Work For Parkinson's?

The answer is likely "yes"! At least, the latest publications in humans are very hopeful. In many of the studies, both motor and non-motor symptoms flatline - so they don't deteriorate over time like they normally do in Parkinson's. That's a huge win!

Likely - as almost always is the case with complex health problems - you can stack the light therapy here with other lifestyle and nutrition strategies. As you know by now, I almost never recommend light therapy alone but always light therapy within a broader context of health. So, light therapy matters for your health, but so does your diet, and sleep quality, and sunlight exposure, and avoiding bright (blue & green) light at night, etc!

Hope that helps!

Frequently Asked Questions

Lastly, a few frequently asked questions many people have:

Is Red Light Therapy Safe For Parkinson’s Patients?

Yes, there are generally very few side effects. Some people might have slight headaches or slight problems moving, but no permanent side effects have been noted. Talk to your doctor first before applying light therapy for Parkinson's Disease.

Which Wavelength Is The Best for Parkinson’s?

Right now, the low 600s, such as 630 nm, and the 800s and 900s nm range has the best level of evidence. However, application method is very important and higher-powered transcranial devices, intranasal devices, and devices that target the lower neck or are intraoral (in the mouth) have preference for Parkinson's because

Can Red Light Therapy Be Combined With Parkinson’s Medications?

Generally, the answer is yes here, especially when talking about L-Dopa. However, talk to your doctor about this topic. If you've got Parkinson's Disease, you may be on multiple medications and the interactions can be more complex (and even unknown!).

Items Mentioned In This Article

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Make sure to join our Facebook group. We have more in-depth discussions there. I hope you’ll join us in the interesting conversations. Members share their ideas, observations, experiences, questions, and review requests. It’s an interactive group!

This is a post by Bart Wolbers of Lighttherapyinsiders. Bart finished degrees in Physical Therapy (B), Philosophy (BA and MA), Philosophy of Science and Technology (MS - with distinction), and Clinical Health Science (MS), has had training in functional medicine, and is currently chief science writer.

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