The hidden power of light: how near-infrared therapy can regenerate your body

Every day, the largest migration on Earth takes place in the ocean. Billions of tiny sea creatures rise from the ocean floor to the surface, driven by a single purpose, which is to capture exposure to light. We humans are no different; throughout our evolution, as the Earth revolved around the sun, near-infrared (NIR) light became woven into the very fabric of our biology. Near-infrared light is essential for good health.

The mitochondrial connection

At the heart of every cell in your body are mitochondria, often called the “powerhouses” of the cell. These remarkable structures produce the energy that keeps you alive and thriving. However, what many people don’t realise is that mitochondria can multiply and regenerate in the presence of near-infrared light.

NIR light has been demonstrated to increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the fuel that your cells run on. It also boosts key enzymes that help your body produce energy and fight damaging free radicals.

Your brain runs on light

One of the most extraordinary discoveries of what happens in your nervous system is that the myelin sheaths, which wrap around your nerves are not just insulation as previously thought; they are semiconducting structures made of light-sensitive porphyrins.

Porphyrins are ring-shaped molecules that are fundamental to life itself. In your blood, porphyrins bound to iron create haemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout your body. In plants, porphyrins bound to magnesium create chlorophyll, capturing sunlight for photosynthesis. These remarkable molecules are light-sensitive and can conduct electrons, making them nature’s biological switches that respond to light.

Another remarkable discovery, which researchers at the University of Genoa confirmed, is that 90% of oxygen in the brain is consumed by the brain’s myelin sheaths, which contain no mitochondria, but are sites of energy production. This means your brain and nervous system are actively producing energy in response to light. When we supply near-infrared light to myelin sheaths, we help regenerate the brain itself.

Research by Australian Dr Ann Liebert (published in 2024) has shown promising results using near-infrared light to improve symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients. Parkinson’s disease is second to Alzheimer’s disease of most common neurodegenerative diseases and is increasing in incidence.

NIR light has been shown to boost cerebral blood flow and cognitive functions in humans without adverse effects, making it a safe yet powerful tool for neurological health.

The IRATHERM® advantage at Breakspear Medical

At Breakspear Medical, we harness this evolutionary requirement through our IRATHERM® hyperthermia bed. The IRATHERM® uses near-infrared light to deliver therapeutic heat to patients, which is doing so much more than warming the body’s core temperature.

During treatment, the NIR light is:

• regenerating mitochondria throughout your body, boosting cellular energy production
• protecting cells from damage through enhanced antioxidant activity
• supporting myelin sheaths and nervous system function
• improving blood flow and oxygen delivery, particularly to the brain

The energy delivered from NIR light is carefully calibrated to be low enough not to cause heating damage to tissues and high enough to mediate beneficial cell and tissue functions.

Why this matters for environmental illness

For patients dealing with environmental illness, chemical sensitivities or electromagnetic hypersensitivity, near-infrared light therapy can address the underlying problems. Environmental chemicals and heavy metals can interfere with porphyrin metabolism and disrupt myelin sheaths, making the nervous system supersensitive to stimuli. Research has shown that 90% of multiple chemical sensitivity patients test deficient in one or more porphyrin enzymes.

By supporting these light-sensitive porphyrin systems with therapeutic near-infrared light, we’re addressing the root mechanisms that have been disrupted by toxic exposures.

A return to what we all need

We are creatures of light. Just as those tiny ocean dwellers make their daily pilgrimage to the surface, our cells are designed to respond to and thrive with near-infrared light exposure. Modern indoor living has perhaps disconnected us from this essential element.  Our IRATHERM® provides essential light exposure, with precision, science, and therapeutic intent.

Ready to experience the regenerative power of near-infrared light therapy? Visit our Hyperthermia webpage to learn more about the IRATHERM® and book your appointment to take advantage of this medical technology.