Do you know that infrared light can have a positive impact on thyroid function?

Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which the thyroid gland produces too few hormones compared to the body’s needs. According to some studies, it affects about 4-21% of adult women and about 3-16% of men, with Hashimoto’s disease being the most common cause. The standard procedure after diagnosis is to prescribe artificial levothyroxine (Euthyrox/Letrox). However, finding the appropriate dosage is difficult due to various reasons, such as fluctuations in thyroid hormone levels that differ depending on the time of day, stress levels, and menstrual cycle in women. Additionally, regulating one hormone in the body may affect others, and most doctors focus on norms that do not take into account the patient’s age or gender, forget to suggest supplementation, or to take into account the patient’s symptoms.

Taking levothyroxine is important, especially for Hashimoto’s disease, as it inhibits the growth of nodules on the thyroid gland. However, today I want to share with you a study on photobiomodulation using infrared light.

In July 2020, a study showed that photobiomodulation using infrared light:

• increases the efficiency of the thyroid gland by 70 times
• is 15 times more effective in reducing the dose of levothyroxine

compared to the addition of supplements alone to the patient’s diet.

In summary, the study lasted three months and involved 350 people (including 340 women), who were divided into two groups. The first group underwent infrared light irradiation at a wavelength of 850 nm and received supplements of vitamin D3, iron, and selenium. The second group received only supplementation. Vitamin D3 and iron supplementation only applied to those who had deficiencies in these nutrients, while everyone received 100 micrograms of selenium. The antyTPO marker, which is measured in Hashimoto’s disease, decreased significantly in Group 1, from 705.9 to 193.8 (44% reduction!!!), while in Group 2 it dropped from 645.9 to 526.1 (an 18.6% decrease). The levothyroxine dosage in patients in Group 1 was reduced from 419.2 to 208.8 (50.2% reduction!!!), and 60 patients in this group completely stopped taking the drug. In Group 2, the decrease was smaller, from 385.1 to 369.9 (3.95%).

Infrared light has anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, which, as seen in the study, can produce spectacular results. However, since not everyone has a laser emitting an 850 nm wavelength at home, the answer is the sun. Even when the sky is cloudy, about 32% of light, including 42% of infrared light, reaches us. So, with the upcoming spring and May Day, you can take advantage of this information without spending money on specialized equipment.