Beat Gestational Diabetes with Red Light Therapy
If you're pregnant and facing the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or managing gestational diabetes (GD), you're not alone. With the right tools and knowledge, you can keep your blood sugars within the normal range to support you and your baby to have a healthy pregnancy - as well as long term health.
Why is Gestational Diabetes a Big Deal?
Gestational diabetes is when your body has trouble managing blood sugar during pregnancy. If left unchecked, it can lead to complications like having a much larger baby, which can complicate labor and increase the chances of a cesarean birth. Plus, it may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other health issues later on including cardio vascular disease and heart attacks within the first 5 years of postpartum (especially if you have high blood pressure too).
Will Gestational Diabetes Impact Breastfeeding?
Emerging research now suggests that moms with a metabolic disease like GD may experience a delay in the full milk supply becoming available and the composition of milk may be less optimal which then increases the baby’s risk of developing metabolic diseases. Learn more about lactational programming here. Follow these tips to support your early breastfeeding journey with Gestational Diabetes.
The Role of Melatonin and Blue Light
Your body’s melatonin levels play a crucial role in managing blood sugar. Melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythm and has anti-inflammatory properties, which can prevent complications like preterm labor and preeclampsia. Unfortunately, blue light from screens and artificial lighting can interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to control blood sugar levels. Sitting scrolling through IG at 10pm at night is confusing your brain so it acts like this light is a stressor to the body - releasing more cortisol and dumping more glucose into your blood stream. Blue light in labor has been shown to slow down labor contraction patterns and is even associated with more preterm birth when women were exposed to outdoor blue light in early pregnancy.
How Light Therapy Can Help
First off, to be crystal clear this is not a ‘cheat’ or a way to hide high blood sugars or fool your provider. This is possibly the most natural way to support our metabolism.
We evolved as humans to receive different wavelengths of light throughout the day but most moms are indoors most of the day without any natural sunlight and we also have our heads buried in screens all day and into the night, screens that are devoid of those important light nutrients. When we ‘feed’ our body those light nutrients it makes the important little cellular batteries in our body work harder - they need glucose to work…so they take it from our bloodstream and cells and burn it as energy - lowering blood glucose.
Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM), uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate healthy cellular processes. Here’s how it works:
Increases Cellular Energy: Red light boosts the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of cells. This energy helps cells function better and repair themselves.
Modulates Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can worsen GD. Red light therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation, supporting better overall health.
Improves Blood Flow: Enhanced circulation from red light therapy helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Enhances Metabolic Health: By improving mitochondrial function, red light therapy helps your body manage glucose more effectively.
Research Highlights
A 2024 study by Powner and Jeffery demonstrated that a single 15-minute exposure to 670 nm red light significantly reduced blood glucose levels in healthy subjects. (Note participants in this study were not pregnant but the mechanism remains the same).
Here's a quick summary of their findings:
Study Participants
Number of Participants: The study involved 30 healthy participants.
Randomization: The participants were randomly divided into two groups: 15 in the red light therapy group and 15 in the placebo group.
Light Exposure Method
Wavelength and Duration: The red light therapy used in this study was 670 nm wavelength. Participants in the therapy group were exposed to this light for 15 minutes.
Application Area: The light was directed at an 800 cm² area of the upper back. This region includes the trapezius muscles and underlying skin cells.
Intensity: The intensity of the light was set at 40 mW/cm², delivering a total energy dose of 28,800 joules.
Distance from Skin: The LEDs were positioned 400 mm (about 16 inches) from the participants’ backs. A shield was used to prevent light leakage and ensure that participants remained unaware of whether they were in the therapy or placebo group.
Study Procedure
Initial Visit: Each participant first underwent a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) without any intervention to establish baseline glucose levels.
Intervention Visit: Within seven days, participants returned for a second OGTT. This time, the red light therapy group received the 15-minute light exposure 45 minutes before consuming the glucose solution, while the placebo group went through the same process without the light being turned on.
Blood Glucose Reduction: Red light therapy reduced blood glucose elevation by 27.7% over 2 hours after glucose intake.
Duration of Effects: The effects lasted for up to 5-7 days, making it a powerful tool for managing blood sugar spikes.
Non-Invasive: This method is non-invasive and can be easily incorporated into your daily routine.
Note: The same authors have shown in a fascinating 2022 study using bees - bees that were exposed to the 670nm wavelength had improved glucose control - but those exposed to blue light wavelengths of 420nm had the opposite effect…it slowed down glucose processing. Guess which kind of light most of us are exposed to every day…and what kind of light we’re exposed to sitting in a hospital? Similar wavelengths of 507 nm has been shown to stop labor contractions.
Practical Tips for Using Light Therapy in Pregnancy
Ready to give it a try? Here’s how to make the most of red light therapy:
Choose the Right Device: Look for a red light therapy device that emits light in the 640-850 nm range. These are the products I recommend.
Follow Guidelines: Stick to the recommended treatment times and distances.
Be Consistent: Use the therapy regularly to see the best results. Track your progress and consult with your healthcare provider for personalized advice.
If you don’t have access to these devices try to get outdoors during the day. Studies from Europe suggest that the more sunlight we get in the week before a GTT the lower the glucose spikes. Even if it’s cloudy the near infrared rays still penetrate the skin.
Managing gestational diabetes can be challenging, but incorporating red light therapy into your routine might just make it easier. It’s safe, effective, and could help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels throughout your pregnancy. Remember, consistency and a balanced approach are key.
Tracy
(September 2024 update - the authors of these studies are about to publish their findings on study participants exposed to red light wavelengths with Type 2 Diabetes with very similar results).
Light at Night and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(24)00122-4/fulltext
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776224001108
