Red Light Therapy For Hyperemesis and Severe Morning Sickness

Can Red Light Therapy Influence Gene Expression? The Link Between PBM, GDF15, and Women’s Health

If you’re pregnant and experiencing severe morning sickness, you might have come across GDF15 (Growth Differentiation Factor 15). It’s a gene that produces a protein involved in inflammation, mitochondrial health, and appetite regulation. New research suggests that photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as light therapy, may help modulate gene expression, including stress-related pathways like GDF15. This is the gene implicated in HG - Hyperemesis Gravidarum - a condition affecting approximately.

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, affecting approximately 0.3% to 3% of pregnant women. Unlike typical morning sickness, HG can lead to significant weight loss, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances, often requiring medical intervention. Most women prefer natural ways to manage HG but sometimes medical treatment is necessary.

Current Available Treatments:

• Dietary Adjustments: Small, frequent meals and bland diets may help manage mild symptoms.

• Medications: First-line treatments often include vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and doxylamine. In more severe cases, antiemetics like metoclopramide or ondansetron are prescribed.

• Intravenous Fluids: To address dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, IV fluids may need to be administered.

• Hospitalization: Severe cases might require hospitalization for comprehensive physical and mental health care, including nutritional support.

Use of Cannabis:

Some individuals consider cannabis for managing HG symptoms due to its antiemetic properties. However, research on its efficacy and safety during pregnancy is limited and inconclusive. Studies have raised concerns about adverse fetal outcomes, such as preterm birth, neurodevelopmental disorders, and restricted fetal growth.

What’s the Deal with GDF15?

GDF15 is often referred to as a “sickness hormone” because when it’s raised, it can lead to nausea, loss of appetite, and metabolic changes. It’s been linked to:

• Hyperemesis gravidarum (severe pregnancy nausea)

• Mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic fatigue

• Metabolic issues, including unexplained weight loss

• Neuroinflammation and mood disorders

GDF15 levels spike when the body is under stress, particularly when mitochondria (your cells' energy centers) aren’t working efficiently. And that’s where red light therapy comes in.

Can PBM Actually Influence Gene Expression?

The short answer? Yes, it can. PBM has been shown to activate cellular repair pathways, reduce inflammation, and optimize mitochondrial function, all of which can influence the expression of stress-related genes like GDF15.

Here’s how:

• Improves Mitochondrial Function – Since GDF15 increases when mitochondria are under stress, PBM may help lower unnecessary GDF15 production by improving cellular energy efficiency.

• Reduces Inflammation – PBM has been shown to lower pro-inflammatory markers (which drive up GDF15) while increasing anti-inflammatory signals that promote healing.

• Modulates Stress Pathways – PBM influences Nrf2 (a key antioxidant response gene) and NF-kB (a major inflammatory signaling pathway), both of which play a role in GDF15 regulation.

GDF15 is a stress-inducible cytokine, meaning it increases in response to cellular stress, inflammation, and metabolic imbalances. It is regulated by key inflammatory markers like interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), both of which are known to drive systemic inflammation and impact mitochondrial function. Since PBM (photobiomodulation) has been shown to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-1β, it stands to reason that PBM may help regulate excessive GDF15 expression by addressing its root causes, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation.

By supporting cellular energy production, reducing oxidative stress, and improving overall metabolic efficiency, PBM may offer a novel way to help balance GDF15 levels naturally, particularly for conditions linked to chronic inflammation, pregnancy-related nausea, and metabolic health.

What This Means for Women’s Health

If GDF15 is part of the reason why women experience severe morning sickness, metabolic struggles, or energy crashes, then using PBM to support mitochondrial function and reduce inflammation could be a game changer.

It won’t completely switch off GDF15, but it might help bring it back into balance so the body can function the way it was meant to. While more research is needed, PBM’s ability to influence key signaling pathways makes it a fascinating area to explore in the regulation of stress-induced cytokines like GDF15.

This is an exciting area of research, and we’re only scratching the surface.

Have you tried Red Light Therapy for morning sickness or HE? Let me know!

Tracy