Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation is an emerging medical and veterinary field in which exposure to Low-Level-Light (LLL) or Super Luminous Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs) stimulates cellular function leading to beneficial clinical effects.

Every eukaryotic cell contains within its membrane, specialized structures called organelles such as the DNA filled nucleus and up to many thousands of cellular ‘chemical energy-conversion generators’ called mitochondria. These mitochondria are responsible for providing most of the essential energy for cells. They are likened to a chemical power-plant, producing ATP, an Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate’ molecule responsible for a cyclical chemical energy release within cells. This ‘phosphate’ energy drives all cellular and physiological functions including those directly related to cellular respiration, mitosis (cellular division), injury-repair and pain-relief to name a few.

Mitochondrion Diagram from: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cell_Biology/Organelles/Mitochondria

Defective Mitochondria

When a cell is damaged through injury or trauma, the mitochondrion, figuratively speaking, ‘shrinks’ and curls-up into a little ball like a millipede. Once this happens, the production of ATP is drastically reduced, or ceases. As a result, the rate of healing slows dramatically. But cells exposed to a high intensity near infra-red light photon stream at the right radiance flux or fluency, causes the mitochondrion to rebound back into action – almost immediately producing increased amounts of energy. A specialised red light sensitive molecule called cytochrome-C-oxidase within the mitochondria absorbs the photon energy which then activates a series of ‘redox’ reactions to increase and release more cellular energy for repair and regeneration. In this process the photons degrade within the tissues stimulating and releasing high energy electrons into an electro-chemical gradient that are passed along an electron transport train. The gradient created by this drive synthesises the release of phosphate ions in a cyclical process called oxidative phosphorylation. This energy release causes a cascade of cellular biomodulation effects.

The ‘Handbook of Photomedicine’ edited by Micheal R. Hamblin PhD and Ying-Ying Huang, MD makes it clear in ‘Irradiation Parameters, Dose Response, and Devices’ by James Carroll that:

For LLLT to be effective, the various irradiation parameters (wavelength, fluence, power, irradiance,pulse parameters, and some would argue coherence and polarization as well) need to lie within certain ranges and be applied for a suitable amount of time (usually seconds or minutes). LLLT is typically applied several times (1-10 treatment sessions) and at intervals ranging from twice a week to twice a day. It has been shown many times that if insufficient energy is applied, then there is no effect, or if too much is applied, then there may be inhibitory effects, and that these results are also dependent on the irradiance of the beam.
(Huang et al. 2009, 2011)

The QUANTUM WARP 10 is the only Phototherapy device on the market that sets it dose and irradiance standards based on the primary research QUANTUM Devices Inc. and NASA did in their space program research.

To view an electron microscope image of a mitochondrion see: http://cellpics.cimr.cam.ac.uk/mitochondria.html and to learn in more detail about mitochondria go to the British Society for Cell Biology at http://bscb.org/learning-resources/softcell-e-learning/mitochondrion-much-more-than-an-energy-converter/

“They are an incredibly dynamic organelle; constantly dividing, fusing and multiplying when the energy needs of a cell increase. They also divide independently of the cell cycle by simple fission. Mitochondrial division is stimulated by energy demand, so cells with an increased need for energy contain greater numbers of these organelles than cells with lower energy needs.”
Source: http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/mitochondria-14053590

Four well accepted effects of Photobiostimulation in the scientific literature are:

1. Biostimulation = Tissue Regeneration =  Accelerated Healing
2. Reduction of Inflammation
3. Analgesia (pain relief)
4. Enhanced Immune Antimicrobial Function

By increasing energy available in this easily accessible ‘photon’ form, near-infared light is able to ‘fuel’ and trigger off the biological functioning of organelles, cells, tissues and organ systems to stimulate regenerative-repair mechanisms. The self-administered application of a high intensity photon stream is really a form of applied neuroscience as the Phototherapy Light delivery system activates the body’s innate neural restorative, repair and healing mechanisms, so that the tissue systems within the organism can resume normative functioning.

The biomodulation effectiveness wholly depends on the band of light (wavelength) used, the intensity or fluency of the light source, the total energy (Joules/cm²) delivered over time, and the absorption receptivity of the tissue being irradiated to the wavelength used. Too much or too little energy delivered to injured sites can be non-effective. The speed and success of cellular regeneration and repair is also dependent on using correct treatment protocols. The correct dose of irradiation can improve the rate and quality of acute and chronic wound healing, pain relief, inflammation and tissue functioning, repair and regeneration.

Healthy Mitochondria