Light stimulation of mitochondria reduces blood glucose levels.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Experimental human interventional study; abstract does not specify whether subjects were randomized or sham-controlled.
PubMed 38378043 · doi:10.1002/jbio.202300521
What was done
Healthy human subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test following a 15-minute exposure to 670 nm red light (photobiomodulation) to evaluate whether mitochondrial stimulation alters postprandial glycemic excursions.
What was found
Exposure to 670 nm light for 15 minutes reduced integrated blood glucose elevation over 2 hours post-glucose intake by 27.7%. Peak glucose spike concentration was reduced by 7.5%.
Why it matters
This provides proof-of-concept evidence in humans that non-invasive red-light photobiomodulation may influence systemic metabolic rate and lower post-meal glucose spikes.
Limits
The abstract does not state the sample size, subject demographics, control conditions (such as sham illumination), or whether the study was randomized. Only acute 2-hour responses in healthy individuals were tested, leaving efficacy and safety in individuals with prediabetes or diabetes unexamined.