Can Red Light Therapy Help Support Wellness in ALS/MND?

Explore how red light therapy may support wellness in ALS/MND patients. Learn about research, case studies, and available light therapy devices.

What is ALS/MND?

ALS or Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a relentless muscle wasting disease, in which brain and spinal cells, called “Motor Neurons” die as a result of poorly functioning mitochondria - the power house of all cells which comprise in our bodies. When these motor neurons die, they cause rapidly progressive disability, rendering the patient unable to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe. Most patients, on average, have a prognosis of between 2-5 years.

Is improvement in ALS/MND even possible?

The world renowned, Dr Richard Bedlack MD, Professor of Neurology at Duke University is responsible for reviewing some 50+ and growing ALS Reversals. He is collecting, reviewing some 1000+ cases annually of people who believe their ALS diagnosis and progression could be reverting.

He also runs a website which looks for the common protocols that his verified ALS Reversal and attempts to determine if they are plausible. His program is called Replication of ALS Reversals (R.O.A.R), see the end of this article for the link to the program.

What research has been undertaken on light therapy?

Bedlack wrote a 2021 paper on the potential therapeutic effects of both red/near infrared light therapy on ALS. He acknowledges a case report of a 69 year old male, with limb onset and progressive disability over four years after initial onset.

He was ambulatory, wheelchair bound with significant respiratory symptoms requiring non-invasive ventilation. He utilised a near infrared device at both 810nm and 890nm, two sessions daily, over 10 days and reported significant improvements.

Noticeable improvements were found in respiratory symptoms and increased limb strength (including recovery of the ability to hold a knife and fork, button a shirt, and walk more than 100 meters).

The future of light therapy in ALS/MND?

Although such cases are not well documented, Bedlack urges further investigation into light therapy as his paper demonstrates a plausible mechanism for action within this disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

What devices are available, if I want to try light therapy now?

At CeraThrive, we are dedicated to supporting overall well-being through innovative red and NIR technology. Our small, but growing cohort of ALS/MND users have shared encouraging feedback about their experiences with our device, motivating us to continue fostering research and innovation in this field.

To find out more visit www.cerathrive.com or email our Clinical Support Manager Seb at sebastian@cerathrive.com