on July 09, 2026
If you've ever felt the post-lunch energy crash after a carb-heavy meal, you already know what a blood sugar spike feels like. For years, red light therapy (RLT) has been associated with skin rejuvenation, muscle recovery, and pain relief — but a 2024 clinical study out of the UK has put a new benefit on the table: blood glucose regulation.
Here's what the science says, and how it connects to at-home red light therapy devices like those in Leredd's range — the All-In-One Lamp, the Biohax 324 Modular, and the Biohax 60.
The Study: Light Stimulation of Mitochondria Reduces Blood Glucose Levels
The research, led by Dr. Michael B. Powner (City St George's, University of London) and Professor Glen Jeffery (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology), was published in the Journal of Biophotonics in early 2024. The study set out to test whether photobiomodulation — light therapy delivered at a specific wavelength — could influence how the body handles glucose after eating.
How the study worked:
- 30 healthy adult participants were split into two groups.
- One group received a 15-minute exposure to 670nm red light before an oral glucose tolerance test.
- Participants then drank a standardised glucose solution (75g), and blood glucose was tracked over the following two hours.
What they found:
- A 15-minute exposure to 670nm light reduced the degree of blood glucose elevation following glucose intake by 27.7%, integrated over the two hours after the glucose challenge.
- Maximum glucose spiking — the peak level reached — was reduced by 7.5%.
- The researchers concluded that this kind of light exposure could offer a way to reduce blood glucose spikes following meals, potentially reducing damaging fluctuations of blood glucose in the body.
Why Would Light Affect Blood Sugar?
The proposed mechanism comes down to mitochondria — the energy-producing structures inside our cells. Red light at 670nm is thought to increase mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production, which in turn may increase the cell's demand for glucose as fuel. In simple terms: if red light gives your cells' internal "power plants" a boost, those cells may pull more glucose out of the bloodstream to use as fuel — which could translate to a gentler post-meal glucose curve.
Powner explained the theory this way : red light may increase energy production by burning glucose in mitochondria, so increasing mitochondrial activity could draw glucose out of the blood.
An Important Caveat
It's worth being clear-eyed about what this study did and didn't show:
- Participants were healthy individuals, not people with diabetes or insulin resistance — the researchers themselves note the technique has potential relevance to diabetes management, not proven clinical efficacy in that population yet.
- The glucose challenge used in the test was a significant sugar load (75g in a short window), so the effect was observed under a fairly intense metabolic stress test — it isn't yet clear how this translates to everyday meals of varying carbohydrate content.
- This is one study. Larger, more diverse, and longer-term trials — ideally including people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes — are the natural next step.
That said, the researchers see real promise here. As they noted, this is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological technique that has the potential to impact diabetes control after meals, since it could reduce damaging fluctuations of blood glucose in the body that contribute to ageing. They also raised the possibility of a broader "abscopal" signalling effect, where localised light exposure triggers changes elsewhere in the body — though this remains an area for further research.
What This Means for At-Home Red Light Therapy
Because the therapeutic wavelength used in the study — 670nm red light — sits within the same red light spectrum (630–670nm) used in many consumer-grade red light therapy devices, this research adds a compelling new dimension to why people are incorporating red light sessions into their daily routines — not just for skin and recovery, but potentially as part of a broader metabolic wellness habit.
If you're exploring red light therapy for this reason (or any other), it helps to have a device that gives you control over wavelength, session length, and consistency — since the study protocol relied on a specific, repeatable 15-minute exposure. Here's how a few devices from Leredd's range stack up:
1. All-In-One RLT Lamp
Leredd's All-In-One Lamp is built around <cite index="10-1">37 medical-grade LEDs — 16 in deep red 660nm and 21 in near-infrared 850nm — with a narrow 24-degree beam angle that maintains strong light efficiency even at up to 80cm from the body. It's fully wire-free with remote control, offering constant or pulse light modes, and the option to select red light only or red combined with NIR.
For someone wanting to replicate a short, targeted red-light session — similar in spirit to the 15-minute protocol used in the Powner & Jeffery study — this lamp's adjustable stand and compact footprint make it a practical entry point for home use.
2. Biohax 324 (Modular Panel)
For those wanting more coverage or the ability to scale up over time, the Biohax 324 is part of Leredd's modular Biohax panel series. Like its siblings in the range (the Biohax M3 432 and 648), it uses dual-chip LEDs emitting both red and near-infrared wavelengths simultaneously, and can be connected via a daisy-chain system to additional Biohax devices, letting users expand their treatment area as needed. The modular design means a session can start small and grow into a larger, more comprehensive setup without replacing the original unit.
3. Biohax 60 (Desktop Panel)
If you're after something more compact for targeted, consistent daily sessions, the Biohax 60 is Leredd's desktop version in the Biohax series. It offers 60 dual-chip LEDs delivering both 660nm deep red and 850nm near-infrared wavelengths, with each lens capable of emitting both wavelengths for a more even light spread than single-wavelength panels.Users can select red light only, NIR only, or both simultaneously, which offers flexibility if you want to isolate the 660nm range that most closely mirrors the wavelength studied in the glucose research.
Building a Simple Red Light Habit
Based on the study protocol and general red light therapy guidance, a reasonable starting approach for those curious about this application might look like:
- A short session (around 10–15 minutes) of red light exposure before or shortly after a meal
- Consistent use — light therapy benefits tend to compound with regular sessions rather than one-off use
- Positioning the device so skin is exposed to the light directly, without heavy clothing between you and the panel or lamp
As always, red light therapy is not a substitute for medical care, dietary changes, or prescribed treatment for diabetes or blood sugar conditions. If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or any concerns about your blood glucose, talk to your doctor before using light therapy as part of your routine — and keep monitoring your levels through the methods your healthcare provider recommends.
The Bottom Line
The Powner & Jeffery (2024) study is an early but genuinely exciting piece of research suggesting that a simple, drug-free, 15-minute exposure to red light may meaningfully blunt the blood sugar spike that follows eating. It's not a cure or a clinically-approved diabetes treatment yet — but it does offer one more reason red light therapy has captured the attention of the biohacking and wellness community.
Whether you start with something compact like the Biohax 60, go modular with the Biohax 324, or want the flexibility of the All-In-One Lamp, the underlying wavelength science is the same one behind this emerging blood sugar research — red and near-infrared light doing quiet, cellular-level work with every session.
Sources: Powner, M.B., & Jeffery, G. (2024). Light stimulation of mitochondria reduces blood glucose levels. Journal of Biophotonics, 17(5), e202300521; City St George's, University of London news release, Feb 2024; UCL News, Feb 2024; Healthline, Feb 2024.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new light therapy protocol, particularly if you have an existing health condition.
