A randomized controlled trial from Brazil showed that 940 nanometer near-infrared radiation for 15 minutes daily for 7 consecutive days improved outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including reduced length of stay and improved pulmonary function and hematological parameters.

COVID-19 infection reduces ACE2 receptor expression, which disrupts the balance between oxidative and reducing molecules, causing exacerbation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that leads to blood clots and hypoxemia.

Vlight states on their website that their devices are not FDA-approved but are classified as low-risk General Wellness devices under the FDA's draft General Wellness Policy (January 20, 2015) and have been independently TUV-certified as safe for consumer use by a European standard.

A study using a transcranial photobiomodulation helmet emitting at 1070 nanometers conducted a head-to-head trial comparing helmet-only therapy to whole-body photobiomodulation (660 nm and 850 nm) and found equivalent improvements in cognition scores and digital symbol substitution test performance between the two modalities.

Photobiomodulation terminology has evolved through multiple names—biostimulation, cold/cool laser, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), soft laser, and low power laser therapy—with standardization added to the National Library of Medicine MeSH database in 2015 by Dr. Prop Areni.

Melatonin produced in the mitochondria (not just pineal-derived melatonin) can mitigate excessive reactive oxygen species in COVID-19 patients and SARS-CoV-2 infected cells, representing a site-specific antioxidant mechanism.

Near-infrared radiation is blocked by water vapor because water absorbs in the near-infrared spectrum, specifically around 940 nanometers, which limits NIR penetration on cloudy or humid days and prevents outdoor sunlight from delivering full NIR benefits.

Natural sunlight is the absolute best way to obtain photobiomodulation benefits and is free, but artificial photobiomodulation devices are necessary alternatives for patients unable to access sunlight (hospitalized, critically ill, geographic/climatic constraints).

A comprehensive photobiomodulation research database compiled by Vladimir Hekinan (a Finnish scientist and dentist) contains over 7,000 categorized studies searchable by body part, trial type, and outcomes, providing a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians investigating photobiomodulation evidence.

A prospective national study of 351 long COVID subjects (matched to 8+ controls per subject) assessed 1–26 months post-discharge found that post-COVID cognitive deficits were global, not confined to severe infection, did not correlate with initial COVID-19 severity, and recovery was incomplete and took months.

Long COVID cognitive deficits resemble traumatic brain injury in mechanism and presentation, suggesting that photobiomodulation therapies that benefit TBI may also benefit long COVID brain fog and cognitive impairment.

The dose-response relationship in photobiomodulation is not linear but follows a biphasic (inverted-U) curve, with a point of maximal impact above which further increases in light dose produce diminishing or null effects, requiring careful optimization of light therapy parameters.

The speaker received a NeuroRadiant 1070 helmet from Neuronic for free testing purposes and plans to return it after evaluation, with no financial relationship between the speaker and Neuronic or Vlight companies.

Currently, no photobiomodulation devices are FDA-approved for clinical use; Neuronic and Vlight are the two major companies pursuing FDA approval with 2–3 years estimated timeline, with approvals expected to be disease-specific.

Photobiomodulation therapy is best used as a precision tool (analogous to a surgeon's scalpel) under the guidance of knowledgeable experts who understand the device's capabilities and can customize protocols for individual conditions, not as a simple one-button device.

Vlight manufactures a transcranial photobiomodulation device similar in appearance to the Neuronic helmet but includes a nasal probe component in addition to the helmet.

Photobiomodulation research publications have grown exponentially since 1980, accumulating a body of evidence demonstrating rapid expansion of knowledge in this field of light-based cellular modulation.

The speaker published a video titled 'Light as Medicine' in January 2022 that received over 4 million views, establishing a prior educational effort on light therapy.

Near-infrared light is able to penetrate through the scalp, bone, and cerebrospinal fluid, allowing it to diffuse throughout the brain surface and conduct deep into gray matter where it can modulate cellular function.

Additional proposed mechanisms of photobiomodulation include stimulation of melatonin production, reduction of oxidative stress, and making water around ATP synthase (where energy production occurs) less viscous and therefore more efficient.