The Brain and Mental Health Benefits of Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) & Photobiomodulation

October 15, 2024 Jordan Fallis

Low-level laser/light therapy (LLLT) is an important treatment that I have used over the years to support my brain after serious concussions, toxic mold exposure and multiple psychiatric prescriptions.

And in my experience, it is one of the most efficient ways to boost brain function and improve mental health.

Yet your doctor likely has no idea what it is.

It’s about as cutting-edge as it gets, and even more unconventional than neurofeedback. But it works.

Also known as photobiomodulation, LLLT is the application of low-power lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to the body for therapeutic purposes. When LLLT is applied to the brain, it is known as transcranial LLLT or transcranial photobiomodulation (44).

LLLT has been around since 1967, and there are now more than four thousand scientific studies showing that it can help treat a variety of disorders without any harmful effects. Unlike high-intensity surgical lasers, low-powered lasers do not cut or burn tissue. Instead, these lasers stimulate a biological response and encourage cells to function properly (11, 12, 33).

And luckily, it’s very easy to treat yourself at home with LLLT using red and infrared light.

I have used three main devices on my brain. They significantly improved the quality of my life over the years.

Make sure you read the Recommended Devices section below, where I discuss the different devices I have used.

Picture of mitochondria being irradiated and stimulated by red and infrared light.

How It Works

Research shows that red and infrared light between the wavelengths of 632 nanometers (nm) and 1064 nm produce positive biological effects. For brain cells, the optimal range appears to be between 800 nm and 1000 nm, as these wavelengths can penetrate the scalp and skull and reach the brain (19, 20, 25-31).

The devices I have used fall within this range.

The light emitted from the devices below stimulate a photochemical reaction within cells, which can accelerate the natural healing process and cause beneficial changes in behaviour (45).

How does it do this?

Mainly by supporting your mitochondria.

As I’ve discussed before, mitochondria are considered the “powerhouses of the cell,” generating most of the energy in your body in the form of adenosine-5’- triphosphate (ATP).

ATP is your body’s main source of cellular fuel. You are constantly using it, and your brain needs enough of it to work properly.

Proper mitochondrial function and ATP production is critical for neuroprotection, cognitive enhancement, and the prevention and alleviation of several neurological and mental disorders (46).

And research demonstrates that transcranial LLLT supports mitochondrial function and significantly increases the production of ATP in the brain (3-5, 8-10, 13-17, 21-22, 34, 45).

Your mitochondria contain photoacceptors that absorb the photons from light and convert them into ATP – energy that can be used to perform cellular tasks and biological processes (39, 40).

This process is comparable to plant photosynthesis, during which sunlight is absorbed by plants and converted to energy for the plants to grow (23, 24).

By stimulating the mitochondria and producing more ATP, LLLT gives brain cells extra ATP energy to work better and heal and repair themselves.

On top of this, LLLT has also been shown to:

Increase neurogenesis, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) (1, 41, 42)
Reduce inflammation (1, 35, 37, 41)
Decrease free radicals and oxidative stress in the brain (2)
Increase blood flow and circulation, including within the frontal cortex (6, 18, 32)
Reduce pain by increasing our body’s endorphins (natural opioids and natural pain relievers) (7, 36)
Increased rate of oxygen consumption in the frontal cortex (32, 100)
Increase serotonin (38)

My Experience and What You Should Expect

LLLT is one of the most impactful and helpful actions I took to optimize my brain and mental health.

Man using LLLT helmet and intranasal Vielight device.

By the time I was off all psychiatric medications, I had lost a lot of my full cognitive capabilities. Thankfully, LLLT helped restore them.

Here are some of the results I noticed:

Increased cognitive function
Sharper thinking
Improved mood, concentration, alertness
Less fatigue and reduced need for sleep
More mental motivation, endurance and productivity

Overall, it improved my mental constitution. I didn’t get as fatigued and worn down as easily and I could focus and think harder for longer periods of time.

LLLT also has a cumulative effect. Your brain becomes stronger and more resilient over time as you do the treatment consistently.

It allowed me to reduce the number of supplements I was taking daily. I now realize that I needed the treatment for many years, but I just didn’t know it existed.

Luckily, I started treating myself on a regular basis and have never felt better.

Many serious brain injuries and mental illnesses can be successfully treated with LLLT, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

I explore how LLLT has been shown to help each of these disorders below. Feel free to skip to the disorder you're struggling with to learn more.

Depression and Anxiety

Studies in rats and humans provide evidence that LLLT improves mood and decreases depressive symptoms.

In 2009, researchers took 10 patients with a history of major depression and anxiety (including post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse) and applied LLLT to their foreheads for four weeks. At the end of the study, six of the 10 patients experienced a remission of their depression, and seven of the 10 patients experienced a remission of their anxiety. There were no observable side effects (54).

“The data supports that LLLT to the head constitutes a promising neurotherapeutic tool to modulate behaviour in a non-invasive manner.”

— Dr. Julio C. Rojas, MD, PhD, University of California

This makes sense considering that several studies show that depression is linked to abnormal blood flow in the frontal cortex of the brain, and LLLT increases blood flow and circulation (47, 53).

Other studies have shown that participants report a significant increase in positive emotions and a reduction in depressive symptoms for two weeks after LLLT treatment (55-57).

Sufferers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) also experience a decrease in depression, anxiety, irritability and insomnia, and an overall improvement in quality of life, because of LLLT (58, 59).

I personally experienced all of these results.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a growing health concern. An estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI annually in the U.S. (60).

Mild TBIs (concussions) make up 75 per cent of all brain injuries. Military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan frequently experience mild TBI while overseas, and many months after they return home, they often struggle with PTSD, depression and anxiety (61, 62).

And research shows that transcranial LLLT can help (63).

I personally experienced this. In 2010, I suffered multiple concussions while living in a moldy home, and thankfully LLLT helped me recover from post-concussion syndrome.

A number of human studies show that patients with chronic mild TBI experience improved cognition, memory and sleep with LLLT treatment.

One study examined whether LLLT could help 11 patients with chronic mild TBI symptoms. They all had cognitive dysfunction, and four of them had multiple concussions like I did.

After 18 LLLT sessions, their cognition, memory and verbal learning improved. Participants also said they slept better and had fewer PTSD symptoms. Coworkers, friends and family reported improved social, interpersonal, and occupational functioning (65).

If LLLT was a drug, we would definitely be hearing about it.

In another study, 10 people with chronic TBI were given 10 treatments of LLLT (810 nm) and witnessed a reduction in headaches, cognitive dysfunction, sleep problems, anxiety, depression and irritability (66).

There have also been a few case studies showing beneficial effects of transcranial LLLT in TBI patients (67, 68):

“Seven years after closed-head TBI from a motor vehicle accident, case 1 (a 66-year-old woman) began transcranial LED treatments. Before LLLT treatment, she could focus on her computer for only 20 minutes. After eight weekly LLLT treatments, her focused computer time increased to 3 hours. She has treated herself nightly at home for 5.5 years now and maintains her improved cognition at age 72 years.”

“Case 2 (a 52-year-old retired, high-ranking female military officer) had a history of multiple closed-head injuries. Before beginning LLLT treatments, she was on medical disability for 5 months. After 4 months of nightly LLLT treatments at home, she returned to working full-time as an executive consultant with an international technology consulting firm and discontinued medical disability. Neuropsychological testing performed after 9 months of transcranial LED showed significant improvement in cognition and memory, as well as reduction in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.”

“Case 3 received 20 LLLT treatments over two months and experienced highly favourable outcomes with decreased depression, anxiety, headache, and insomnia, whereas cognition and quality of life improved.”

So LLLT can improve cognition, reduce costs in TBI treatment and be applied at home?

Hmm, sounds like something the pharmaceutical industry would not like people to know about – and something that would force them to lose a lot of life-long customers.

Several mouse studies also show that transcranial LLLT can prevent cell death and increase neurological performance after TBI (69-72).

Researchers believe that LLLT works so well for people struggling with TBI symptoms because mitochondria in the brain are significantly dysfunctional after TBI, resulting in an inadequate supply of ATP, and LLLT can support the mitochondria and increase ATP production (73-75, 79).

There is also poor blood flow and oxygenation, and increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain after head injuries. This contributes to brain damage, but LLLT can help combat these problems, increase antioxidants, promote neurogenesis and relieve chronic symptoms (76-78, 80-83).

Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Impairment

Research shows that LLLT can boost performance and improve cognitive function, including attention and memory, in elderly people, young healthy people and animals.

Preliminary studies demonstrate that LLLT could slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by decreasing a protein in the brain that is linked to dementia (84-86, 94).

Downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) occurs early in the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and LLLT has been shown to prevent brain cell loss by upregulating BDNF (87).

“LLLT could be used as a preventive intervention in people who present risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, or a history of head trauma. In such patients, LLLT could be combined with cognitive intervention approaches.”

— Dr. Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, PhD, University of Austin, Texas

Researchers have also applied LLLT to middle-aged mice, and discovered that the memory and cognitive performance of the middle-aged mice improved so much that it was comparable with that of young mice. The researchers concluded that LLLT should be “applied in cases of general cognitive impairment in elderly persons” (5, 88).

Several others studies have shown that LLLT significantly increases alertness, awareness and sustained attention, and improves short-term memory and reaction time. Study participants also made fewer errors during tasks and tests (89-91, 93, 95).

Another study found that LLLT was just as effective as exercise at enhancing cognition, likely by providing neuroprotection and supporting the mitochondria (92, 96).

Stroke

Multiple studies show that LLLT can significantly reduce brain damage and improve recovery outcomes after a stroke (110-113).

In one study, researchers applied LLLT over the entire surface of the head of stroke patients approximately 18 hours after a stroke. Five days after the stroke, they found significantly greater improvements in the LLLT-treated group. The improvements continued 90 days after the stroke. At the end of the study, 70% of the patients treated with real LLLT had a successful outcome compared with only 51% of the control subjects (114).

Follow up studies with over 600 stroke patients found similar beneficial results. Researchers believe increase in the production of ATP is responsible for the improvements (115, 116, 117).

Numerous studies also show that LLLT significantly reduces neurological problems and improves behaviour in rats and rabbits after stroke. It also increases the growth of new brain cells in these animals, improving their overall recovery (118-124).

Other Disorders

There are a number of other disorders that can also improve with LLLT treatment:

Parkinson’s disease (PD) – “Mitochondria in PD tissues are compromised, and LLLT could be developed as a novel treatment to improve neuronal function in patients with PD” (109).
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress play an important role in motor neuron loss in ALS. Motor function significantly improved with LLLT in a group of people in the early stage of the disease (99).
Autism – Linked to mitochondria dysfunction and inflammation, so LLLT would likely help (103, 104).
Bipolar disorder – Linked to mitochondria dysfunction and inflammation (105, 106, 107)
Schizophrenia – Linked to mitochondria dysfunction and inflammation (105, 106)
Smoking Cessation – Check out this video.
Alcoholism (101, 102)
Opiate addiction (102)
Headaches and migraines (108)
Acne - This is unrelated to brain health but LLLT can also treat acne. Improving my diet helped me overcome my acne many years ago, but I definitely wish I had known about LLLT when I had it. An integrative physician I know has had a lot of success with her patients struggling with acne and other skin issues (97, 98).

Recommended Devices

I first discovered LLLT when reading Dr. Norman Doidge’s book, The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity.

Dr. Doidge talks about the BioFlex Laser Therapy equipment, which costs tens of thousands of dollars.

I found an integrative physician who owned a Bioflex and I gave it a try.

After a few sessions, I started experiencing beneficial effects.

So I decided to go ahead and buy my own LLLT devices for much cheaper.

I ended up finding and trying a number of different LLLT devices myself

They were much less expensive than the Bioflex, and I wanted to see how they compared to the Bioflex.

Many of the devices I bought didn't help me very much because they weren't powerful enough.

Most light devices aren't very effective at penetrating the skull.

But after a lot of research, and trial and error, I found devices that were powerful enough.

And they did help me.

And they provided me with the same brain and mental health benefits as the expensive Bioflex.

Here are the three devices I now recommend because they actually work:

Optimal 1000 Brain Photobiomodulation Therapy Light (Combo Red/NIR) - This is a powerful device that shines 660 nm of red light and 850 nm of infrared light. Like I have, you can shine it on your forehead for 5 minutes every day. You can also shine it on other parts of your head and on your entire body, including on your thyroid, thymus gland and gut. I have experienced incredible benefits from doing this.
Optimal 300 Brain Photobiomodulation Therapy Light (Combo Red/NIR) - This is a smaller and more convenient device that I have taken with me when travelling.
Vielight Neuro Duo – This is a transcranial-intranasal headset with 810 nm of near infrared light. It penetrates deeper into brain tissue and is absorbed better by the central nervous system. If you decide to get this one, you can use the coupon code JORDANFALLIS for a 10% discount. Some research has shown a 20-fold higher efficiency of light delivery to the deep brain through the nose instead of transcranial application (125). Vielight has several different devices and you can also use the coupon code JORDANFALLIS for 10% off any of them.

Unlike most pharmaceuticals, LLLT is very safe, non-toxic and non-invasive, so you can easily try it on yourself without concern and see if it helps you like it has helped me (33, 34, 126).

You can shine the light all over your head. But start slow and apply the light to different areas of your head for just 1-2 minutes, maybe even less if you’re really sensitive. Then work your way up to longer periods of time, perhaps 5-10 minutes per area. There’s no exact proper way to do this. Listen to your body and see how it affects you.

It’s important to note that some people experience grogginess and fatigue after using LLLT. I experienced this the day after my first treatment. I was incredibly tired and lethargic. This was a sign that I did too much.

If you feel extremely tired immediately after LLLT or the next day, take a break and do less next time. For example, if you applied light to your forehead for 3 minutes, then drop back down to 2 minutes for your next session.

It is also important to cycle LLLT. The way it works is similar to exercise, so you need to take breaks in order to heal and get stronger. Using it everyday can cause a burnout effect. You can use it every other day to give your brain a chance to recover.

More Details on How I’ve Used the Optimal 1000 Therapy Light

Someone recently asked me for more details on how to use the Optimal 1000 Brain Photobiomodulation Therapy Light (Combo Red/NIR). So I thought I’d share what I told them here:

I usually hang the Optimal 1000 Brain Photobiomodulation Therapy Light (Combo Red/NIR) on my door, and then start by standing in front of it for about 10 minutes. I would say I'm about 1 or 2 feet away so that the light is shining on most of my body. I tend to prioritize my upper body though, particularly my thyroid, gut, thymus gland, and of course my head. But what I've found is that shining it on other parts of your body (besides my brain) actually leads to indirect cognitive benefits as well. So it's not just shining it on the brain that helps with cognitive function.

I will also sometimes turn my back to the light and shine it on my back and spine area, and on the back of my head, for about 5 to 10 minutes.

I also get much closer (perhaps about 2-3 inches away) and shine it just on my forehead for 4-5 minutes or so. It is safe to do this because our devices emit a very low, safe level of EMFs.

So what I usually do is 10 minutes on my entire body and then right after that, 5 minutes on my face/forehead. But it's completely fine to do them separately at different times of the day or on completely separate days if you want.

It's usually good to limit your exposure to a maximum of 20 minutes at a time though, because too much at one time can make you too tired and negate the beneficial effects.

The back of your head where your spine meets your skull is another great area to shine the light. I also like to shine the light on the sides of my head (around my ears) for a few minutes each.

Conclusion

Frankly, it’s ridiculous that this therapy is not more well-known and promoted by doctors. But like everything else on this website, you don’t have to wait for conventional medicine to catch up, and you can experiment with the LLLT devices yourself. There is a high benefit-to-risk ratio.

I suspect that home-use application of LLLT will become much more popular in the coming years.

The remarkable effects of the treatment in healing the brain in a non-invasive manner, along with the fact that there is little evidence of any adverse side effects, suggests to me that it’s use will only increase.

At the same time, distrust in pharmaceuticals continues to grow because of uncertain efficacy and unbearable side effects.

And as the Western population continues to age, the incidence of the degenerative brain diseases will only continue to increase, which will produce a severe financial and societal burden.

So people will realize they are at a disadvantage by not having their own device(s) and will start using them on a regular basis for optimal mental health and cognition.

Enjoy This Article? You Might Also Like My FREE Food Guide for Optimal Brain Health!

Live Optimally,

Jordan Fallis

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The Remarkable Antioxidant That Can Help Treat 6 Mental Illnesses

October 8, 2024 Jordan Fallis

Silhouette of man, other person adding missing piece to puzzle.

When I went to the doctor years ago for help with my concussion symptoms and mental health challenges, he offered me two options – addictive sleeping pills or antidepressants.

That was it.

I was left in the dark.

I had no other options and nowhere to turn, so I had to take the medication.

Years later, I now know there are many other options and solutions.

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), a cheap amino acid and antioxidant, is an effective way to deal with the root cause of mental illness and sub-optimal cognition.

What's N-Acetylcysteine? How Can It Help The Brain?

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) is a modified form of the amino acid cysteine and helps your body produce glutathione.

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that supports liver detoxification and reduces free radicals in the body.

Over the past 30 years, high doses of NAC have been used in emergency rooms to combat acetaminophen (Tylenol) toxicity (1, 2).

But there is also an overwhelming amount of evidence showing that NAC can help treat a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and it helped me years ago when I was trying to recover from mental illness and post-concussion syndrome.

A systematic review of all of the evidence suggests that NAC is effective at treating the following conditions (4, 6, 18, 19):

•   Major depressive disorder
•   Bipolar disorder
•   Drug addiction
•   Obsessive-compulsive disorder
•   Autism
•   Schizophrenia
•   Alzheimer's disease
•   Certain forms of epilepsy (progressive myoclonic)

NAC also reduces the severity of mild traumatic brain injury in soldiers, and animal studies show that it can improve cognition after moderate traumatic brain injury (5).

Disorders such as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have preliminary evidence but require larger studies (4, 6).

Overall, it’s clear to me that NAC should be a first-line treatment for mental illness.

My recommendation: I used to take 1200 mg of NAC every day to manage my long-term mental health. It was very helpful at one point in time. I no longer need to take it anymore because I’m completely recovered and well. It’s just not necessary for me anymore because I’m healthy. However, when I was taking it, I eventually started experienced some side effects due to heavy metal redistribution. Studies show that people benefit from taking anywhere between 500 mg to 3000 mg daily or every other day. But I find that many people actually do better when they take a lower dose because high doses of NAC can sometimes redistribute heavy metals into the brain. You’ll obviously want to avoid this. I now recommend people take just 250 mg of NAC, which can be found in the Optimal Antiox supplement. Optimal Antiox also contains a number of other antioxidants and nutrients that can support your brain and mental health. Optimal Antiox also includes leucine, which is an amino acid. Taking leucine with NAC prevents mercury from being reabsorbed into the central nervous system.

How Is It So Effective At Treating All These Mental Health Conditions?

First of all, it's important to note that NAC seems to target biological pathways that are common across all mental disorders.

Here are some possible explanations for its effectiveness:

NAC has anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation has been linked to depression and other mental health disorders (12, 13).
NAC has also been shown to successfully cross the blood-brain-barrier and raise glutathione levels in the brain. Low levels of glutathione in the brain have been linked to a number of psychiatric disorders (8-11, 17-19, 24).
High levels of oxidative stress have been identified in the brains of patients with a variety of psychiatric illnesses. Increasing brain glutathione by supplementing with NAC can help reduce this oxidative stress and protect neurons from oxidative damage (20-23, 25).
Lastly, NAC may be having beneficial effects on patients by reducing glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain that can lead to overstimulation (14-16, 26).

Therefore, if you take NAC, you're giving your body an efficient way to soak up excess glutamate. You’re also reducing oxidative stress and inflammation by giving it glutathione. As a result, this helps alleviate a number of different mental health problems.

Below, I’ll lay out some of the research exploring NAC as a possible treatment for six mental health problems. Feel free to skip to your condition to learn about it.

Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Here is some of the research looking into NAC as a possible treatment for depression and bipolar disorder:

A randomized controlled trial examined 149 individuals with moderate depression. They received two grams of NAC or placebo. Before treatment, the estimated mean depression score was 19.7. At the end of the 8-week study, the score had decreased to 11.1. Individuals who received NAC witnessed improvements in functioning and quality of life (27).
Another randomized controlled trial looked at 75 patients with bipolar disorder. Two grams of NAC or placebo was given for 6 months. At the end of this period, the group who received NAC saw a reduction in their depression and significant improvements in their global, social and occupational functioning. The improvements were rated as “medium to high” and it was concluded that "NAC is a safe and effective augmentation strategy for depressive symptoms” (28).
Several other studies have examined the effects of NAC on bipolar disorder (including mania) and found that two grams of NAC daily significantly improves and even causes a full remission of both depressive and manic symptoms (29-31).

It’s important to note that some of these studies lasted 6 months, which is a very long time for randomized control trials. And all of the studies had beneficial effects and zero severe side effects. That’s quite impressive.

All of the above research makes sense in light of a meta-analysis that found that patients with bipolar disorder have significantly higher levels of oxidative stress and glutamate in their brain.

A number of mood-stabilizing medications aim to decrease glutamate, yet they come with numerous side effects (14-16, 26, 27, 32, 33).

And as I've discussed before, certain antidepressants can deplete glutathione, which further increases oxidative stress.

Addiction

Substance abuse and addiction are very costly. Yet there are hardly any efficient treatments that prevent relapse.

But a lot of research is emerging demonstrating a link between oxidative stress and drug addiction, and how NAC can help manage it (66-68).

In a small study, 13 people abstaining from cocaine were given 2,400 mg of NAC or placebo over two days. The participants who received NAC witnessed a significant reduction in their withdrawal symptoms and cravings for cocaine (34). Follow-up studies also showed that NAC reduced desire and interest in cocaine (35, 36).
Smokers voluntarily reduce their cigarette use by around 25% after two weeks of supplementing with 2,400 mg of NAC (37, 65).
And it’s not just addiction to drugs. NAC also shows promise for the treatment of gambling addiction. A randomized control trial with 27 pathological gamblers showed that gamblers who supplemented with NAC scored 60% lower on the “Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Pathological Gambling." (38).

Here are 8 other nutrients that can help with addiction.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Not surprisingly, there are brain similarities among people who suffer from addiction and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).

Just like addiction, higher levels of oxidative stress and glutamate are found in people with OCD (39-44).

The standard treatment for OCD is a combination of antidepressants and psychotherapy.

But around 20% of patients don’t get better with this combination, and many suffer from a variety of drug side effects (45).

Since NAC is inexpensive and widely available, it’s clear that it has significant advantages for patients.

I also encourage you to check out this article for 21 other ways to treat OCD.

Autism

Autism is a touchy subject. So let me start out by saying that NAC will not cure autism. Autism has many different causes and contributing factors.

However, NAC will likely improve some autistic symptoms.

Multiple studies suggest that NAC is a well-tolerated treatment for autistic individuals and can reduce their irritability (46-48).

Like the disorders above, research has found that autistic individuals have higher levels of oxidative stress and lower levels of the antioxidant glutathione in their brains, making it likely that NAC will help them (49-55).

There is also lots of evidence suggesting that too much glutamate in the brain contributes to autistic symptoms. As discussed earlier, glutamate in a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. It is also the precursor to GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that reduces anxiety.

There is an enzyme that converts glutamate to GABA, and researchers have found that this enzyme is lower in individuals on the autism spectrum. This leads to more glutamate and less GABA, and therefore much more excitation. Not surprisingly then, glutamate antagonists (e.g. NAC) have been shown to reduce symptoms of autism, bringing them more into balance (56-60).

Since oxidation and glutamate are abnormally elevated in persons with autism, NAC can kill two birds with one stone by providing an antioxidant effect and reducing glutamate levels in the brain of autistic individuals.

Schizophrenia

The last mental disorder I’m going to explore is schizophrenia. There is a good amount of research suggesting that NAC can help with this condition as well.

Researchers gave 2 grams of NAC to schizophrenic patients during a six-month randomized control trial. The participants who received NAC experienced improvements in their symptoms, and many of them did not experience improvements from other treatments. They demonstrated improvements in insight, self-care, social interaction, motivation, and stabilization of mood. Follow-up studies found similar results (62, 63, 70).
I found one study that explored NAC’s ability to change schizophrenic patient’s electroencephalogram (EEG) synchronicity – a measure of electrical activity within the brain that I discussed in my post about neurofeedback (69).
I also found a case report of a young woman with treatment-resistant schizophrenia who showed significant improvements in symptoms by taking just 600 mg of NAC every day (64).

This makes sense considering there is an expanding body of evidence suggesting oxidative stress occurs in individuals with schizophrenia. Some research shows that the more oxidative stress a schizophrenic patient experiences, the worse their symptoms get. And several studies indicate that NAC may benefit schizophrenics by increasing glutathione and reducing glutamate (61, 71-74).

Conclusion

Overall, oxidation and glutamate are often abnormally elevated in people with a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

NAC may correct these underlying problems by generating the antioxidant glutathione and reducing the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.

If you suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, drug addiction or autism, you could start taking it and see if it helps you. If it helps, keep taking. If not, then try something else.

Many of the studies also suggest that NAC enhances the effectiveness of psychiatric medications. So if you're already on medication, NAC and your medication will likely work better together.

My recommendation: I used to take 1200 mg of NAC every day to manage my long-term mental health. It was very helpful at one point in time. I no longer need to take it anymore because I’m completely recovered and well. It’s just not necessary for me anymore because I’m healthy. However, when I was taking it, I eventually started experienced some side effects due to heavy metal redistribution. Studies show that people benefit from taking anywhere between 500 mg to 3000 mg daily or every other day. But I find that many people actually do better when they take a lower dose because high doses of NAC can sometimes redistribute heavy metals into the brain. You’ll obviously want to avoid this. I now recommend people take just 250 mg of NAC, which can be found in the Optimal Antiox supplement. Optimal Antiox also contains a number of other antioxidants and nutrients that can support your brain and mental health. Optimal Antiox also includes leucine, which is an amino acid. Taking leucine with NAC prevents mercury from being reabsorbed into the central nervous system.

Enjoy This Article? You Might Also Like My FREE Food Guide for Optimal Brain and Mental Health!

Live Optimally,

Jordan Fallis

Connect with me

References:

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How EMFs and WiFi Can Make Your Mental Health Worse

February 4, 2024 Jordan Fallis

You often hear that modern life is making us sick.

It’s true. A lot of people are suffering from diseases of civilization – including neurodegenerative and psychiatric illnesses – because there is a mismatch between our ancient physiology and the western diet and lifestyle (1).

Most people are aware of some of the causes – poor dietary choices, nutrient deficiencies, excess stress, emotional trauma, lack of exercise, etc.

But what if there was something in our modern environment that we couldn’t see that was making us sick?

Well, over the past several months, I’ve been learning more and more about the brain and mental health effects of man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

They’re actually a huge problem.

An increasing amount of scientific research is showing that they can cause widespread neuropsychiatric effects, including depression (2).

Learning about this inspired me to go live in the woods for 11 days. Yes, I’m serious :-)

Read on to learn more about EMFs and my experience getting completely away from them.

An illustration demonstrating EMFs in our environment.

Researchers and Doctors Are Sounding the Alarm about the Brain and Mental Health Effects of EMFs

“I have no doubt in my mind that at the present time, the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields. I consider that to be far greater on a global scale, than warming, and the increase in chemical elements in the environment.” – Dr. Robert Becker, MD, two-time Nobel nominee, and author of The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life

Man-made EMFs emitted by cellphones, Wi-Fi internet, and radio are considered radiofrequency (RF) EMFs.

People can experience a wide range of brain and mental health symptoms from these EMFs, including EEG changes, sleep disturbance/insomnia, depression, headache, tinnitus, brain fog, dizziness, listlessness, irritability, malaise, restlessness/anxiety, fatigue/tiredness, concentration/attention dysfunction, memory and thinking difficulties.

This has been well documented in European countries. The prevalence of EMF sensitivity in Sweden, Switzerland and Austria have been reported to be 1.5%, 3.5% and 5% respectively (2, 3, 7).

But I suspect the amount of people who are struggling with the negative effects of EMFs is actually higher because most people are simply not aware of the problem.

As of March 22, 2017, 225 scientists from 42 countries have signed a letter that urges the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and governments around the world to develop stricter controls on devices that emit EMFs. Altogether, these scientists have published more than 2,000 peer-reviewed papers demonstrating the biological and health effects of radiofrequency EMFs.

As a result of the increasing amount of research demonstrating the risk of EMFs, the World Health Organization has now reclassified radiofrequency EMFs as a “class 2B carcinogen”, which places it in the same carcinogenic class as lead and the pesticide DDT (4).

Some European countries have also taken action in response. Switzerland has replaced the wireless internet in schools with wired internet. In Germany, the public health department is recommending their citizens switch off WiFi when they are not using it. And Italy, France, Austria, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Israel, Russia and China all have set limits on radiofrequency exposure that are 100 to 10,000 times lower than US standards (5, 6).

Meanwhile, the United States rushes forward with the wireless revolution and the rollout of 5G.

What about in Canada? Not much has been done here either, even though more than 50 Canadian doctors and researchers have demanded that Health Canada raise awareness about EMFs, update their EMF guidelines, and provide resources to assist Canadian physicians in treating people with EMF sensitivity.

Dr. Riina Bray, medical director of the Environmental Health Clinic at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, has even stood in front of Canadian Parliament to bring awareness to this issue. She says:

“Individuals who are sensitive to EMF, or those with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, are canaries in a coal mine and lucky enough to have discovered what it is that is making them feel unwell. Many of them find everyday life and work difficult and uncomfortable. Most often we see them with family members who thought the patient had gone mad, but then realized that what they were saying was actually true, through observations.

The question that continues to alarm me is this. What of those who have not yet become sensitized, or those who are unwell but have not realized it is the EMFs provoking the problem and continue to try to function in an environment where the electrical and magnetic fields are high?

As a physician who has specialized in the area of environmental health for over 20 years, I am mortified at the lack of accountability regarding radio and microwave radiation use in the everyday lives of Canadians both young and old. There are no longitudinal studies except the one going on right now on people who did not ask to be subjects, who gave no research ethics board consent, and on whom data is not being collected. That is not a study at all.”

— Dr. Riina Bray

I highly recommend you read the full transcript here. It is eye opening.

Dr. Jack Kruse, author of author of the book Epi-Paleo Rx, also talks about the risks of man-made EMFs extensively.

And these three books discuss the issue. I just started reading the first one:

Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn't Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution by Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD
Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever by Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, MD
Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation by Dr. Devra Davis, PhD

Lastly, I highly recommend watching this TV special if you're interested in hearing more experts talk about the effects of man-made EMFs:

My Experience

Two practitioners have confirmed that I’m particularly sensitive to EMFs.

I live and work in the city, so I bought this EMF meter to figure out the amount of EMFs I was being exposed to in my environment.

Pathway leading toward's the cottage property.

The result? Lots of radiofrequency EMFs where I spend most of my time, including my downtown apartment.

However, my family has a cottage property about 1.5 hours away from the city. It’s just a cabin in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, away from civilization.

So, I recently went there with my meter to measure the levels.

The result? Dead air. Zero radiofrequency EMFs.

I thought my meter was broken because I’m so used to it displaying a yellow or red warning signal in the city. But at the cottage property, it was green.

So, for 11 days, I lived at this property. I’ve been very quiet on social media because of this.

I had my phone off, the Wi-Fi was off the entire time, and I connected to the Internet only sparingly using an Ethernet cable.

I even went to the electrical panel in the basement and cut the power supply on the circuit breaker sometimes, particularly right before I went to bed.

What did I experience from this experiment?

Deeper, more restful sleep – I usually never dream or remember any dreams. But I had very vivid dreams and remembered them the next morning while in the woods. This rarely happens. The last time this happened, it was when I was doing neurofeedback. I’ve since learned that neurofeedback is protective against EMFs and helps people cope with EMFs [because EMFs alter electrical activity in the brain (18-23)].
Complete elimination of coffee
Reduction in the amount of supplements I had to take – In the city, I usually need to manage some lingering symptoms with supplements and other therapies. But these symptoms faded when I completely removed myself from EMFs.
More mental energy and endurance
Increased focus

A deer I saw on my trip away from the city.

Of course, there could be other factors at play and this could have been placebo, but I really don’t think so considering the huge difference in my sleep quality and the amount of dreams I could vividly recall the next morning.

Some people may be skeptical of all this, so let me lay out some of the research showing that EMFs can affect brain function and impact mental health.

Research in Russia shows that much of the impact from EMFs occurs in the brain and nervous system, and 26 studies have associated EMFs with 13 different neuropsychiatric effects (2).

Below are 15 specific ways EMFs can affect your brain and mental health.

1. EMFs Damage Myelin

Myelin is a fatty, white substance that wraps around the end of many nerve cells. It forms an electrically insulating sheath that increases nerve condition speeds.

In other words, it allows your brain to send information faster and more efficiently, making it absolutely essential for the optimal functioning of your nervous system.

This research paper explains that there is an association between EMFs and the deterioration of myelin.

The researchers say there is "an association between RF-EMF exposure and either myelin deterioration or a direct impact on neuronal conduction, which may account for many electro-hypersensitivity symptoms” (9).

I previously provided 25 proven ways to promote the regeneration of myelin.

2. EMFs Reduce Cognitive Function

While I was away from the city, my cognitive function improved. I found that it was easier to read quickly.

In 2009, researchers looked at whether EMFs emitted by cellphones would affect cognitive function.

They found that the participants that were exposed to cellphone radiation demonstrated slower response times during a working memory task (8).

3. EMFs Contribute to Bipolar Disorder

Smiley faces. EMFs may contribute to bipolar disorder.

I couldn’t find any scientific research demonstrating that EMFs cause or worsen bipolar disorder.

However, I did find an amazing case study from someone named Carmen in Virginia Beach.

She explains that limiting her exposure to EMFs significantly improved her symptoms of bipolar disorder:

“I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003.

I have always taken my medications and still even with great doctors and family support, I was not able to avoid the mental hospital in 2010.

In 2014, I started to have some odd health issues that resembled symptoms of a stroke.

It took many months but I was able to identify the root of my symptoms: fluorescent lights, cell towers, WIFI, my cell phone and other things too.

Nobody listened because I have a pre-existing mental condition and attributed some of my symptoms to panic attacks and OCD.

I had to stop working in due to the severity of my symptoms and I had to do a lot of changes in my house, changed WIFI for a hardwire connection straight to the router from computer, changed our home cordless phone for old fashion corded one and all my family stopped using cell phones in the house. I also had to change light bulbs and some other things.

I realized my cell phone on my night table had been keeping me up at night because all of a sudden, I had no trouble sleeping anymore.

Now I can focus on things, I am no longer confused or forgetful, and I am not hyperactive.

Most important of all, I have not had any periods of mania, depression or hypomania since I reduced my exposures to electromagnetic fields.”

You can read her entire story here.

It's important to note that she mentions that she also experienced symptoms from fluorescent lights and had to change the light bulbs in her home.

This is likely because of the negative health effects of blue LED lighting, which I previously wrote about here.

4. EMFs Alter Brain Proteins

Research shows that long-term exposure to EMFs significantly alters the expression of 143 proteins in the brain.

What does this mean to us?

Researchers explain that these changes may affect brain plasticity, increase oxidative stress in the nervous system, and may explain conditions such as headaches, sleep disturbance, fatigue, memory deficits, and brain tumors (13).

5. EMFs Increase Anxiety

Research clearly shows that radiation from wireless technology affects the autonomic nervous system and increases anxiety and stress.

In particular, it can lead to neurotic disturbances by upregulating the sympathetic nervous and downregulating the parasympathetic nervous system (15, 17).

In other words, it can directly increase your “fight-or-flight” response, making you chronically stressed and anxious.

And researchers are making it clear that it’s not just “in the person’s head”. One report explains that the response to “electrosmog is physiological and not psychosomatic”. In other words, it’s really affecting the person's body.

Unfortunately, “those who experience prolonged and severe EMF hypersensitivity may end up developing psychological problems”, stress-related behaviours and anxiety disorders due to their inability to work, and the social stigma that their symptoms are imagined rather than real (15, 16).

6. EMFs Affect Neurotransmitters

EMFs also affect neurotransmitters, the chemicals that communicate information throughout your brain.

One study found that radiation from cellphones significantly disrupts levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

The researchers concluded that this may be why people report that they experience stress, memory problems and learning difficulties from EMF exposure (14).

7. EMFs Affect Thyroid Function

Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in your neck below your Adam’s apple.

An illustration showing the location of the thyroid gland.

As I discussed before, your thyroid gland plays a key role in the optimal health and functioning of your brain. It can impact your cognition, concentration, mood, memory and emotions.

Researchers have found that EMF exposure can affect the structure and functioning of the thyroid gland (10).

One study found that heavy cellphone users have higher than normal TSH levels, and lower than normal T4 levels. These abnormal levels are linked to thyroid dysfunction and hypothyroidism (low thyroid) (11).

Here are some of the brain and mental health symptoms of low thyroid that I’ve experienced:

Chronic fatigue
Brain fog
Low mood
Forgetfulness
Weakness
Sluggishness

Not surprisingly, these are also common symptoms of EMF hypersensitivity.

Check out this post for ways to support your thyroid.

My favourite way is by applying this red and infrared light to my thyroid.

8. EMFs Increase Risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention and hyperactivity.

Yale researchers have determined that cellphone use during pregnancy affects the brain development of offspring, and this can lead to symptoms of ADHD in the children once they are born (12).

“This is the first experimental evidence that fetal exposure to radiofrequency radiation from cellular telephones does in fact affect adult behaviour. The rise in behavioral disorders in human children may be in part due to fetal cellular telephone irradiation exposure.”

— Dr. Hugh Taylor, MD

9. EMFs May Worsen Symptoms of Autism

A report published in the journal Pathophysiology points out that autism involves many biological disturbances that are very similar to the physiological impacts of EMFs and radiofrequency radiation.

The researchers even say that reducing EMF exposure might reduce symptoms of autism.

“With dramatic increases in reported autism that are coincident in time with the deployment of wireless technologies, we need an aggressive investigation of potential Autism/EMF/RFR links. The evidence is sufficient to warrant new public exposure standards benchmarked to low-intensity (non-thermal) exposure levels now known to be biologically disruptive, and strong, interim precautionary practices are advocated.”

10. EMFs Reduce Melatonin and Disrupt Sleep

Melatonin is a hormone released by your pineal gland, a small gland in your brain. It helps control your sleep and wake cycles (circadian rhythm), and adequate levels of melatonin are necessary to fall asleep quickly and sleep deeply throughout the night.

Melatonin acts as a very potent antioxidant in your brain and can protect against a number of neurodegenerative and mental health conditions (26).

Reduced levels of melatonin are associated with depression and suicide, seasonally affective disorder (SAD), schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (24).

Cellphone next to a woman sleeping. EMFs negatively affect sleep.

Unfortunately, 17 independent studies have found that EMFs disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm and natural production of melatonin, leading to sleep difficulties and many adverse health effects (25, 27-31).

Researchers say that the evidence is “substantial and robust” and “there is a sound scientific basis for concluding that” acute and chronic EMF exposure lowers melatonin production, leading to very serious health effects, including depression (25, 32).

That’s why you should turn off all Wi-Fi before bed. I live in a downtown apartment with lots of radiation coming from all the apartments around me, which likely explains why I slept so much better in the woods.

This sleep supplement contains magnesium and a number of other natural compounds that I’ve used over the years to promote the production of melatonin.

But I work with my clients so that they can naturally produce more melatonin and maximize the quality of their sleep without so many supplements. We have free online workshop that talks about how you can work with us. You can register for the workshop here.

11. EMFs Increase Brain Tumors

The National Toxicology Program conducted a large, complex, two-year study on the potential health hazards of cellphone use. They found that RF and EMF exposure increases brain tumors in rats, mice, and humans (50-51).

Sweden researchers have also published a meta-analysis showing a significant association between long-term cellphone use and both malignant and benign brain tumors (52).

12. EMFs Disrupt the Blood-Brain Barrier

The blood-brain barrier is a protective shield that surrounds your brain. It acts as a gatekeeper and filter, allowing beneficial nutrients to cross over into your brain, and keeping unwanted molecules out of your brain.

A leaky brain. EMFs disrupt the blood-brain barrier.

In his book Why Isn’t My Brain Working, Dr. Datis Kharrazian explains that the blood-brain barrier can break down and become “leaky”. This allows harmful substances to enter your brain, contributing to brain inflammation, which has been shown to cause cognitive problems and mental illness.

A number of factors contribute to “leaky brain”, including electromagnetic fields.

Radiofrequency EMFs emitted from cellphones have been shown to increase the permeability of the brain-blood barrier in several studies (33-34).

And this increased permeability may lead to the accumulation of brain tissue damage and cognitive impairment (33, 35).

I previously provided ways to support and repair the blood-brain barrier in this post.

13. EMFs Increase Risk of Depression and Suicide

About 10 studies have reported an association between exposure to EMFs and depression (36, 37).

A woman with depression. EMFs contribute to the rising rates of depression.

In a few of those studies, researchers found a specific correlation between living near a cellphone base station and severity of depressive symptoms (38-40).

In another study, researchers looked at personnel at the U.S. embassy in Moscow who were exposed to EMFs, and they found that there was a statistically significant increase in depression (41).

People working around radiofrequency EMFs are also more likely to suffer from depression and commit suicide (42-45).

A good way to combat this is by supplementing with rhodiola. I previously wrote about how it’s a good antidepressant, but it’s been shown to be radioprotective as well (60-62).

14. EMFs Increase Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress

Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells and contribute to brain damage, aging and mental disease (46-47).

Oxidative stress is when there is an altered balance between free radicals and their elimination by antioxidants.

After an extensive literature review, researchers have concluded that EMF exposure increases levels of free radicals and oxidative stress in the body, leading to acute and chronic health effects (49).

In another study, researchers found that EMFs are an “oxidative stressor and DNA damage inducer” (48).

Long-term EMF exposure has also been shown to lead to a chronically increased level of free radicals, reducing the effects of melatonin in the brain (49).

15. EMFs Linked to Dementia

Dementia is the third leading cause of death in the United States behind cardiovascular disease and cancer, and by 2050, it’s estimated that 13 million Americans and 160 million people globally will be affected by the disease.

Unfortunately, there are more than 70 studies linking EMFs to dementia, and this number is likely to rise as time goes on, along with the number of diagnoses (53).

The research also includes several epidemiological studies and meta-analyses that link exposure to EMFs and Alzheimer’s onset (55).

An elderly man sitting and thinking. EMFs contribute to dementia and cognitive decline.

Researchers have found that overnight exposure to EMFs significantly increases the secretion of amyloid-beta, a peptide that is involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease (54).

EMF exposure also negatively affects the “entorhinal cortex”, the area of the brain that is first affected by Alzheimer's disease (56-57).

Lastly, animal studies show that EMFs decrease learning and memory and cause cognitive deficits (58-59).

I previously wrote a post with some ways to reverse cognitive decline and dementia. You can check that out here.

Conclusion

“If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.”

— Omar N. Bradley

What EMFs would look like if you could see them.

My vacation in the woods is now over, and I’m currently back in the city.

I’m certain I’m sensitive to EMFs now, and it’s definitely impacting the quality of my life.

I really hope I don’t scare people with this post. But I do think it’s something that should be on your radar.

At this point, I still don’t have too many recommendations to combat EMFs, other than the ones I already mentioned in my previous post about myelin (see step #25 in that post).

But I plan on researching more and putting together a complete protocol that I’ve personally tested myself, so that you can also protect and shield yourself from EMFs!

So, stay tuned for that in an upcoming article.