Infra-red:

 Since Hermann Joseph Meller discovered the mutagenic effect of radiation in 1927, all different forms of radiation have been seen as a health hazard because they could cause cancer (due to this mutagenic effect).

Nowadays, however, infrared lamps and infrared saunas are very popular. Infrared radiation is said to have various health benefits, such as: regularized blood pressure, better heart function, increased metabolism, higher energy levels, etc.

Could infrared be a harmless form of radiation after all, and even have health benefits? We'll find out below!

Infrared has many more advantages than disadvantages.

Research shows that infrared radiation often has more advantages than disadvantages. The potential disadvantages of IR (thermal burns and premature skin aging) do not outweigh the advantages (improved cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation and pain, better muscle recovery and detoxification), especially when you know that the disadvantages can be avoided by using the 'milder' infrared rays.

There are types of infrared that have no disadvantages

It is important to distinguish between the different types of infrared radiation based on wavelengths: IR-A, IR-B and IR-C. IR-A has the shortest wavelength and therefore the deepest effect in the skin. IR-C has the longest wavelength of the three. Infrared rays cannot all penetrate the skin equally far, which means that some infrared rays can have more disadvantages than others.

Since these forms of IR do not penetrate the skin very far, we can see IR-B and IR-C as the 'milder' infrared rays. For this reason, these types of radiation are often chosen for therapeutic treatments with infrared. However, a study published in the Journal Of Photochemistry shows that exposure of the skin to IR-A can also have more advantages than disadvantages when working with a small range and moderate intensity/dose. In addition to wavelength, the effects of infrared therefore also depend on the intensity or dose and the range of the radiation.

The benefits of infrared therapy with IR-B and IR-C

When one wants to enjoy health benefits that are related to the skin or body parts not far under the skin (e.g. blood vessels), it is best to use IR-B and IR-C. Since these types of infrared radiation penetrate less deeply into the skin, one avoids that they create unnecessary heat elsewhere and possibly burns later in the body.

By creating heat on the skin's surface and just below it, these types of infrared radiation provide many benefits. We have listed them below:

Accelerated muscle recovery

Infrared stimulates the mitochondria (the energy factories of the cell), which speeds up muscle recovery.

Cardiovascular health

The heat of IR increases the production of nitric oxide in the blood. Nitrite oxide in turn ensures good health of our blood vessels; it relaxes the arteries and prevents blood from clotting and clumping. In addition, it also fights free radicals to prevent oxidative stress and regulate blood pressure.

Detoxification

When our entire body is heated by infrared (e.g. in an infrared sauna), our body temperature rises, which causes detoxification in the body cells. Thanks to this detoxification, food digestion will also improve.

Infrared can be used to fight cancer.

While most other types of radiation are carcinogenic, infrared does the opposite: it can activate specific antibodies that fight cancer cells. (See video for more explanation)

Conclusion

Infrared is a type of radiation that has more advantages than disadvantages. Moreover, it is possible to avoid its disadvantages and enjoy only its advantages by using 'milder infrared radiation' (IR-B and IR-C) with long wavelengths and low intensity. These are also the types of IR that infrared saunas and infrared lamps emit.