Red Light Therapy for the Brain: Can it Protect Football Players From Head Injuries & Improve ADHD Impulse Control in Adults?

In this Deep Dive, Dr. Mike Belkowski examines two new studies exploring transcranial photobiomodulation from completely different angles: protecting collegiate football players from the cumulative effects of repetitive head impacts and improving impulse control in adults with ADHD. The first study followed Division I football players across a full season and found that athletes using 810-nanometer transcranial and intranasal light maintained greater stability in MRI markers associated with neuroinflammation and axonal stress. The second study used 1,064-nanometer light over the right prefrontal cortex and reported improved impulse control, increased prefrontal oxygenation, and a 51% improvement in correct response inhibition among participants with ADHD after a single session. Although both studies are early and carry important limitations, they point toward the same underlying principle: brain health, resilience, and cognitive performance are deeply dependent on bioenergetics. Whether the goal is protecting the brain from repeated trauma or improving executive function, supporting mitochondrial energy production, oxygenation, and inflammatory balance may be the common lever. (Educational content only, not medical advice.) - Articles Discussed in Episode: Transcranial Photobiomodulation Promotes Neurological Resilience in Current Collegiate American Football Players Exposed to Repetitive Head Acceleration Events Transcranial photobiomodulation improves prefrontal oxygenation and impulse control in adults with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial - Key Quotes From Dr. Mike: “So much of brain health traces back to whether cells and mitochondria can make and utilize energy efficiently. “For every diagnosed concussion, hundreds of additional head-acceleration events may be occurring.” “Can we build resilience into the brain (via red light therapy) before the symptoms ever show up?” “The (near-infrared) light appeared to help precisely in the areas that needed it most.” “That improvement brought the ADHD group’s performance up to a level comparable with the non-ADHD participants.” “A brain with more energy and better oxygen delivery is both more resilient to insult and more capable of performing.” “Whether the goal is resilience or focus, the same lever keeps showing up: energy production, oxygenation, and inflammation control.” - Key Points ⚡ Two new studies examined transcranial photobiomodulation for two very different goals: neuroprotection in football players and cognitive enhancement in adults with ADHD. ⚡ The common mechanism connecting both studies is brain bioenergetics—how efficiently brain cells produce and use energy. ⚡ Red and near-infrared light interact with mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, supporting ATP production, oxygen utilization, blood flow, and cellular repair. ⚡ The football study evaluated whether near-infrared light could proactively build neurological resilience across a season of repetitive head impacts. ⚡ For every diagnosed concussion, football players may experience hundreds of additional subconcussive head-acceleration events. ⚡ These repetitive impacts may contribute to neuroinflammation, reduced white-matter integrity, altered brain activation, and cognitive decline. ⚡ The football study included 26 Division I athletes in a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled design. ⚡ The active protocol used 810-nanometer light pulsed at 40 hertz for 20 minutes, three times weekly across a 16-week season. ⚡ The device targeted nodes of the default mode network and included an intranasal LED for deeper light delivery. ⚡ Diffusion MRI markers associated with neuroinflammation and axonal stress increased across the season in the sham group. ⚡ Players receiving active PBM showed greater stability in those markers and, in some brain regions, measurable reductions. ⚡ The areas showing the strongest protective effects closely matched the brain’s known “cone of vulnerability” to mechanical trauma. ⚡ The football study suggests PBM may help build resilience before cumulative damage becomes symptomatic. ⚡ The ADHD study explored whether near-infrared light could improve function in an underactivated and metabolically underfueled prefrontal cortex. ⚡ The study used 1,064-nanometer laser light over the right prefrontal cortex during a single eight-minute treatment. ⚡ In participants with ADHD, active PBM produced a 51% improvement in correct response inhibition compared with sham treatment. ⚡ Performance improved to a level comparable with participants who did not have ADHD. ⚡ The intervention did not significantly improve performance in the non-ADHD group, suggesting the greatest benefit may occur where a functional deficit exists. ⚡ Functional near-infrared spectroscopy showed increased oxygenated and total hemoglobin in the targeted prefrontal region. ⚡ The behavioral improvements and the biological oxygenation changes occurred in the same targeted area. ⚡ Both studies were early, with small to moderate samples, short timelines, and important methodological limitations. ⚡ The evidence is promising, but larger studies, repeated-session protocols, longer follow-up, and multi-season data are still needed. ⚡ Neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement may be two expressions of the same principle: a better-fueled brain is both more resilient and more capable. - Episode timeline 00:00–02:30 — Introduction: two different brain problems, one underlying bioenergetic mechanism 02:32–04:37 — How photobiomodulation affects cytochrome c oxidase, ATP, oxygenation, blood flow, oxidative stress, and inflammation 04:38–06:55 — Study 1 introduction: repetitive head impacts and the need for proactive brain protection in football 06:56–08:35 — Football study design: randomized sham control, 810-nanometer light, 40-hertz pulsing, transcranial and intranasal delivery 08:36–10:09 — Measuring neurological resilience with diffusion MRI, RDI, QA, inflammation, and white-matter integrity 10:10–11:12 — Football study results: rising damage markers in the sham group and relative stability in the active PBM group 11:13–12:11 — The “cone of vulnerability” and why the anatomical pattern of protection matters 12:12–14:00 — Study limitations and why the findings represent an early signal rather than a closed case 14:01–16:55 — Study 2 introduction: adult ADHD, prefrontal hypometabolism, impulse control, and the need for non-drug options 16:56–18:31 — ADHD study stage 1: 1,064-nanometer light, right prefrontal targeting, and the continuous performance task 18:32–19:17 — ADHD study stage 2: working memory testing and real-time measurement of prefrontal oxygenation 19:18–20:30 — Behavioral results: 51% improvement in impulse control after one eight-minute session 20:31–21:47 — Mechanistic results: increased oxygenated blood in the targeted prefrontal cortex 21:48–22:38 — ADHD study limitations, exploratory medication findings, and the need for repeated-session trials 22:39–24:53 — Two populations, two wavelengths, two goals—and the shared mechanism of brain energy 24:54–26:21 — Final takeaways: stronger study designs, calibrated expectations, and brain bioenergetics as the foundation 26:22–27:08 — Closing message and future research to watch - 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