Red Light Therapy Shows Promise for Protecting Brains of Athletes and Military

New University of Utah study finds red light therapy reduced brain inflammation in football players over a season.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 3:07pm

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A new study from the University of Utah has found that red light therapy can help protect the brains of athletes, military personnel, and others who experience repeated head impacts. The study recruited 26 current football players and had them use either a red light therapy device or a placebo treatment over the course of a 16-week season. Players using the red light therapy did not experience increased brain inflammation, while those using the placebo did. The researchers plan to conduct a larger randomized controlled trial in 2026 to further investigate the potential of red light therapy to protect the brain.

Why it matters

Repeated head impacts, whether from sports, military service, or other causes, can lead to long-term brain damage and conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This new research suggests red light therapy could be a promising way to protect the brains of those at high risk, potentially allowing them to safely participate in activities that are important to their health and well-being.

The details

In the study, 26 current football players were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either red light therapy or a placebo treatment. The red light therapy was delivered through a light-emitting headset and a device that clips into the nose, and players self-administered the 20-minute treatments three times per week for 16 weeks. MRI scans showed that players using the placebo experienced increased brain inflammation over the course of the season, while those using the red light therapy did not. Previous research has indicated that red light therapy can penetrate the skull and reach the brain, where it may reduce inflammation-related molecules.

  • The study was published in the Journal of Neurotrauma in January 2026.
  • The researchers plan to recruit 300 people with persistent symptoms from traumatic brain injury or concussion for a larger randomized controlled trial in 2026.

The players

Hannah Lindsey

Ph.D. and first author of the study.

Elisabeth Wilde

Ph.D. and senior author of the study.

Carrie Esopenko

Ph.D. and second author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“My first reaction was, 'There's no way this can be real.' That's how striking it was.”

— Hannah Lindsey, Ph.D. and first author (University press release)

“When we first started this project, I was extremely skeptical. But we've seen consistent results across multiple of our studies, so it's starting to be quite compelling.”

— Elisabeth Wilde, Ph.D. and senior author (University press release)

“We've been trying to figure out how to make sports safer, so that our kids, friends and family can participate in sports safely for the long term while they're involved in activities that give them happiness and joy. And this really feels like part of the hope for protecting the brain that we've been searching for.”

— Carrie Esopenko, Ph.D. and second author (University press release)

What’s next

The team plans to recruit 300 people with persistent symptoms from traumatic brain injury or concussion for a randomized controlled trial in 2026, with a focus on first responders, veterans and active-duty service members.

The takeaway

This new research on the potential of red light therapy to protect the brains of athletes, military personnel, and others at risk of repeated head impacts offers hope for finding ways to allow people to safely participate in important physical and recreational activities without fear of long-term brain damage.