No, Red Light Therapy doesn’t help your body produce Vitamin D. It’s a common mix-up, and an entirely understandable one.
Also known as photobiomodulation, Red Light Therapy is a type of light therapy. Because Vitamin D is associated with sunlight, many people assume the two are connected. However, it’s actually UVB light from the sun that triggers Vitamin D production, not Red Light Therapy.
Unless you know your physics, UVB light and Red Light Therapy seem pretty similar on paper—both related to sunlight and beneficial for your skin. However, they’re fundamentally different.
In this article, we’ll explain what Red Light Therapy actually does, the difference between light therapies and how to get your Vitamin D fix.
Highlights
- Red Light Therapy does not produce Vitamin D. It’s actually UVB Light (found in sunlight and some targeted therapies) that produces Vitamin D.
- Vitamin D is essential for our health. As well as sunlight, other sources include food, oral supplements and wellness therapies, such as IV Therapy and IM Shots.
- Red Light Therapy is linked to reducing inflammation, boosting collagen production and supporting cellular energy.
Why Red Light Therapy Doesn’t Help With Vitamin D
Red Light Therapy and UVB light (which produces Vitamin D) are similar—they’re both associated with sunlight, they’re both “light therapies” and related to skin health. But that’s where the overlap ends.
In fact, they occur on opposite ends of the visible light spectrum, which is part of the larger electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrum is mapped by wavelength and includes all types of light, from high-energy ultraviolet (UVB) at shorter wavelengths to low-energy red light at longer wavelengths.
As the wavelength lengthens—from UVB to Red Light to Near-Infrared—the energy decreases, but skin penetration deepens, so each light source supports different biological functions.
Here’s a table that helps explain in more detail:
Why Do People Think Red Light Therapy Works Like Sunlight?
Some people believe Red Light Therapy works like sunlight because both involve light and are linked to skin health. But we know UVB and Red Light are at opposite ends of the light spectrum and therefore perform different functions.
There are claims that Red Light Therapy can indirectly boost Vitamin D by improving skin health, reducing inflammation or increasing energy. However, there’s no scientific evidence to back that up.
Red Light Therapy has many benefits, but it is not a substitute for sunlight. This is important because Vitamin D, produced when the skin absorbs UVB light, is crucial to our health, and we need to ensure we’re getting enough. But sunlight isn’t the only source of Vitamin D, which we’ll go into later.
What Does Red Light Therapy Actually Help With?
Red Light Therapy is a non-invasive method that uses specific wavelengths of light to kickstart cellular activity. Also known as photobiomodulation, it works by exposing tissues to visible red light (around 620–700 nm) and near-infrared light (around 700–1000 nm). The wavelengths are absorbed by the mitochondria (the cell’s powerhouse) to produce energy (ATP) and perform a range of functions.3,4
Benefits include:
- Stimulating collagen and elastin production associated with anti-ageing benefits. 3,4
- Reducing inflammation and pain due to cellular regeneration and repair.3,4
- Accelerating wound healing through collagen synthesis and regeneration. 3,4
- Regulating mood, with various studies showing correlations between therapy and improved mental health.8 *This is an emerging area of research.
Book your Red Light Therapy session today.
How Important Is Vitamin D for Your Health?
Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, bone health and muscle function.2 These are well-established links and science-backed. Vitamin D has also been linked to reducing inflammation, boosting immune function and supporting cellular processes.2
As Vitamin D receptors are present in a range of cells, researchers are interested in its role across the body. Emerging evidence links Vitamin D to other areas of health, including immunity, mood, cardiovascular health and more.9 However, as one review states, the current body of evidence is mixed in quality and scope, so more research is needed to draw more solid conclusions.9
What Are the Best Ways to Maintain Healthy Vitamin D Levels?
Sunlight is a great way to maintain Vitamin D levels, but too much exposure can pose risks, including sunburn and DNA damage. Prolonged exposure has also been linked to skin cancer. Also, relying on sunlight to provide Vitamin D isn’t the most reliable due to seasonality, weather, time of day and other factors.
There are alternative ways to get Vitamin D, such as through foods, dietary supplements and wellness therapies like those offered by Restore.
Which Foods Have the Most Vitamin D?
Vitamin D naturally occurs in certain foods, including the flesh of fatty fish (salmon, trout), cod liver oil, egg yolks, mushrooms and cheese. In the United States, most Vitamin D is obtained from fortified foods like milk, breakfast cereals and some fruit juices.2
Do Vitamin D Supplements Work?
Vitamin D supplements are widely available, as part of a multivitamin or on their own. Vitamin D3 has been found to be more beneficial than Vitamin D2.
But oral supplements must pass through the digestive system before they can get to work, which can impact their effectiveness. As a result, oral supplements are absorbed at around 15-20% due to digestion.
There are various claims suggesting ways to make Vitamin D oral supplements more effective, such as taking them with a high-fat meal.10
How Restore Can Support Your Vitamin D Levels
At Restore, we offer Vitamin D3 through IV Therapy and IM Shots. These methods provide higher bioavailability than food intake or dietary supplements.
Unlike oral supplements, which are absorbed at around 15-20%, IV Therapy delivers nutrients directly into your bloodstream, making them 100% bioavailable. IM Shots deliver 70%-90% bioavailable nutrients directly to the muscle tissue and are only allowed every three months.
At Restore, we’ve created science-backed formulations for our IV Drip Menu, but we also create bespoke blends to help clients reach their individual wellness goals. Vitamin D can also be added to any IV.
“Our Nurses are experts on these nutrients and understand how each blend and each individual nutrient can help you achieve your wellness goals,” explains Dr. Rachele Pojednic, Restore’s Chief Science Officer. “So, Restore offers a truly unique experience: we have the nutrients you need and the expertise to guide you to the right formulation.”
Ready to experience it for yourself? Check out the IV Drip Therapy menu and our IM Shots.
Book Your Red Light Therapy Session Today
Red Light Therapy plays a unique role in the wellness journey. While it doesn’t replace sunlight and doesn’t produce Vitamin D, there are many other proven benefits.
Visit a Restore studio for personalized recommendations to build a bespoke Wellness Plan that includes Red Light Therapy and Vitamin D.
FAQs for Red Light Therapy and Vitamin D
1. What is the best light for Vitamin D deficiency?
UVB (Ultraviolet B) Light is the only light that triggers Vitamin D production in the skin. This is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight, so spending time outdoors will help produce Vitamin D.
However, there are some caveats. Vitamin D absorbed from sunlight varies significantly due to factors including season, time of day, cloud cover, etc.5 So it’s important to find alternative sources of Vitamin D, through food, supplements or wellness therapies, such as those at Restore.
2. How can I raise my Vitamin D levels quickly?
To maintain Vitamin D levels, make sure you’re consuming foods rich in Vitamin D, consider oral supplements and get out in the sunshine.5
For the quickest results, IV Therapy bypasses the digestive system entirely by delivering Vitamin D directly into the bloodstream (for IV Therapy) or muscle (for IM Shots). Both therapies offer higher bioavailability than oral supplements: IV Therapy provides 100% bioavailability, whereas IM Shots offer 70-90%.
3. Do light therapy lamps work for Vitamin D?
No, most at-home light therapy lamps such as SAD lamps do not produce Vitamin D. It is only UVB light that produces Vitamin D. While there are UVB lamps, these are medical devices used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo. At-home lamps exist, but they are not recommended due to the risk of overexposure to UVB light.
4. What type of light helps your skin produce Vitamin D?
UVB light is the only type that helps your skin produce Vitamin D. Other light therapies, such as Red Light Therapy and Near-Infrared, have their own benefits, including reducing inflammation, boosting collagen production and producing cellular energy.2,3
5. Can you use Red Light Therapy and sunlight together?
Absolutely. Red Light Therapy and sunlight are often conflated, but they are not interchangeable. Sunlight helps the body produce Vitamin D (through its UVB rays), while Red Light Therapy has been linked to reducing inflammation, boosting collagen production and increasing cellular energy.1,2,3 At Restore, we believe that our therapies should be used as part of a broader wellness program and healthy lifestyle.
