(LLLT) Low Level Laser Therapy/Photobiomodulation for Fertility

Low Level Laser Therapy for fertility is a cutting-edge clinical treatment. This technique is effective, painless, safe, and non-invasive. Over the past 50 years, low level lasers have been utilized to treat inflammation and pain in different parts of the body, specifically joints and muscles. However, research suggests that quality treatments administered to the ovaries, uterus, and testicles can greatly support your fertility.

Low level laser/photobiomodulation is the use of low intensity lasers to isolated parts of the body, effective to treat various conditions, characteristically caused by aging, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

How does LLLT work?
LLLT helps to optimize fertility by:

  1. Activating mitochondrial function by stimulating the production of ATP/energy in the cells — which serves to improve egg and sperm quality.
  2. Promoting the circulation of blood
  3. Controlling inflammation (which is a key contributor to ovarian aging)
  4. Softening scar tissue
  5. Reducing oxidative damage

(LLLT) Low Level Laser Therapy for fertility works to:

  • Reduce oxidative stress and aging to the ovaries & testicles
  • Increase blood flow to the uterus, ovaries, testicles, and lower abdomen
  • Speed tissue healing
  • Eliminate recurring infections
  • Reduce scaring (from earlier surgeries or infections)

 Who can benefit from (LLLT) Low Level Laser Therapy for fertility:

  • Women of advanced maternal age (age 35 and over)
  • Low ovarian reserve (AMH)
  • High FSH
  • PCOS
  • Endometriosis
  • Poor egg quality
  • Poor implantation rates
  • Poor IVF outcomes
  • Thin uterine lining
  • Low sperm quality
  • High DNA Fragmentation
  • History of abdominal surgery

Treatment schedule:

  • LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy) with or without acupuncture is recommended 1-3 times a week for 1-3 months.

*Note: Treatment schedules are decided upon based on the circumstances of your case.

  • LLLT(Low Level Laser Therapy) before and after IVF transfers can also be done, as this therapy has been shown to improve outcomes.

What does the research suggest about LLLT for Infertility?
Increasing ovarian reserves (actively witnessed via increased AMH and decreased FSH) are intimately tied to optimizing fertility by increasing the number of follicles and increasing egg quality. There is preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of LLLT in treating infertility, with more research needed. A study that was performed in an IVF center in Japan, used LLLT in women with low or undetectable AMH levels. Out of 188 patients treated, almost 56% reported pregnancy and 38% reported live births. This study was conducted from April 2010 to November 2015 on patients with low or undetectable AMH levels. They were administered with low-level laser light for the neck and the abdominal-lumbar regions. For better understanding, out of thirteen patients with an AMH level of 0.1, six patients were found to achieve a clinical pregnancy and five patients gave birth. An extension of this study showed 50% pregnancy rates.
A study in Denmark showed a 66% pregnancy rate in women who had struggled with infertility of 4 or more years with failure of ART procedures.

Although there are only a few studies on the effectiveness of LLLT, several case studies have been reported that LLLT is effective in ovarian age reversal and thus, can be used effectively to treat infertility, especially in the patients with low AMH levels. More clinical research is needed, although the preliminary studies show high potential for LLLT to be a valuable method to optimizing fertility in women undergoing natural or artificial conception.

The best fertility outcomes are seen when combined with individualized recommendations for diet, nutritional supplements, lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, and exercise. The optimal approach is using a holistic approach to fertility.

References:

  1. Iwahata, Hidehisa, et al. “TREATMENT OF FEMALE INFERTILITY INCORPORATING LOW-REACTIVE LASER THERAPY (LLLT): AN INITIAL REPORT.” J-STAGE.
  2. Ohshiro, Toshio. “Personal Overview of the Application of LLLT in Severely Infertile Japanese Females.” Laser therapy vol. 21,2 (2012): 97-103. doi:10.5978/islsm.12-OR-05
  3. Lorne. “Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in Our Infertility Clinic.” Acubalance Wellness Centre, 1 June 2017, www.acubalance.ca/resources/publications/low-level-laser-therapy-lllt-our-infertility-clinic.
  4. Hasan, P. et al: “The possible application of low-reactive laser level therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of male infertility”. 1989.
  5. Bartmann, A. et al: “Why do older women have poor impanation rates? A possible role of the mitochondria”. 2004.
  6. Kara, T.: “Lasers in infertility treatment. Irradiation of oocytes and spermatozoa”. 2012.
  7. Firestone, R. et al: “The effects of low-level light exposure on sperm motion characteristics and DNA damage”. 2013.