Abstract
Background/Aim: Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Pharmacological treatment and lifestyle modifications are the main therapeutic approaches; however, some patients respond poorly or have limited tolerance. Intravenous laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) has recently been proposed as a potential adjunctive therapy, but its clinical efficacy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ILIB therapy on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters in patients with chronic diseases.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective single-group study included 60 patients with chronic diseases who received ILIB therapy at the Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital between July 2022 and February 2024. Laboratory parameters before and after treatment, including total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), LDL-C, fasting glucose, and HbA1c, were descriptively compared to demonstrate absolute and percentage changes. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: After treatment, only TG showed a significant reduction (167.8 mg/dl vs. 118.8 mg/dl, p=0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with TG >150 mg/dL, LDL>130 mg/dl, and total cholesterol >200 mg/dl all demonstrated significant decreases after ILIB therapy (p<0.05), while no significant changes were observed in patients with normal baseline values. Fasting glucose and HbA1c showed no significant changes in any subgroup.
Conclusion: ILIB demonstrated significant lipid-lowering effects in patients with dyslipidemia, particularly in those with elevated TG, LDL, and total cholesterol. No changes were observed in patients with normal lipid levels, suggesting a “normalizing” rather than broadly “lowering” effect. ILIB shows promise as an adjunctive therapy for hyperlipidemia, though larger randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.
- Intravenous laser irradiation of blood
- hyperlipidemia
- triglycerides
- low-density lipoprotein
- total cholesterol
Introduction
Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, significantly increasing the risk of various cardiovascular events, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, and peripheral artery disease. In addition, hypertension is also a common cardiovascular risk factor, and patients with hypertension have a significantly higher incidence of coronary artery disease. Clinically, particular attention is paid to dyslipidemia involving triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol, as these abnormalities are closely linked to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, which may consequently lead to myocardial ischemia and cerebrovascular events (1-4). Currently, the main treatments for hyperlipidemia include pharmacotherapy, dietary modifications, and lifestyle changes. However, some patients respond poorly to conventional therapies or experience adverse drug reactions; therefore, research and clinical application of novel adjunctive therapies have received increasing attention in recent years (2, 5, 6).
Intravenous laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) is a procedure in which low-intensity laser light is directly introduced into the bloodstream, modulating blood components through photobiological regulatory effects. Its actions include enhancing erythrocyte deformability, improving oxygen transport efficiency, reducing blood viscosity, and decreasing oxidative stress and free radical damage. Collectively, these effects help improve hemorheology and cellular metabolism. In recent years, ILIB has been considered a promising adjunctive treatment, demonstrating potential to modify lipid profiles and other metabolic indicators (7-9). However, current clinical studies evaluating the effects of ILIB on metabolic parameters, such as lipids and blood glucose remain limited, especially regarding subgroup analyses of patients with abnormal versus normal values. Thus, its clinical utility awaits further investigation.
The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in metabolic parameters –such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose (glucose AC), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)–in patients receiving ILIB therapy. We specifically conducted subgroup analyses in patients with abnormal values (triglycerides >150 mg/dl, LDL >130 mg/dl, and total cholesterol >200 mg/dl) to assess the potential clinical benefits of ILIB in high-risk populations. Additionally, subgroup analyses were performed on patients within normal ranges to comprehensively assess therapeutic responses across different baseline statuses.
Patients and Methods
Institutional Review Board (IRB). This study adopted a retrospective data research design, aiming to evaluate the effects of ILIB on the blood biochemical markers of patients with chronic diseases at the LOHAS Naturopathic Medicine Center of Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital. The present pilot study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Show Chwan Memorial Hospital (IRB No: 1140505).
Patient selection. The study population consisted of patients with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (such as hypertension and coronary artery disease), diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), chronic kidney disease, cancer, arthritis, and neurological disorders (such as Alzheimer’s disease). The study sample included patients who underwent low-level laser intravenous irradiation of blood (ILIB) therapy at the LOHAS Naturopathic Medicine Center of Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital between July 1, 2022, and February 29, 2024. Eligible participants were aged between 18 and 99 years, with no restriction on genders, comprising a total of 300 patients. All participants were required to have complete medical records and blood biochemical marker data before and after ILIB therapy. The exclusion criteria of this study included patients who did not receive ILIB treatment during the study period; patients lacking complete medical records or blood biochemical marker data; patients with other major diseases or health conditions that could affect blood biochemical markers, such as acute inflammatory or infectious diseases (e.g., bacterial or viral infections), platelet dysfunction or thrombocytopenia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and lymphoma; as well as patients undergoing other medications or treatments that may interfere with the effects of ILIB therapy, including immunosuppressants affecting immune system function (e.g., Cyclosporin, Tacrolimus, Mycophenolate mofetil, Leflunomide), certain types of chemotherapy drugs (e.g., Methotrexate, Rituximab), and small-molecule immunomodulators (e.g., Tofacitinib).
Study design. This study adopted a quasi-experimental, single-group pretest–posttest design. Sixty participants who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively enrolled. Blood biochemical analyses were conducted before and after ILIB treatment. The measured parameters included total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose (glucose, AC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). All participants received ILIB treatment; the actual number of treatment sessions varied according to physician’s discretion and individual case willingness and was therefore not completely consistent among cases. The treatment frequency is up to five days per week from Monday to Friday. No parallel control group was established in this study.
ILIB equipment and treatment settings. ILIB was performed using helium-neon laser (TAIEX-86, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC). The laser wavelength is 632.8 nm with individualized power energy (3-5 mW). We used 24-gauge intravenous catheter to conduct the ILIB, and each session lasted for 60 minutes.
Statistical analysis. The t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed using SPSS version 22. Two-tailed p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
Analysis of treatment duration and biochemical changes before and after ILIB therapy. There were 60 patients meeting the inclusion criteria and enrolled in this study. According to the data presented in the table, the average treatment duration among participants was 138.18 days (SD=122.70; range, 0 to 554 days), with an average of 9.93 treatment sessions (SD=8.76; range, 1 to 41). Among the various test results compared before and after treatment, only triglyceride levels showed a significant reduction, decreasing from a mean of 167.80 mg/dl to 118.84 mg/dl, with a statistically significant difference according to the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p=0.001). Other parameters, including total cholesterol, Glucose AC, LDL, and HbA1c, did not show statistically significant differences before and after treatment (all p-values >0.05), indicating no significant changes in these measures following treatment (Table I).
Distribution of treatment sessions and pre-/post-treatment laboratory results.
Magnitude and percentage changes in metabolic indicators after ILIB therapy. According to the data in the table, the absolute and percentage changes before and after treatment showed varying degrees among the metabolic indicators. Total cholesterol decreased by an average of 6.95 mg/dl (SD=31.69), corresponding to an average percentage decrease of 1.96% (SD=17.86%). Triglycerides decreased by an average of 50.67 mg/dL (SD=165.84), with an average percentage decrease of 8.62% (SD=35.64%) and a median decrease of 14.37%, representing the most prominent change among all indicators. Glucose (AC) increased by an average of 0.36 mg/dl (SD=28.50), with an average percentage increase of 1.33% (SD=22.54%). LDL showed minimal change, with an average decrease of only 0.32 mg/dl (SD=29.73), while the average percentage change was an increase of 4.83% (SD=32.32%). HbA1c showed almost no change, with an average increase of 0.01 (SD=0.42) and an average percentage increase of 0.25% (SD=6.04%) (Table II).
Absolute and percentage changes in laboratory results.
Significant lipid-lowering effects of ILIB therapy in participants with abnormally elevated baseline levels. The comparison of lipid profiles before and after treatment indicates significant improvements in individuals with abnormal baseline values. For triglycerides, participants with baseline levels > 150 mg/dL showed a significant reduction after treatment (pp=0.028; pw=0.002), whereas those with baseline levels ≤150 mg/dl showed no significant change (pp=0.515; pw=0.507). In terms of LDL, those with baseline levels >130 mg/dl experienced a significant decrease post-treatment (pp=0.007; pw=0.005), while no significant difference was observed in those with levels ≤130 mg/dl (pp=0.681; pw=0.996). Similarly, total cholesterol significantly decreased in participants with baseline values >200 mg/dl (pp=0.001; pw=0.001), but remained unchanged in those with baseline values ≤200 mg/dl (pp=0.521; pw=0.507). Overall, the treatment demonstrated a marked lipid-lowering effect in subjects with elevated triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol, while those with normal baseline values showed no significant response (Table III).
Effects of ILIB treatment on lipid profiles.
Discussion
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of ILIB on metabolic markers in patients with different baseline lipid profiles. The results showed that triglyceride concentrations significantly decreased after ILIB treatment, particularly in the high-risk group with baseline values greater than 150 mg/dL. In addition, subgroup analysis indicated that patients with LDL levels above 130 mg/dl and total cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl demonstrated significant improvements after treatment. In contrast, subjects whose baseline values were within the normal range showed no significant changes, while other metabolic markers such as fasting glucose and HbA1c showed no significant differences before and after treatment.
In patients with hyperlipidemia, the proportion of abnormally shaped erythrocytes is markedly increased, predominantly characterized by stomatocytes, acanthocytes, and crenated cells. These morphological alterations are closely associated with hemorheological disturbances. Stomatocytes exhibit reduced deformability, thereby limiting their transit through the microcirculation, whereas crenated cells contribute to elevated blood viscosity, further impairing hemodynamics (10). Intravenous laser irradiation of blood has been shown to improve erythrocyte morphology, enhancing vascular flow dynamics, particularly within the microcirculation, and consequently facilitating more efficient oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues. Beyond morphological improvement, ILIB also appears to elevate intracellular ATP levels (11, 12). During physical activity, the augmentation of skeletal muscle perfusion increases the availability of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), thereby promoting triglyceride hydrolysis. The liberated fatty acids serve as the principal substrates for mitochondrial ATP production (13). We therefore hypothesize that the triglyceride-lowering effect of ILIB may be mediated, at least in part, through improved skeletal muscle perfusion and enhanced LPL activity.
In patients with hyperlipidemia, abnormal red blood cell morphology leads to impaired microcirculatory function, whereas the restoration of red blood cell morphology helps improve microcirculation. Since insufficient microcirculatory perfusion affects hepatic portal venous blood flow –and the portal vein is the liver’s primary source of blood and oxygen– maintaining portal venous flow is crucial for the recovery of ATP (14-17). After ILIB improves red blood cell morphology, it not only contributes to the restoration of microcirculatory function but may also enhance portal venous blood flow, thereby potentially increasing hepatic ATP levels. The elevation of ATP can suppress AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and promote the expression of the CYP7A1 gene; CYP7A1 activity is the key determinant for converting cholesterol into bile acids. As hepatic cholesterol content decreases, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) is activated, leading to an increase in hepatocyte LDL receptor expression, which in turn facilitates more efficient clearance of cholesterol from the blood (18, 19). We hypothesize that the cholesterol-lowering effects of ILIB –reducing total cholesterol and LDL-C− are closely related to the above mechanisms.
Notably, individuals with normal lipid profiles showed no significant changes after treatment, suggesting that ILIB may exert a “normalizing” rather than a broadly “lowering” regulatory effect. This selective benefit indicates its potential as an adjunctive therapy for patients who respond poorly to, or cannot tolerate, conventional treatments. In addition, ILIB has minimal effects on glycemic indices (e.g., fasting glucose and HbA1c), implying that its metabolic action may preferentially target lipid regulation; however, further studies are needed to clarify its impact on glucose homeostasis.
Although this study provides important clinical implications, several limitations remain. First, both the control and treatment groups were concomitantly using medications, and the potential confounding effects of dietary or lifestyle changes could not be fully excluded. Second, variability in the number and duration of treatment sessions may have contributed to a certain degree of heterogeneity in the results. Third, although the subgroup sample sizes were sufficient to capture overall trends, the statistical power to detect subtle changes was limited. Finally, the long-term sustainability of the treatment effects was not evaluated, warranting further follow-up and validation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ILIB demonstrated significant improvements in patients with dyslipidemia, particularly those with elevated triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol. This study supports the potential of ILIB as an adjunctive therapy for hyperlipidemia, especially in individuals with suboptimal responses to conventional treatments. Future studies with larger sample sizes, randomized controlled designs, and standardized treatment protocols are warranted to further confirm and expand upon the present findings.
Acknowledgements
We thank Kai-Lin Hwang, Department of Health Business Administration, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, for statistical analysis support.
Footnotes
↵# Earlier known as Yuan-Hao Lee.
Authors’ Contributions
Ching-Ya Huang, Po-En Chiu, and Yu-Chang Liu conducted the experiments. Chris Yuan-Hao Lee, I-Tsang Chiang, and Yu-Chang Liu drafted the manuscript. Fei-Ting Hsu, Wei-Ting Chen, Hsin-Feng Chang, and Li-Ting Su contributed to manuscript editing. Ling-Chun Kung provided medical records registration services. Tzu-Ming Lan performed the statistical analysis. Po-En Chiu and Yu-Chang Liu conceived the study and supervised the project.
Conflicts of Interest
The Authors state that they have no financial relationships that could be regarded as potential conflicts of interest with respect to the findings or conclusions reported in this work.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure
During the preparation of this manuscript, a large language model (ChatGPT, OpenAI) was used solely for language editing and stylistic improvements in select paragraphs. No sections involving the generation, analysis, or interpretation of research data were produced by generative AI. All scientific content was created and verified by the authors. Furthermore, no figures or visual data were generated or modified using generative AI or machine learning–based image enhancement tools.
- Received October 13, 2025.
- Revision received November 6, 2025.
- Accepted November 13, 2025.
- Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by the International Institute of Anticancer Research.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 international license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0).
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