A study found that problems with exposure to blue light increase with age

Adverse effects of daily exposure to blue light It gets worse as a person ages, according to a team of American researchers. This type of light is produced by various electronic devices such as phones, computers, and tablets. So far only the harmful effect on flies has been confirmed, as more studies are still needed to determine the risks to humans.

Published in a scientific journal Nature Partners Journals (NPJ) AgingThe study on the dangers of blue light to the organism was led by scientists from Oregon State University in the United States. In the experiment, the team used -type flies Drosophila black belly.

It should be noted that this fly is considered a very common animal model in the scientific world, as it shares eye mechanisms similar to those of humans.

Try blue light and flies

The researchers’ idea was to look at the survival rate and health of the flies, which were initially in the dark. They were then transported, at different ages, to an environment of continuous blue light. The transitions from dark to light occurred on two, 20, 40 and 60 days.

During the process, the team evaluated the effects of blue light on the mitochondria of fly cells. It should be noted that the mitochondria serve as the “power station” of the cell, generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – a source of chemical energy.

“The novel aspect of this study is to show that chronic exposure to blue light can impair energy production pathways, even in cells that are not specialized in light detection,” Jaga Giebultowicz, one of the study’s authors said in a statement.

After the experiment, “We determined that certain mitochondrial interactions were significantly reduced by blue light, while other interactions decreased by age regardless of blue light. You can think of it as exposure to blue light adding an effect on injury to aged flies,” Gibulovic adds.

More studies are needed

“There are growing concerns that prolonged exposure to artificial light, especially blue-enriched LED light, could be harmful to human health. While the full effects of lifelong blue light exposure are not yet known in humans, the accelerated aging observed in model organisms The short-lived should alert us to the possibility of cellular damage due to this stress.Now, more studies are needed.

source: NPJ Agin And the Oregon State University