Exercise recovery / oxidative stress
Photobiomodulation and exercise-induced oxidative stress systematic review and meta-analysis
De Marchi T, Ferlito JV, Ferlito MV, Salvador M, Leal-Junior ECP. Antioxidants. 2022.
This systematic review and meta-analysis found low-to-moderate certainty evidence that PBM may reduce oxidative damage and increase enzymatic antioxidant activity after exercise.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The review supports a plausible recovery mechanism but does not define a consumer whole-body protocol.
- Evidence certainty was low to moderate depending on oxidative-stress outcome.
- It is most useful as supporting evidence for targeted recovery discussions, not standalone proof of athletic performance gains.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied across included exercise studies |
| Duration | Varied across included exercise studies |
| Treatment area | Exercised muscles |
| Device type | PBM exercise-recovery devices |
Caveats
- Biomarker improvements do not always translate to meaningful performance or soreness changes.
- Dose, timing, muscle group, and exercise modality varied across included studies.