New research from University College London is raising urgent questions about the relationship between LED lighting and mitochondria — the energy-generating organelles inside human cells. According to researchers Dr. Glen Jeffery and Dr. Edward Barrett, standard LED fixtures may be doing more than illuminating spaces. They may be undermining human cellular energy production at a fundamental level.

Their findings, published in Nature Scientific Reports, represent the first major study of this kind conducted on humans, following earlier animal-based research. Dr. Jeffery did not mince words about the scale of the problem, comparing it to an asbestos-level public health crisis.

The core issue lies in spectral output. Most commercial LEDs are heavy in short-wavelength blue light while lacking the red and near-infrared wavelengths that mitochondria depend on to function optimally. Prolonged exposure to this type of lighting slows metabolism and can impair visual function, mobility, blood sugar regulation, and oxygen consumption — all processes tied to mitochondrial performance.

For the lighting industry, the connection between LED lighting and mitochondria points toward a clear design opportunity. Jeffery suggests that fixtures incorporating longer-wav do numbeelength LEDs — covering a wider near-infrared spectrum — could address the problem at the source. Incandescent lamps, which naturally emit a full spectrum including red and infrared wavelengths, showed a significant advantage over standard LEDs in the research.

Sunlight and red/infrared light therapy devices were also cited as beneficial, with researchers noting that longer wavelengths improve mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production in ways that affect cognition, mobility, and vision.

As the industry continues its efficiency-driven shift to LED, this research suggests that spectral quality deserves equal weight alongside lumens per watt.

Source: Rob Taub, “LED lighting creating crisis for human mitochondria: Researchers,” NewsNation, May 26, 2026. https://www.newsnationnow.com