An academic study has found that prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted by mobile devices may hasten the aging process and cause wrinkles.
Every day, almost every adult in the western world is exposed to blue light from their phones, computers at work, and televisions.
Scientists from Oregon State University have discovered that when fruit flies were exposed to bright light for 14 days, they exhibited signs of impaired cell function and neurodegeneration — or aging.
Dr. Jadwiga Giebultowicz, the biologist who led the study, cautioned that it may hurt a variety of cells in the human body.
She added, “Our study suggests that avoiding excessive blue light exposure may be an effective anti-aging strategy.”
Prior research has indicated that excessive screen time increases the risk of obesity and mental health issues. Concerns exist that blue light strains the eyes, resulting in blurred vision, macular degeneration, and cataracts, and disrupts the circadian rhythm, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Numerous devices already include mechanisms that allow users to reduce the amount of blue light they emit.
In the study, which was published today in the journal Frontiers in Aging, fruit flies were divided into two groups.
The first group was continuously exposed to blue light for 10 or 14 days, while the second group was kept in constant darkness.
The flies were then euthanized, and their brain cells were analyzed for differences.
Those who were exposed to blue light for 14 days had elevated levels of the chemical succinate, indicating that their energy production was impaired.
In addition, their glutamate levels were lower, which, according to the researchers, indicated the onset of neurodegeneration.
The flies were exposed to a blue light that was significantly stronger than that emitted by smartphones and laptops.
And they were exposed to it continuously for up to fourteen days, as opposed to a few hours.
However, according to the scientists, their findings revealed that the light could cause alterations in cells that hasten age.
They even hypothesized that exposure to blue light could result in “premature death.”
Giebultowicz added: ‘LEDs have become the primary source of illumination in display screens such as phones, desktops, and televisions, as well as ambient lighting; therefore, humans in advanced societies are exposed to blue light via LED lighting for the majority of their waking hours.
Since the signaling chemicals in the cells of flies and people are the same, there is the potential for the blue light to have harmful effects on humans.
She added, “The results of this study suggest that future research involving human cells is required to determine the extent to which human cells may exhibit similar changes in metabolites involved in energy production in response to excessive blue light exposure.”
Scientists have previously demonstrated that blue-light-exposed flies activate genes that protect them from stress.
Additionally, those who are kept in the dark tend to live longer.
Estimates indicate that Americans spend five and a half hours on their phones daily.
And spend the next three hours watching television.
However, a growing body of evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to blue light may be harmful to health and make it more difficult to fall asleep.
Multiple studies have cautioned that it can harm the circadian clock, the biological timer that all cells use to determine the time of day.
In June, scientists in the Bay Area even suggested that exposure to blue light may compromise the eye’s immune defenses, thereby increasing the risk of eye problems.
