Sections
Log in
Top News
U.S. News World News Featured Voices
Odd News
Entertainment
Movies Music TV
Sports
Soccer NFL NBA MLB
Photos
News Entertainment Sports Features
More...
Defense Featured Science Health Video Archive Almanac
About Feedback Privacy Policy
About Feedback Privacy Policy
Search
Trending
Dope Christmas sweater
WWE Hall of Fame
Sam Pittman
$120,000 banana
PetSmart horse
Miss Universe
New Zealand volcano
Mystery boat
Elizabeth Warren
Wild horses
Abortion
Health News
Oct. 22, 2019 / 4:39 PM

Blue light from screens could speed aging, study suggests

By
HealthDay News
A study of fruit flies found that the lives of those exposed to daily cycles of 12 hours in blue light and 12 hours in darkness were shorter than those of flies kept in total darkness or in light with blue wavelengths filtered out. Photo courtesy of HealthDay News

Daily exposure to blue light from sources such as smartphones, computers and household fixtures could speed your aging, even if it doesn't reach your eyes, research in animals suggests.

Blue wavelengths produced by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) may damage cells in your brain as well as your retinas, according to the Oregon State University researchers.

Their study of fruit flies found that the lives of those exposed to daily cycles of 12 hours in blue light and 12 hours in darkness were shorter than those of flies kept in total darkness or in light with blue wavelengths filtered out.

The flies exposed to blue light had damage to their retinal cells and brain neurons, and their ability to climb the walls of their enclosures -- a common behavior -- was impaired.

RELATED Poor posture from smartphone use may pose threat to health

Some of the flies were mutants that don't develop eyes, but even those had brain damage and impaired movement when exposed to blue light. The researchers said this suggests that the flies didn't have to see the blue light to be harmed by it.

The study was published online Oct. 17 in the journal Aging and Mechanisms of Disease.

"The fact that the light was accelerating aging in the flies was very surprising to us at first," said study leader Jaga Giebultowicz, a professor of integrative biology.

RELATED Smartphone videos may one day measure blood pressure

"We'd measured expression of some genes in old flies, and found that stress-response, protective genes were expressed if flies were kept in light. We hypothesized that light was regulating those genes," she explained in a university news release.

Then researchers wondered how the light was harming them.

"We looked at the spectrum of light," Giebultowicz said. "It was very clear cut that although light without blue slightly shortened their lifespan, just blue light alone shortened their lifespan very dramatically."

RELATED Problematic smartphone use linked to mental health woes

She said humans are increasingly being exposed to blue light through widespread use of LED lighting and electronic devices, but the technology hasn't been around long enough to know its effects over a lifetime.

Results of animal testing are sometimes different in humans.

But researchers noted that eyeglasses with amber lenses filter out the blue light and protect your retinas, and that phones, laptops and other devices can be set to block blue emissions.

RELATED Voice-assisted tech can be driving hazard

More information

Harvard Medical School has more on blue light.

Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Latest Headlines

Air pollution exposure worsens lung function in current, former smokers
Health News // 1 hour ago
Air pollution exposure worsens lung function in current, former smokers
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- In a study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that long-term exposure to ozone in the atmosphere has significant effects on lung function, particularly among heavy smokers.

Playing sports may carry benefits for hearing
Health News // 1 hour ago
Playing sports may carry benefits for hearing
Dec. 9 -- Playing sports may improve the brain's ability to process sounds, a finding that could lead to new therapies for people who struggle with hearing, researchers report.

Majority of U.S. kids traveling overseas don't receive measles vaccine
Health News // 3 hours ago
Majority of U.S. kids traveling overseas don't receive measles vaccine
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Less than half of all American children traveling internationally are vaccinated against measles prior to departure, even as many countries across the globe are grappling with ongoing outbreaks of the disease.

Timing may be key for SIDS risk, study suggests
Health News // 4 hours ago
Timing may be key for SIDS risk, study suggests
Dec. 9 -- New research suggests that a baby's age may offer clues to sudden unexplained infant death, or SUID -- formerly known as SIDS.

Geriatric conditions pose added danger for older heart patients in ICU
Health News // 9 hours ago
Geriatric conditions pose added danger for older heart patients in ICU
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Common geriatric conditions complicate ICU stays, the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement, requiring doctors to factor in a mix of treatment needs for older adults.

Good workouts might extend a woman's life
Health News // 1 day ago
Good workouts might extend a woman's life
If you can tackle a tough workout, that may bode well for your longevity, new research suggests.

CBD medicine may help ease another form of seizure
Health News // 1 day ago
CBD medicine may help ease another form of seizure
Prescription-grade CBD may help control hard-to-treat seizures caused by a rare genetic disorder, a preliminary study suggests.

Clinical trial to test stem cells against type 1 diabetes
Health News // 2 days ago
Clinical trial to test stem cells against type 1 diabetes
Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Researchers believe they may help restore normal immune function in adults with type 1 disease with injections of stem cells, enabling the pancreas to produce insulin.

Virtual visits to the doctor good for many with neurological disorders
Health News // 2 days ago
Virtual visits to the doctor good for many with neurological disorders
Dec. 6 -- If you have a neurological disorder, a video chat with your doctor might be as good as an office visit for checking on your condition.

BPA levels in humans higher than previously thought, study suggests
Health News // 2 days ago
BPA levels in humans higher than previously thought, study suggests
Dec. 6 -- Levels of the widely used chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, in people's bodies may be 44 times higher than once thought, according to scientists who say they've created a more accurate way to measure them.

Trending Stories

FDA testing levels of carcinogens in diabetes drug metformin
FDA testing levels of carcinogens in diabetes drug metformin
Physicians urge greater focus on role of chronic inflammation in overall health
Physicians urge greater focus on role of chronic inflammation in overall health
Geriatric conditions pose added danger for older heart patients in ICU
Geriatric conditions pose added danger for older heart patients in ICU
Clinical trial to test stem cells against type 1 diabetes
Clinical trial to test stem cells against type 1 diabetes
BPA levels in humans higher than previously thought, study suggests
BPA levels in humans higher than previously thought, study suggests

Photo Gallery

 
Hemingway watches, 'Dupont Emerald' on display at Christie's preview
Hemingway watches, 'Dupont Emerald' on display at Christie's preview

Latest News

U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year
Dave Matthews Band to perform Feb. 28 in Las Vegas
California deputy rescues cat with head stuck in ramen noodle bag
Washington town lights 797 Christmas trees for Guinness record
Paul Reubens to host 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' anniversary tour
 
Back to Article
/
Back to top
About UPI Contact Feedback Advertisements Submit News Tips
Copyright © 2019 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of UsePrivacy Policy