![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/young-woman-controlling-home-light-142045801.jpg\")
A common household object could be causing a public health emergency comparable to the health risks of asbestos. rh2010 \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\nMany of us have them in our homes and at offices \u2014 but a neuroscientist is warning that one household staple may be a major threat to our health.<\/p>\n
Glen Jeffery, a professor of neuroscience at University College London, is sounding the alarm about what he calls a \u201cclear and present public health emergency\u201d that no one seems to be talking about.<\/p>\n
He has gone so far as to compare the item to asbestos \u2014 once widely used in building materials before people realized it can cause issues like mesothelioma and lung cancer.<\/p>\n
A common household object could be causing a public health emergency comparable to the health risks of asbestos. rh2010 \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
The health threat? Energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, which are present in schools, offices, hospitals and nearly half of US households<\/a> \u2014\u00a0and which Jeffrey claims could raise the risk of diabetes and other metabolic disorders.<\/p>\n \u201cLED lighting is damaging mitochondria and therefore there is no question you\u2019re damaging systemic health,\u201d Jeffrey told The European<\/a>. \u201cThis is a clear and present public health emergency and we need to take action.\u201d<\/p>\n One study<\/a> have found that daily exposure to short-wavelength blue light reduced measures of mitochondrial activity by about 50% in mice. Another study<\/a> found that exposure to blue-enriched LED lighting altered activity, metabolism and liver function in mice.<\/p>\n Mitochondria<\/a> play an important role in producing energy and regulating metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to aging and disease.<\/p>\n Jeffery believes the effects could be driven by changes in signaling throughout the body.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mitochondria there send messages around in your blood,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt changes the blood signaling through what are called cytokine profiles. The mitochondria form a community and signals are sent throughout your body.\u201d<\/p>\n Not everyone is convinced. The European Commission\u2019s Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER)<\/a> concluded that \u201cthere is no evidence of direct adverse health effects from LEDs in normal use by the general healthy population.\u201d<\/p>\n They did, however, note that LED lights can cause temporary discomfort and may effect the sleep\/wake cycle.<\/p>\n \u201cAll light sources affect the circadian rhythms, but more research is needed to ascertain the specific impact of LED lights on the sleep\/wake cycle, and also to determine if disturbances to the circadian system lead to adverse health effects,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n Jeffrey and his colleague Dr. Edward Barrett also did their own study<\/a> on LED lights and how they impact eyesight. <\/p>\n Adults were exposed for two weeks to either broader-spectrum tungsten lighting or standard LED lighting.<\/p>\n Those exposed to the broader-spectrum light showed improvements in color-contrast vision, while the LED group did not.<\/p>\n In another study, Jeffery found that a single three-minute exposure to red light improved color-contrast vision.<\/p>\n Other research from Jeffrey found that long-wavelength red and near-infrared light<\/a> can penetrate deeply into the human body, including through clothing.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/142045872.jpg\")
Although incredibly common, LED lighting may damage mitochondria, according to a neuroscientist.<\/p>\n