A light emitting diode driving circuit for improving efficiency of a LED, the LED driving circuit being connected to an alternating current power supply (40; 50; 60), the LED driving circuit comprising: a rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) connected to the AC power supply (40; 50; 60) to generate a rectified voltage; a control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) connected to an output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91); characterised in that an LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) and a constant-current circuit that are connected to an output of the control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) in series, the LED load and the constant-current circuit being connected in series to each other; a capacitor connected in parallel to the LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) and the constant-current circuit (43; 53; 64; 94), the capacitor smoothing the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91); and a detection circuit (44; 54; 65; 70) configured to detect whether the rectified voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage value that is equal to or greater than a sum of a voltage applied to the LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) when the LED load is turned on and a voltage applied to the constant-current circuit (43; 53; 64; 94) at a time when the LED load starts being turned on, wherein the control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) is configured to control the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) to be passed when the rectified voltage does not exceed the predetermined voltage value, and in such a way that a first operation of blocking the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) and a second operation of passing the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) are repeatedly performed when the rectified voltage exceeds the predetermined voltage value. a rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) connected to the AC power supply (40; 50; 60) to generate a rectified voltage; a control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) connected to an output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91); characterised in that an LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) and a constant-current circuit that are connected to an output of the control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) in series, the LED load and the constant-current circuit being connected in series to each other; a capacitor connected in parallel to the LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) and the constant-current circuit (43; 53; 64; 94), the capacitor smoothing the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91); and a detection circuit (44; 54; 65; 70) configured to detect whether the rectified voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage value that is equal to or greater than a sum of a voltage applied to the LED load (42; 52; 63; 93) when the LED load is turned on and a voltage applied to the constant-current circuit (43; 53; 64; 94) at a time when the LED load starts being turned on, wherein the control circuit (45; 55; 65; 80) is configured to control the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) to be passed when the rectified voltage does not exceed the predetermined voltage value, and in such a way that a first operation of blocking the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) and a second operation of passing the output of the rectifier circuit (41; 51; 61; 91) are repeatedly performed when the rectified voltage exceeds the predetermined voltage value.