Low testosterone levels in men is a growing problem with few answers.
A study done back in 2007 and published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism concluded "During the past two decades, testosterone levels in American men have rapidly declined."
The chart below really tells the story:
“The interesting thing we discovered was that, on average, when we measured the testosterone in the blood of a 60-year-old in 1989 it was higher than that in a different 60-year-old measured in 1995,” said Thomas Travison, PhD, of the New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Mass. “We observed the same phenomenon over a wide range of ages.”
So it seems we are not the men our grandfather's were.
When many think of the effects of low testosterone, they think of low libido, less overall drive in life, etc. Unfortunately low levels of testosterone may be more than just a lower quality of life problem. Low levels of testosterone have been linked to higher incidence of chronic disease.
A 2018 study published in the Journal Scientific Reports concluded there is a strong link between men's low levels of testosterone and having two or more chronic diseases such as arthritis, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes — even in the under-40s.
Further analysis showed that there was a significant "dose-response relationship" at play, which the studies author stated "means that men should be concerned about declining total testosterone, even if it has not reached a level to warrant a clinical diagnosis."
So to summarize - environmental factors seem to be at play which are driving the average level of testosterone in men lower with each subsequent generation. Low T is associated with not only lower quality of life, lower libido, lower sex drive and lower overall drive, but with higher incidence of chronic disease in a dose dependent manner.
If you are man who wants to live a high quality life, achieve your goals, overcome whatever obstacles life throws ate you; if you want to have a fulfilling and active sex life and if you want to avoid chronic disease to increase not only lifespan but health-span, it seems clear you need to employ strategies for increasing testosterone levels.
Clinical research on light therapy and testosterone looks promising
In 2013 a group of Korean researchers looked at the impact of testicular exposure of Red and Near-Infrared light. Thirty male rats were split into three groups: a control group, one group exposed to red light and the other exposed to NIR light. At the end of the 5 day trial - the untreated rats had no change in testosterone, but the rats exposed to one 30 minute treatment of light per day had significantly elevated testosterone levels.
The study can be read here
If you are going to try red light therapy to raise testosterone, you'll want to be sure to use LEDs (rather than incandescent bulb) and to stand far enough way so as to not heat the testicles. Testicular tissue function is hindered by elevated temperature, so this is definitely one area where low heat red light LED devices shine.
Our Mito Red Light Therapy devices offer a convenient way to use red light therapy at home, with the utmost privacy.
More to come in part 2....
UPDATE: March 2020
We've had a few encouraging anecdotes from customers with respect to increased testosterone.
https://mitoredlight.com/pages/reviews
In February 2020, Andrew H shared:
"After reading Ben Greenfield's article "I Put a Giant Red Light on My B***s to Triple My Testosterone Levels" I decided to risk $250 and try it. It paid off tremendously. Although my testosterone did not triple, it did nearly double - from 382 to 683. My waning energy has returned!"
Andrew also shared his test results:
We followed up with Andrew over email and he shared that his protocol was to use the MitoMIN at 6 inches for 10 minutes, twice a day.
In November 2019, Steve M shared in his review:
"After testing 353 on total testosterone I resolved to make some changes. As a health nut in my 30s the diet and exercise were already dialed in. After hearing about the benefits of Red Light I decided to try Mito Red. The 60 day money back guarantee gave me confidence that it was worth a shot. After 7 weeks of use I tested again. 560! This is truly an incredible product. I did end up returning mine...and buying a larger size to get the whole-body benefits."
These results are certainly encouraging! We are considering doing a formal controlled study on this at some point later in the year.
Mito Red Light therapy are low-risk, general wellness / fitness products. The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to support the safety or effectiveness of Mito Red Light devices. The information provided in this article and on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, is not a substitute for consultation with a licensed medical provider and should not be construed as medical advice.