In Small Study, High Intensity Light Therapy Boosts Libido in Men
The same type of high-intensity light therapy used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and as an adjunctive treatment for non-seasonal depression has been found to boost testosterone and improve sexual satisfaction in men with low libido.
In a study by Andrea Fagiolini and colleagues, men with low sexual desire or trouble getting aroused were exposed to the high intensity light (10,000 Lux) for a half hour upon waking. Compared to men who used a lightbox that filtered the light to only 100 Lux, men exposed to the high-intensity light for two weeks showed increased testosterone in the blood and reported greater sexual satisfaction. Testosterone levels increased from around 2.1 ng/ml to 3.6 ng/ml in the high-intensity light group. (There were no significant changes in the comparison group.) Light therapy is quite safe for people without eye problems.
Fagiolini explained that in the Northern hemisphere, testosterone production declines from November to April and then rises again through the spring and summer, peaking in October. He suggests that the light therapy mimics the effect of summer light on the body, perhaps by inhibiting the pineal gland, which secretes hormones.
Fagiolini and colleagues hope to replicate the study with a greater number of participants and to determine how long the results may last.The study of 38 participants was presented at the 29th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2016.
