Peak Physical Performance using Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is popular in professional sports and the training & fitness worlds because it’s been proven again and again to enhance physical performance, build muscle, and speed up recovery.

This has been shown scientifically across hundreds of peer-reviewed clinical trials, and it’s shown anecdotally on fields and gyms, where NBA teams, UFC champions, Gold Medalists, and NFL All-Pros like Patrick Peterson, DeMarcus Lawrence, Julio Jones and Keenan Allen are using Red Light Therapy every day for peak performance and faster muscle recovery. The same is true of world-class trainers and fitness experts like Ben Greenfield, Dr. Sarah Ballantyne and many others.

This article breaks down the research and results on Red Light Therapy and enhanced physical performance. Find below a list of some of the pro athletes from the NBA, NFL and PGA that have used Red Light Therapy in their training and recovery programs.

Odell Beckham, Jr., Dwayne Wade, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones,

DeMarcus Lawrence, Phil Mickelson, Tyrann Mathieu, Bubba Watson,

Keenan Allen, Graeme McDowell, Devon Kennard, Zach Johnson

Huge Base of Clinical Research Shows Red Light Therapy Improves Physical Performance

Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies have been published on red light therapy’s positive effects on exercise, training, and specific areas of physical performance like strength, speed, and endurance.

In 2015, researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of many of these randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The results were overwhelmingly positive:

The vast majority of clinical trials reviewed showed “significant improvement for the main measures related to performance” like max repetitions, speed, and endurance.

Time before exhaustion during various exercises “increased significantly compared to placebo.”

Researchers concluded that “phototherapy (with lasers and LEDs) improves muscular performance and accelerates recovery when applied before exercise.” [1]

Now, we’ll take a closer look at specific research showing how red light therapy boosts strength, speed, endurance, and muscle growth.

How Red Light Therapy Increases Strength

There’s a reason so many professional strength trainers are incorporating red light therapy into their routines.

Stronger Strength Training: A 2016 trial analyzed light therapy’s effects on men ages 18 to 35 who did