I applied a small, round, innocent-looking adhesive “LifeWave” patch that naturally amplifies my body’s stem cell production to enhance cellular health, DNA repair, and to slow my biological aging.
Medical tourists spend up to $50,000 for stem cell procedures. Requiring time off and to travel for the operation. Here I was, in the comfort of my home, took an entirely different approach for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.
The company, called LifeWave, offers different patches for a variety of purported benefits and use cases:
- Stem cell activation
- Sleep
- Glutathione support
- Cellular repair
- Energy production
- Stress relief
- Pain release
- Appetite suppression
- Fitness & movement
- Wellness & vitality
- Beauty & skincare
All using their proprietary form of phototherapy nanotechnology—without a drug or even any active substance.
Upon researching this company, their products and technology, I saw red flags.
Turns out, they’re a tool used by high-profile celebrities, business people, Olympians, politicians, and elite military units.
After a number of Outliyr readers shared their experiences with me, I decided to test them out anyway.
What follows is my research into this technology. I’ll share the necessary background, all the science I could find on these products, and my review of the LifeWave phototherapy patches.
What is LifeWave?
Inventor David Schmidt founded LifeWave in 2004, introducing a new category of wellness-optimizing “phototherapy” patches to the world.
Humans naturally emit biophotons, and these non-transdermal patches reflect very specific wavelengths of light back into the body.
According to their website,
“Your body emits heat, including heat in the infrared spectrum. Our patches are designed to trap this infrared energy when placed on the body, which causes them to reflect it back to stimulate specific points on the skin that can promote a general state of health and healthy activity unique to each LifeWave patch.”
Through his research, David discovered that reflecting certain wavelengths could elevate levels of naturally-produced substances (peptides) in the body.
That’s even without introducing pharmaceuticals or any active substance.
So, could phototherapy patches be the ultimate biomimetic tools?
Before we go any further, you should understand what peptides are.
What are peptides?
Generally, the delicate nature of peptides requires subcutaneous injection to work most effectively.
Their small size gives them unique abilities and an incredible safety profile because your body already knows what to do with them.
The main peptides LifeWave products claim to elevate include:
- Copper peptide (GHK-Cu from X39)
- Copper peptide (AHK-Cu from X49)
- Pineal peptide (Epithalamin from Alavida)
Some peptides work through the skin transdermally, and a few are effective as oral capsules or liquid.
These patches, however, contain zero active ingredients but still amplify your body’s natural levels.
Do LifeWave patches work?
Whenever I research new products, I always hunt down several things:
- High-profile product endorsements
- Company reputation, awards, & growth
- Scientific research
- Personal anecdotes
So I scoured the web for traces of LifeWave patch supporters (beyond affiliates and anonymous Reddit threads).
Of course, none of these guarantee a legit product. But they do increase the likelihood.
As it turns out, there are several notable users of LifeWave patches:
- Navy and US military
- 310 athletes in the Beijing Olympics
- Michael Phelps
- RFK Jr. and other politicians
- Mike Tyson
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Philadelphia Eagles
Ironically, during the Olympics, several countries complained that using the patches constitutes as doping. The Olympic committee, however, ruled against that.
The company behind these patches has a solid track record, operating for over 20 years. In the past four years, their sales skyrocketed by 2400% (more on their business model later).
These patches are now used in over 90 countries too.
Then I looked into some of the less savory aspects.
Lawsuit & scam
LifeWave has all the hallmarks of a scam (aside from labeling the patches as powered by “quantum” technology).
I’m NOT a fan of networking marketing/MLMs. It always results in a product that’s more expensive than it should be, and many of them turn out to be complete scams (hello Herbalife, Amway, and Enron).
Usually, these result in massive lawsuits.
Well, LifeWave has a fairly clean history. I could only find a few lawsuits filed against them:
- Jeunesse LLC vs LifeWave for patent infringement [R]
- MK Systems vs LifeWave for patent infringement [R]
- Edward Blendermann vs LifeWave for patent infringement [R]
- Ireland vs LifeWave for underpaying corporate tax and VAT [R]
- Adverse effect reported [R]
Essentially, nothing notable. Even the “adverse event report” has zero evidence that the patch caused the migraine.
Considering they’ve sold hundreds of thousands of patches to humans of all ages and conditions, these appear remarkably safe.
The LifeWave Product Line
LifeWave sells mostly patches, but several other products too.
Their product line consists of:
- X39: stem cell activator, supports healing, beauty, and recovery
- X49: protection against EMFs, hair growth, cardiovascular, muscle growth
- Energy Enhancer: boosts energy & stamina
- IceWave: reduces pain
- Silent Nights: enhances quality and length of sleep
- Y-Age Aeon: lowers stress and causes relaxation
- Y-Age Carnosine: improves physical performance
- Y-Age Glutathione: pineal gland restoration, circadian health, antioxidant effects
LifeWave’s X39 patch is their flagship product for anti-aging, energy, sleep, pain, skin appearance, wound healing, stem cell production, and more.
If you can only take one, pick X39.
But do they even work?
How LifeWave Patches Work
Phototherapy patches signal the body to produce more of one particular substance. The normal chemical substances—administered exogenously—are well-researched.
Most of the research on LifeWave patches isn’t on the clinical benefits, rather how effectively they elevate the corresponding physical substance in the body Share on XFor example, rather than validating the well-documented health benefits of copper peptide, LifeWave’s X39 piggybacked on those by instead showing how high it elevates levels of GHK-Cu.
LifeWave explains that the phototherapy patches work mostly the same:
- The patches contain crystals embedded into them
- Your body heat naturally activates those crystals
- Your body emits biophotons, and the crystals reflect particular light wavelengths back into your body
- You place the patches over specific energy (meridian) points
- This light causes increased levels of particular substances, which trigger biological effects (like activating stem cells)
Intriguing, but lacking in substance. So I dug into the research.
Science & benefits of LifeWave phototherapy patches
Indeed, LifeWave phototherapy patches have been studied—more than I expected. Of course, like any novel technology, the research generally lacks the ideal sample size and design.
The company itself also funded some of the research, creating an obvious potential bias.
But the repeated real-world testimonials are what kept my interest.
Let’s check out each of them.
This 2005 investigation of the Energy Patches on healthy individuals showed that they significantly and clearly impact heart rate variability (HRV) [R].
A later follow-up double-blind randomized-control pilot study on the Energy Patches confirmed these findings, showing multiple increased parameters of HRV by balancing the autonomic nervous system [R].
I found this surprising because…
While most energizing modalities work by activating the sympathetic nervous system, instead, LifeWave patches seem to confer greater stress resilience Share on XIn a double-blind crossover placebo-controlled clinical trial of 60 healthy participants, LifeWave Energy Patches significantly increased subjective energy levels plus several markers of flexibility, strength and endurance [R]. When worn for only one hour.
I would have loved to see the impact studied three, six, and nine hours post-application.
Another placebo controlled single-blind research study by Dr. Frank Shallenberger concluded that the “LifeWave Energy Enhancer patch has significant metabolic effects which confirm the manufacturer’s claim that it increases energy, stamina, and performance” [R].
A 2020 study of 15 participants aged 40-65 had them wear X39 patches for one week. In that period, they observed [R]:
- Changes of inflammatory markers and their metabolites
- Improvement in sleep quality
- Reduction in blood pressure
- Improvement in short-term memory
- Improvement in reported feelings of vitality
Another double blind randomized controlled trial of 50 older subjects (aged 40-81), showed that…
LifeWave X39 phototherapy patches significantly increased levels of eight different amino acids while also improving functional outcomes like improved short-term memory, sleep quality, blood pressure, respiration, and self-reported vitality [R]
Researchers concluded that X39 not only increases the biosynthesis of copper tripeptide (GHK-Cu), but also enhances neurotransmitter production and metabolism.
A 2023 study of healthy men aged 40-81, published in the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine, found the X49 patch significantly improved exercise performance, strength, and stamina by 31%-70%. These increases began from day one all the way through day 60 [R].
One study on the pain-modulating IceWave patches showed a meaningful reduction in the chronic inflammatory process (of COX-2, PGE-2, PGF-2, IL-1 and lactic acid) as well as changes to neuropeptides Substance P and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptides (VIP) [R].
Interestingly, the effects worked within the first three weeks and persisted even upon discontinuation of the patches.
Hinting at a root-cause level benefit.
A major limitation of this was the small sample size of just ten participants. Yet this is also perhaps the single most revered patch, due to the life-changing testimonials of pain sufferers
People report feeling a noticeable difference within minutes of application of their first patch.
In 2010, a small nine-person human clinical trial on the LifeWave glutathione patch found significantly increased blood glutathione levels (a “master” antioxidant involved in detoxification, cellular health, immunity, inflammation, aging, energy, and more) [R].
This was conducted by a team that included Dr. Chris Shade of Quicksilver Scientific, one of the world’s foremost experts on detoxification.
As you’d expect during detox, some subjects showed increased mercury levels in their urine. Yet this occurred without impacting GSH enzymes, suggesting there was no active substance in the patches.
An investigation into the sleep-enhancing Silent Nights LifeWave Patch found improvements to objective & subjective measures of sleep as well as “enhancement of physiological functional status of the brain, adrenal glands, cardiac ventricles, and thyroid gland” [R].
Not all the studies show impressive benefit, however.
This one showed no statistically significant effect of the energy enhancer patch on moderately active women [R]. Although looking into the details, you’ll notice that every parameter measured did improve in the patch users.
Overall, the science is intriguing, though more research is needed. The potential benefits outweigh the virtually nonexistent risks, making it worth testing to me.
My Experience With LifeWave Patches
I originally received the X39 phototherapy patches to test out.
After using them for a bit, I wanted to test out some of the others that’ll potentially be more useful to me (I’m currently 30 years old with less biological damage, so I’m more drawn to performance-enhancing patches).
Next up, I tried the Energy Enhancer Patches. Now, I’m testing the Alavida (Epithalon peptide) Patches.
So I’ve used:
- X39
- Energy Enhancer
- Alavida
At some point, I’d love to experiment with the X49 and IceWave patches too. The X49 for myself, and the IceWave to carry around with me and give them to people in pain (which would make for a decent single-blind test).
One thing I quickly noticed is that LifeWave recommends different placements for each patch.
This makes me think there’s a larger energy medicine (i.e. acupressure) component to this nanotechnology than I initially realized.
Bookmark this post, as I’ll update this section as I gain more experience with each patch.
Copper peptide (X39)
Copper peptide offers numerous health benefits, including improvements to:
- Stem cell activity
- Wound healing
- Hair growth
- Pain relief
- Mental clarity & performance
- Exercise recovery
- Skin appearance
- Inflammation
- Biological aging
- Energy
- Vitality
Copper peptide is a short string of amino acids, earning its classification as a “bioregulator peptide”. It’s also one of the few peptides that work via nasal spray or even transdermal application too.
Unsurprisingly, it’s LifeWave’s flagship patch and their recommendation if you can only pick one (for general health).
I first tried it immediately after sustaining a back injury (herniated my L5-S1). I stacked X39 with red & infrared light therapy, PEMF therapy, other therapeutic peptides, a Brown’s Gas protocol, and lots of other injury recovery biohacks.
I thought I’d need surgery. Pain prevented me from walking, sitting, standing, and sleeping. After following my protocol, I was back in the gym within a week.
Was it the X39? The other stuff? The combo? Hard to say.
On other days when I wore X39, I didn’t notice as much. But I also sometimes use GHK-Cu cream topically and I’ve used the injectable form too.
I noticed that during a few nights of otherwise poor sleep, with X39 on, my HRV doubled above average (150ms).
This is despite throwing off my circadian rhythm and not sleeping long enough.
I’ve never noticed much from copper peptides. If I was 15 years older, or had health issues, I suspect the difference would be more obvious.
Beta oxidation (Energy Enhancer)
LifeWave’s Energy Enhancer is one of their more well-studied patches.
I was dismayed to see that it works merely by increasing levels of beta oxidation—the process of burning fat for fuel.
Despite use by Michael Phelps, Olympic teams (who claim it increases beta oxidation/fat burning by up to 600%), and other notable figures, I didn’t expect much.
This one has a different set of instructions to the others. They provide twice as many patches because each “dose” involves applying two patches (one under each collarbone).
The white patch always goes on the right side of the body, and the tan patch on the left side of the body.
I applied it on a day that I didn’t take any brain or energy boosting nootropic supplements. The day went nicely—nothing crazy to report. I later realized, that’s exactly the effect.
It’s not caffeine-like stimulation. Rather, steady all day energy. More like lack of fatigue, with no mid-day or early evening slump.
I actually forgot about the patch until I laid down to sleep. I always fall asleep within a few minutes of my head hitting the pillow. Not this time. I tossed and turned for 30 minutes. I didn’t feel even the slightest bit sleepy
Then I realized I forgot to take the patches off! Within about five minutes of removing the patches, I fell straight asleep.
I’m wearing one of these patches right now. My workouts are slightly more powerful. I feel a bit uplifted. The effects are consistent.
I like to combine these with X39 when I travel for steady energy levels without any drugs.
It’s also helpful during periods of sleep deprivation, especially when stacked with creatine and NAD precursors.
Epithalamin (Alavida)
Epithalamin is a naturally occurring peptide hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain.
It influences the endocrine system and has benefits scientists are still working to uncover, including improving:
- Biological aging
- Telomere elongation
- Lifespan
- Cellular health & function
- Circadian rhythm
- Melatonin synthesis
- Immunity
- Metabolism
- Chromosome repair
- Beauty & radiance
- Fine lines & wrinkles
- Firmer looking skin
- Skin appearance & complexion
- Frontal lobe function
- Organ function (thyroid, adrenals, liver, kidney, pancreas)
- Overall homeostasis
If you’ve heard of the popular longevity peptide called Epitalon, that’s the synthetic version of Epithalamin. Anecdotal reports claim that this peptide also increases the secretion of growth hormone.
The pineal gland is one of the master regulators of the aging process and is one of the strongest therapies to reverse biological age.
Like copper peptide, LifeWave's Alavida theoretically should work best in older folks. For sleep, beauty, brain function, and biological age reversal Share on XMy Ultrahuman AIR ring shows about an average 11% increase in sleep duration, a 13% improvement to recovery biomarkers (HRV, RHR), and a few less wake-ups throughout the night when I use Alavida.
I suspect my results would be even greater if I had pineal disturbances (based on diet and lifestyle) or a condition.
While I could also take exogenous melatonin supplements, they don’t mimic the pineal gland’s natural pulsation of it throughout the night.
How to Use Phototherapy Patches (+ My Tips)
If you’re going to patch, I have a few tips that’ll help you.
First, LifeWave recommends starting with the X39 patch, and using it for one month for every year of your life to see the benefits definitively. Some people notice results right away. Others take some time.
So, if you’re 40 years old, expect to notice changes after four months. If you’re 60, it can take up to six months.
Each patch has different directions, but LifeWave generally recommends wearing them for 12 hours at a time for the best effects.
For those skeptical about these things (i.e. me), get the IceWave patches and apply them to people in pain (with consent, of course). That patch has the most pronounced rapid effects.
Or, you can try the patches specifically designed for animals, since they’re far more resistant to the placebo effect.
Patches work best when combined with a healthy lifestyle. Plus, they stack nicely with just about every health optimizing biohack. More on that later.
Pricing & Where to Get LifeWave Patches
LifeWave phototherapy patches are certainly expensive, especially when compared to buying vials of the equivalent peptides from research chemical websites.
In addition to avoiding the error-prone reconstitution process, dosing, and potential LPS contamination of peptide injections, patches have two distinct advantages:
- Zero side effects
- Longer half-life
GHK-Cu copper peptide injection, for example, has a half-life of about one hour. Meaning your body will break down half of the substance within 60 minutes. The patches, on the other hand, elevate levels of copper peptides for 12 hours.
Giving you a greater potential therapeutic window.
LifeWave patches cost between $69.95 up to $149.95 based on the model and order type. This brings the cost per patch from $2.33 (subscription) up to $4.99 (one-time).
To help you understand the full cost of each patch, I’ll include a table.
| Patch 🧬 | Servings 🧪 | One-Time 💵 | Subscription 📅 |
|---|---|---|---|
| X39 | 30 | $149.95 | $99.95 |
| X49 | 30 | $149.95 | $99.95 |
| Energy Enhancer | 30 | $79.95 | $69.95 |
| Alavida | 30 | $79.95 | $69.95 |
| IceWave | 30 | $79.95 | $69.95 |
| Silent Night | 30 | $79.95 | $69.95 |
If you go through my link, I can help you with any questions you have.
Biohacks & Stacks to Boost The Effects of LifeWave Patches
Perhaps you’re wondering what you can combine with LifeWave patches to amplify their benefits.
GHK-Cu copper peptide enhances the outcome of all kinds of therapies.
Some of the best phototherapy patch stacks include:
- Red light therapy
- Infrared light therapy
- Sauna therapy
- Pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMF)
- Collagen peptides
- Proteolytic enzymes
- Intermittent hypoxia training
- Whole body vibration therapy (WBV)
- Oral bioregulator peptides
Each of these works great for specific use cases. For example, a beauty stack may consist of X39, collagen peptides, light therapy, and optionally, the Alavida patch.
A detox stack could include Alavida, WBV, infrared or sauna therapy, and potentially the Glutathione patch.
If I come across any game changers, I’ll list them here.
LifeWave Patches Review: Final Verdict
Peptides are some of the most promising health optimization substances of the 21st century.
Pharmaceutical companies have caught wind of these small molecules, and some of the most successful drugs in history are peptides.
As we’ve seen from the wildly popular yet potentially dangerous GLP-1 drugs, they have a huge number of drawbacks and potential complications.
Plus, injections are a hassle and I often hear horror stories of people overdosing (not lethal, but extremely unpleasant for days on end).
What if we could harness the benefits of peptides and health-promoting small molecules, without the side effects and that last considerably longer? Share on XMerely by using clean nanotechnology to amplify your body’s innate intelligence.
This fits squarely into the category of BioHarmonic therapies, and because of that, I’ve been experimenting with LifeWave products.
I am NOT a fan of the LifeWave business model (Multi-Level Marketing), because many times these turn out to be scams or pyramid schemes.
So far, my own experience and those of long-time users suggest that LifeWave is one of the exceptions. The limited science so far suggests the same.
You can test them out yourself through the button below. They offer a 90-day money-back guarantee as well. Use this if you don’t feel any effects.
If you’ve used LifeWave phototherapy patches, I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and let me know your experience.
And if you found this article interesting, please send it to a friend or share it on social media. That’s how I know what topics to research for you. Thanks!
LifeWave Phototherapy Patches
Phototherapy patches reflect specific wavelengths of light & infrared energy back into your body to precisely activate specific biochemical processes. Can a simple substance-free adhesive patch really elevate GHK-Cu (copper peptide), AHK-Cu, glutathione, epithalamin, carnosine, beta oxidation, and more? If so, it could be a breakthrough technology for cellular repair, better sleep, stress relief, appetite suppression, pain relief, accelerated healing, longevity, anti-aging, energy, performance, and far beyond.
4.15
Pros
- Established company & used by government agencies
- Non-invasive
- Safety
- Zero active substance means no side effects
- Easy to use & apply
- Travel-friendly & portable
- Long 12+ hour half-life (much longer than injectable peptides)
- Quantifiable effects
- Easily stacks with other biohacks
Cons
- Multi-level marketing business model
- Expensive
- Limited scientific evidence
- Few peptide patches available
- Only available for purchase online
