Uncommon Testosterone (Foreword by Benjamin Bikman, PhD)

Cold Plunge Therapy for Optimizing Sexual Health

My latest book is about using cold plunge therapy for sexual and reproductive wellness. I’m grateful to Benjamin Bikman, PhD for writing the Foreword, which I’ve republished here.

Ben wrote a very successful book called Why We Get Sick that could be the operating manual for the Make American Health Again movement, if Robert F Kennedy, Jr., Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, and Marty Makary were inclined to pay attention to it. In that book, Ben describes how insulin resistance is the origin of every leading cause of death from chronic illness in the United States.

It is also the origin of the epidemic of low testosterone that has been growing in the United States these last several decades. What most people don’t realize is that testosterone synthesis begins in the mitochondria. When the mitochondria are dysfunction, insulin resistance is high, and testosterone is low.

The beautiful thing is that cold plunge fixes it, and my labs are living proof.

I’ve been lucky to become friends with Ben. He advised me on how to deal with agents and publishers, and avoid mistakes. He shared with me how difficult it was to bring his book through the editing process, and encouraged me to self-publish after the agents and publishers I pitched rejected my first book Uncommon Cold. I didn’t even bother to pitch Uncommon Testosterone—I just went straight to Amazon with it.

Now Ben and I have beconme friends on social media and in real life. We’ve been fortunate to have visited one another’s campuses and exchange ideas about metabolism and scholarship.

If COVID lockdowns taught me anything, it’s that we all need friends. While I still sometimes miss the ones I lost back in 2020, I wouldn’t trade any of the new friends I’ve made since to have the old ones back.

This book is a product of the years of effort I’ve put into understanding health, well-being, and how to resolve chronic illnesses since the COVID censorship policies caused me to mistrust everything the prevailing institutions of public health have been lying about the last five years.

What you will find in these pages is a guide to caring for yourself, regardless of who is in the White House. When you come to understand that metabolism is the source of high quality of life and well-being, and how to take care of yours, you will be blessed with the key to unlock the doors of longevity, almost unlimited energy, a will to compete, and peak sexual function.

I’m reproducing the Table of Contents and Ben’s Foreword here in the hopes that it will attract you enough to buy the book yourself on Amazon, but if paying for knowledge isn’t really your thing, that’s OK. You can still read everything over at the Science Page at Morozko Forge, and it won’t cost you a thing.

Foreword (by Benjamin Bikman, PhD)

When Thomas asked me to write the foreword for his book, I hesitated for about as long as it takes for insulin to spike after a high-sugar snack—which, as you know, isn’t long. Not because I wasn’t honored, but because I knew I had to find the right words to match the gravity and audacity of what he’s done here.

As the author of Why We Get Sick, my work has focused on the role of insulin resistance in chronic illness and metabolic dysfunction. The evidence is clear: insulin resistance is at the root of nearly every major cause of death from chronic disease in the U.S. and is central to the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even neurodegenerative disorders. If we want to address the alarming decline in American health and life expectancy, we must target the metabolic dysfunction at the heart of these conditions.

A major driver of this dysfunction is mitochondrial health. Mitochondria are not just the powerhouses of our cells; they are central to how our bodies manage energy, regulate inflammation, and, yes, even produce testosterone. There’s a direct link between insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction—when our cells struggle to process energy efficiently, our health declines at every level. This is why improving mitochondrial function is critical, not just for longevity but for optimizing testosterone and overall vitality.

In Uncommon Testosterone, Thomas bridges the gap between metabolic science and personal transformation. His work synthesizes an impressive body of research on cold plunge therapy, showing how deliberate cold exposure can enhance mitochondrial function, improve insulin sensitivity, and drive up testosterone levels—contrary to the mainstream narrative that declining testosterone is just a natural consequence of aging. His own journey serves as proof of concept, demonstrating how lifestyle interventions can have profound physiological effects.

I know this firsthand. I’ve incorporated ice baths into my own daily routine, not just as an academic curiosity but as a personal practice. Every morning, I immerse myself in freezing water. Some days, it’s invigorating; others, it’s sheer discipline. I do it because I’ve experienced measurable benefits. It calms my body, improves my sleep, and sharpens my focus throughout the day. The cold is a teacher—one that builds resilience, mental clarity, and metabolic strength.

Cold therapy is just one part of the equation. Optimizing mitochondrial health requires a multi-faceted approach, including a diet that minimizes refined carbohydrates, and incorporates strategic exercise and other metabolic interventions. I’ve personally found that pairing my ice baths with a diet that limits insulin-spiking foods amplifies their effects. The combination of cold exposure, controlled carbohydrate intake, and regular movement creates a powerful metabolic advantage—one that I believe is essential for long-term health.

If you’ve read Why We Get Sick, you know that I take a metabolic-first approach to health. And if you’re looking ahead to my upcoming book, The Case Against Carbs, you’ll see how refined carbohydrates have systematically undermined our metabolic integrity. But what Thomas does so well here is expand the conversation beyond diet, challenging us to think about other interventions that can restore metabolic function and hormone balance.

If you’re picking up this book, you might be curious about testosterone, concerned about your health, or just intrigued by voluntarily sitting in freezing water (which, let’s be honest, sounds a bit masochistic until you experience the benefits). Whatever brought you here, you’re in for more than you bargained for. This book isn’t just about boosting testosterone—it’s about reclaiming metabolic health, challenging outdated assumptions, and embracing evidence-based practices that actually work.

So, with that, I invite you to dive in—both literally and figuratively. Prepare to be challenged, educated, and, perhaps most importantly, inspired. And if you find yourself shivering in an ice bath somewhere, just remember: your mitochondria are thanking you.

Benjamin Bikman, PhD
Author, Why We Get Sick
Professor, Brigham Young University
March 2025
Provo UT

Table of Contents

Introduction. 1
Low Testosterone: A Slow-Motion Catastrophe. 11
Case Studies in Cold Plunge Therapy. 29
Sexual & Reproductive Health. 37
Prostate Health. 83
Stress, Performance, & Recovery. 99
Herbs, Supplements, Minerals, & Lifestyle. 121
Contraindications to Cold Plunge. 155
Protocols. 179
Uncommon Living. 201
Acknowledgements. 209

Praise for Uncommon Testosterone

Why have testosterone levels been declining for several decades and what can be done about it? In Uncommon Testosterone, Professor Seager explains how cold plunges, correcting nutrient deficiencies, exercise, and getting off drugs that decrease testosterone can boost key hormone levels that influence muscle growth, energy, mood, and overall well-being. Uncommon Testosterone is a great book that can help you increase your testosterone and your quality of life.

- PD Mangan, Health & Freedom Maximalist, @mangan150

Uncommon Testosterone is the ultimate playbook for any man looking to naturally amplify strength, vitality, and longevity. Packed with cutting-edge science and primal wisdom, this book arms you with biohacks, nutrition strategies, and lifestyle upgrades to optimize testosterone and unlock peak performance. If you’re serious about upgrading your body and mind, then Seager's forward-thinking, outside-the-box book is a must-read.

– Ben Greenfield, author Boundless, CEO BenGreenfieldLife.com

Dr. Seager merges modern science with the ancient wisdom buried in our biology. His important work is not only helping to push the scientific community forward, but is also empowering all humans with the education and action items needed to effectively leverage cold exposure to optimize hormonal health, catalyze healing, improve performance, and enhance overall quality of life. The simplicity in and efficacy of Dr. Seager's approach is a breath of fresh air in a world rife with confusion around what it takes to achieve and maintain health."

- Alexis Cowan PhD, host ‘Undoctrinate Yourself’ podcast

Dr. Thomas P. Seager's pioneering work exploring beneficial effects of cold exposure on reproductive hormones has the potential to revolutionise the fields of andrology, urology & endocrinology in a new era of decentralied medicine that looks beyond band-aid pharmaceutical-based treatments of chronic disease towards first-principles, lifestyle-based protocols anchored in the fundamentals of cellular & mitochondrial physiology.

- Max Gulhane BSc,(Hons), MD, MPH, Host, Regenerative Health podcast

Uncommon Testosterone will help a lot of people.

- Mark Bell, Host, Power Project Podcast

Dr. Seager brings penetrating insights that digest and deliver the latest academic research in the field of cold plunge therapy. While many of us have felt the effects it is enlightening to see a top notch scientific thought to better understand our personal experiences and get better informed when discussing with those we care about.

- Trace Mayer Host of the Bitcoin Knowledge Podcast

In a world full of hyperbolic health claims, Uncommon Testosterone is a breath of fresh air. Tom does an exceptional job of presenting the facts, assessing the risk, and promoting reasonable hope for future research. If you want a sober and judicious analysis of cold plunge as a health tool, this is the source I would recommend.

--Kirk R. Parsley, MD (a.k.a.- Doc Parsley)

You may order your hardcopy of Uncommon Testosterone at this link https://amzn.to/4iJtgY9