Ionized bracelets are often advertised as being beneficial for arthritis sufferers.
Ionized bracelets are a very controversial form of alternative medicine. These bracelets are supposedly magnetized bracelets that are solid and oval shaped. The ends do not meet and the bracelets typically have a metal ball at each end. The bracelets themselves may have different designs, and different brands suggest different benefits.
Claims
The claims about ionized bracelets vary based on the marketing and manufacturing companies. One popular brand advertises that their product balances the electromagnetic energy in the wearer's body and that it equalizes the positive yin ions and the negative yang ions. They are also advertised as providing similar benefits to traditional Chinese acupuncture. They supposedly help relieve pain after severe injuries or the pain of arthritis.
Tests
Ionized bracelets have been tested multiple ways. One test suggested by the manufacturers of one popular ionized bracelet is the "finger test." This test involves testing the strength of someone without the ionized bracelet, and then testing her strength while she is wearing one. The Mayo Clinic ran their own tests in 2000 and 2001, however. These tests involved half of the subjects wearing ionized bracelets and the other half wearing placebo bracelets. Both sides were asked to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10 before and after wearing the bracelet.
Results
The results of these tests found that both subjects wearing the placebo bracelets and the ionized bracelets rated their pain as less severe after the test. This proved that ionized bracelets were no more effective than placebos in treating pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, "The finding that subjective improvement in pain scores was equivalent with ionized and placebo bracelet use questions the benefit of using an ionized bracelet."
Legal Issues
In 2006 the FTC filed a lawsuit against one popular brand of ionized bracelets for false advertising. While part of their lawsuit focused on the particular brand's return policy, the lawsuit also attacked the supposed benefits of the ionized bracelet. The FTC won in court and the company was forced to pay up to $87 million. The company was accused of falsely advertising their product as providing "immediate, significant, and/or complete pain relief." According to the FTC's consumer protection bureau, "These defendants lied about the so-called medicinal benefits of , and deceived people in pain. The judgment against them is a real victory for all consumers."
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