Putting “Power Bands” Through Their Paces
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Popular among endurance athletes the benefits of titanium necklaces and bracelets are not backed by science.
Wesley college outfielder Rich Lober is sure the small charm around his neck is what keeps him balanced and coordinated.
Whenever he plays, Lober wears his Phiten Titanium Necklace, and claims it helps him stay relaxed in the field, and he says several of his teammates use the product also. The company’s website claims the $32 necklace uses specially-engineered titanium to “emit energy that effectively controls your bio electric current.”
“I don’t know if it actually does work,” Lober said. “But I can definitely feel myself relax when I think, ‘I’m wearing my Phiten.’ I feel a little bit more relaxed than if I wasn’t wearing it.”
The Phiten necklace is one of many popular “performance-enhancing” accessories on the market, which are worn and endorsed by celebrity athletes such as the Phillies’ Shane Victorino and the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony. Doctors and scientists doubt the product claims, saying the companies that make these products are selling snake oil.
“They don’t work,” Dr. Harriet Hall, a physician and medical columnist, said.
Hall said the concept of the body having an energy field is not supported by research, and that these companies are using scientific-sounding claims to scam customers.
READ MORE: Delaware Online