Far infrared? Ceramics and pH? Magnetic therapy?

[abhishek]

I'm posting this here because I don't know the legitimacy of the topic and whether it qualifies for discussion in the other physics sections.

Curious thing happened today that's got me wondering...

I met someone who represented a company that apparently sells healing and therapeutic products (though, tbh, I suspect they're really selling multi-level marketing). He presented some kind of device with a rotating magnet that "stabilised the body" and helped relieve aches, pains, etc. He mentioned that it was "a complete replacement for the medicine cabinet". (Already alarm bells were ringing in my head.)

I pressed him for details as to its workings but all he could tell me was something vague about magnetic fields and biochemical stability. He segued into other treatment devices they offered, including something that used far infrared radiation for further stability/harmony, and some ceramic that balanced pH levels in the bloodstream.

He said a lot about not knowing the technical workings of the products, and that he only has user experience as proof.

I told him I was sceptical, so he tried to demonstrate the rotating magnet device by doing some ridiculously uncontrolled/unfair testing that involved me trying to maintain posture/balance while he applied pressure by hand to dissuade my body from remaining upright. Must've been a funny sight for the neighbours.

Apparently my "energy levels" were "better" (what does he mean?) after he waved the magic device over my back, and that's why I retained posture better after it.

I'm fairly convinced there's no substance to most of this. But I admit I have no factual knowledge that leads me to think so. What I'd like to know from the reasonable minds at PF is if there is some gem of truth among any of it. Even if there isn't, exactly what are these people supposedly claiming about far infrared radiation and pH-harmonising ceramics? I've never heard of it before. Could make for some amusing reading.

I do hear a lot about magnetic treatments and its applications in stuff like underlays in beds -- ads on TV mostly, nothing credible. Has this been properly tested and found to be effective, or is it simply over-marketed?

Thanks.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I looked into all of this when a guy at work was selling magnets and trying to recruit everyone. From what I have seen there is no evidence that low level magnetic fields provide any relief or therapeutic value. What I did see was that intense, varying magnetic fields - I believe on the order of one Tesla and a thousand hertz - have been shown to provide some sort of relief and can also aid healing in some cases, but this uses something like an MRI magnet which is about ten thousand times stronger than common magnets. The hyped magnet therapy literature mentioned the related medical benefits from an OHSU study, but nothing about the fact that you would need a magnet the size of a truck and rotating a thousand times a second. [values cited here are approximate but representative].

 

[Davorak]

Time varying magnectic field causes DNA necrosis in rats.
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/6355/6355.pdf
and a report by NASA on growth of neuronal cells.
http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/TP-2003-212054.pdf

 

[Chronos]

A copper bracelet is cheaper. It will eventually turn your wrist green, which is more than can be said for magnets - which do absolutely nothing.

 

[Francis M]

Sounds like a bunch of psudo-science mumbo jumbo to me. Seems like their taking some of the exeriments mentioned by Ivan and using it as a nebulous connection to sell their products.