One of the hottest gimmicks of the past few years are bracelets and necklaces that are alleged to improve a wide-range of physical functions, including athletic performance. The first brand I ever heard of was the Phiten brand which was made popular by Major League Baseball players.
I bought a couple because I liked the idea that you could wear them swimming and exercising and thought they looked cool. However, I never bought the idea – or felt any effect – that the titanium in the Phiten products would improve my energy level or any performance variable. I just like the way they look. If you go to the Phiten website looking for proof, all you will find are testimonials. No science.
Recently, Power Balance and iRenew have doubled down on the claims that these products can improve performance. Power Balance claims that their products use some kind of holographic technology. The problem is that holograms cannot increase or improve your energy levels. And I can say that the Power Balance bracelets don’t do anything.
You don’t have to take my word for it. The Power Balance people themselves admit that there isn’t any science to back-up their claims that their hologram powered products can increase your energy level. In response to an action brought against the company by Australian authorities the company wrote: “We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims.” Power Balance also agreed to give refunds to those who were duped.
Visiting the iRenew site you get no science. As a matter of fact, when I clicked on the “Testimonials” link I was taken to an order page with nary a testimonial in sight. Perhaps this was just a temporary glitch I experienced on February 28th. There’s an old saying, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Do you get it? If you really want more details, check out this post from the Skeptical Review blog. Do yourself a favor; unless you just like the way they look stay away from Power Balance and iRenew products.
