What Is Magnetic Jewelry?

Magnets have been a popular healing tool throughout history. Believed to remove sick energies from the body, magnetic therapy jewelry is a bustling business. While marketers of the products tout amazing healing benefits, clinical testing of magnet therapy says differently. This is one product that doesn't have strong science on its side.

What is Magnetic Jewelry?

Magnetic jewelry is a staple of magnetic therapy, a controversial healing discipline that utilizes magnetic fields to allegedly cure illness. The jewelry usually comes in very simple stainless-steel designs, and is often low in cost, although more ornate designs using other materials exist. The most common magnetic jewelry are bracelets, with rings, necklaces and other pieces available to consumers.

Does It Work?

Empirical testing shows that magnetic jewelry may not be effective. Quack Watch writer Stephen Barrett, M.D. features several negative studies in his article, "Magnet Therapy: A Skeptical View." He asserts that claims of improved circulation are false, noting that "placing a magnet on the skin would make the area under the magnet become red, which it does not." There was also a negative study performed by the Mayo Clinic, which "compared the effects of wearing magnetic or sham-magnetic cushioned insoles over an 8-week period...[the researchers] found no difference between the treatment and control groups." There's not much science to back up the claims of magnet jewelry adherents, but some does exist.

Benefits

Although some tests show magnet therapy jewelry and treatment as ineffective, others dispute this. A University of Virginia research study found that magnets affect the flow of blood through vessels, oxygenating the blood supply. Lee Dye of "ABC News" states, "Researchers have shown that a mild magnetic field can cause the smallest blood vessels in the body to dilate or constrict, thus increasing the blood flow and suppressing inflammation, a critical factor in the healing process." Scientists are still studying whether the results can be duplicated on humans, since this test was done on rats. However, the effects may not carry over to magnetic jewelry. Dye emphasizes, "Their findings do not lend credence to the wild claims of many manufacturers of magnetic cure-alls."

Where to Get Magnetic Jewelry

Magnetic jewelry is widely sold on the Internet, as well as in retail stores. It's also possible to purchase magnetic jewelry makings in order to craft your own designs. Some New Age and alternative healing shops may also sell magnetic jewelry. By shopping around, it's possible to find designs using semi-precious stones, gold, silver and other precious metals. Well-stocked stores carry jewelry in a wide-enough range of designs to suit most wardrobes and tastes.

Considerations

Although magnetic jewelry is attractive as both an accessory and medicinal tool, it's still not satisfactorily proven to work. Many are interested in the effects of magnets on the body because they're inexpensive and readily available. Dye notes that early and present users of the jewelry often use the premise that "magnets might pull diseases and pain from the body...despite the lack of evidence." The tiny magnets in jewelry are often not concentrated enough on the particular injured area to be of much use.