Did you watch the World Series?
You may have noticed something hanging around the necks of players on both sides -- a twisted rope necklace in a variety of colors.
I became curious about it and searched the internet to find out what they are. And the answer is: Phiten Necklaces!
Phiten necklaces have become the must-have accessory for many professional athletes, especially in Major League Baseball (MLB). Some of the MLB players seen wearing them include Jon Lester, Justin Verlander and Justin Pedroia. Athletes claim that the necklaces improve their performance on the field.
Is there any truth to this?
What is Phiten?
is the company that produces these necklaces, as well as bracelets, body supporters and athletic tape. Phiten was launched in 1982 by Yoshihiro Hirata, an alternative medicine practitioner in Japan.
The products are infused with titanium, a strong, light metal. The company claims that the titanium is converted into a substance called Aqua-Titanum® and used as a dye to infuse the titanium into materials of which the company's products are made:
(Above: Aqua-Titanum- as depicted on the Phiten website)
The
company explains that the titanium in its product works like small
magnets to realign the body’s biologic electrical fields. Their :
“Your body has a small amount of electricity running through it – a bioelectric current. When this electricity stimulates the nerves, the muscles receive orders.
The electrical system is the control system in the body. But in some cases it does not function well. Stiff shoulders and tired muscles may indicate a disorder of your bioelectric system. This means the electricity is not running through your body in a normal manner.”
Is there any scientific evidence to support these claims?
There is very little to no scientific evidence to support the claims made by Phiten. The Phiten website transfers those who wish to view scientific evidence to another website: . Note: Before you go that website, there is a disclaimer from Phiten which states that “Phiten USA, Inc. is not responsible for the privacy policy, the content or the accuracy of any website accessed though a link on the phitenusa.com.”
The site lists five research papers, some of which primarily involve the effects of titanium implants on surrounding tissues. One study, published in the journal , did look at the “effect of titanium-permeated garments on on the performance of and recovery from a high-intensity intermittent exercise.” The researchers found that any improvements in performance when wearing Aquatitan-treated garments “are likely of trivial consequence.”
Dr. Orrin Sherman,
chief of sports medicine at the New York University Hospital for Joint
Diseases, says, “There’s just no way the chemical structure of the body
can be influenced by magnets that small. It’s all superstitions with no
scientific basis.”
How do you explain the large number in professional sports community who swear by the product? The small differences found can easily be attributed to an important factor -- the placebo effect!
In about 30% of patients, placebos make them feel better. Sometimes, placebos can actually lead to the same activation pathways that our bodies normally use to control things such as sensitivity to pain.
St. Louis area orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rich Lehman has studied athletes with and without these special necklaces/bracelets and finds no difference in the scientific parameters you can measure, such as pulse, blood pressure and so on. He has seen players who seem to perform better with the necklace or bracelet, but believes the change is psychological, not physical:
“The athlete believes they are getting a boost or pop from the necklace. The necklace is increasing their energy level and it kind of chills them out and puts them on an even keel. The athlete goes out thinking ‘I’m invincible’ and is going to play much better and respond accordingly; it tells you that your brain has a whole lot to do with performance and you know that because athletes have very strong constitutions, don’t get nervous and perform well under pressure.”
And professional athletes do tend to be somewhat
superstitious and ritualistic about their game day routines: MLB icon
Wade Boggs would only eat chicken before games, Atlanta Braves’ Elliot
Johnson chews on a piece of Super Bubble grape-flavored bubble gum when
he is playing defense, but changes it to watermelon flavor when it’s
time to hit. Other players always wear the same pair of socks, or
underwear or cap on game days. Many of the Boston Red Sox players didn't
shave as long as they were in the playoffs.
Perhaps the bottom line is best summed up by David Granger in an piece on the phenomenon:
But before you plunk down anywhere from $10-50 for a necklace up to
over $60 for titanium infused compression pants, hone your critical
thinking skills at and then decide.