It is estimated that Americans spend around $1 billion each year on magnetic healing devices. But can magnets really improve our health? There is a great deal of controversy over this very issue. In this article, we'll explore some of the information available about how magnets may or may not work to improve health and speed healing.
Many studies credit the use of magnet technology for improved health and healing. However,
there are just as many doctors and scientists who disagree with these theories, believe that magnet therapy is more of a myth than a fact. Do magnets have any impact on health and healing? While the scientific community is still unsure, we'll explore some of the various theories regarding how magnets may work to improve health or physiology.
There is a general agreement among scientists that magnets can improve blood circulation. Though scientists aren't exactly sure why, one theory is that because blood contains iron, the magnetic field aligns the iron molecules, thus allowing for improved blood flow through the veins and arteries. Another theory would suggest that magnets assist with the way information is transferred through the body. Nerves move information from every part of the body to the brain with minor electrical impulses. Magnets may have an effect on the way nerves transfer that information, promoting faster movement of brain stimuli to promote improved circulation.
Whatever the reason, magnets do seem to help with circulation, which is a major health benefit. Good circulation means that oxygen is moving efficiently to all parts of the body, including extremities such as hands and feet. Improved circulation also helps to remove toxins from the blood by transporting them to the kidneys and then the urinary tract. Magnets are believed to help the body with the removal of lactic acid, a toxin that is commonly associated with joint pain and arthritis.
In 2004, the British Medical Journal conducted a trial of magnetic bracelets for healing purposes. One group of individuals received magnetic bracelets, while another group received placebos. The study found that the group that received the magnetic bracelets saw more improvement in the condition of arthritis than the group with the placebos did.
In the United States there have been many studies on the health effects of magnets. Just to name a couple, in 1997, Dr. Carlos Valbona of the Baylor College of Medicine published a study indicating that magnetic therapy reduced pain in 76% of the patients studied. In January 1999, a study conducted by Dr. Michael Weintraub was published in the American Journal of Pain Management in which Dr. Weintraub found a significant improvement in diabetic foot pain among patients who wore special magnetic socks.
Today, magnetic therapy devices are licensed in Japan and throughout other Asian countries. Magnetic therapy is also finding a place in Russia, many European countries, and Australia. In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that over a billion dollars is spent annually on magnetic devices for health improvement. This, of course, has captured the inspiration of many business savvy entrepreneurs. There are literally hundreds of different magnetic therapy devices available on the market today, such as magnetic mattress pads and inserts, pillows, body wraps, belts, back braces, bracelets, necklaces, and other jewelry. And now you can even purchase magnet therapy collars for dogs and cats, too!
These products are readily available online through a number of retailers. Undoubtedly, each supplier will offer a host of diseases that will be cured and just as many guarantees and testimonials as evidence. For those individuals who have been helped by magnet therapy, they are believers. Scientific studies such as the ones we mentioned, that support the evidence of magnet therapy for healing purposes, will only serve to build their case, and no amount of disagreeing evidence can sway their belief.
As for whether or not magnets can really improve health, no one is quite for sure yet. One thing is for sure, though, doctors and scientists will continue to evaluate this as a field of study, and new discoveries will certainly be made in the future. Until then, patients can make their own decision about whether magnet therapy is right for them or their loved ones.
