The Bad Science: Negative Ion Bracelets

What Do They Claim? Wearing a bracelet will cure your seasonal affective disorder (ironically termed “SAD”)

Are they trying to sell you something? All manner of bracelets – some more fashionable than others.

Is any of this true? The bracelets probably aren’t going to cure your seasonal affective disorder any more effectively than some vitamin D pills and a bit of sunlight. There were a few studies in the early 90s with small sample sizes that showed a modest improvement in mood when people breathed ionized air for long periods of time, but not any large-scale trials. In at least a few of the studies, the participants were college students who had to participate in the trials for course credit, so maybe the fact that they got an “A”  for sitting in front of a fan improved their moods? It’s impossible to say.

Also, you may remember back in 2008 when The Sharper Image went bankrupt due to a court case over their ionizing air purifiers, which didn’t clean air so much as they generated unhealthy amounts of ozone. (You may recall from one of our earlier posts that ozone is great for the upper atmosphere, and bad for direct human contact) So, yeah, there’s not really a great track record of products extolling the benefits of “negative ionization.” If these bracelets actually did work, they would just be generating ozone and failing to kill bacteria. 

Is any of this Dangerous? Nah, but it’s a little pricy and probably not worth the workplace conversations that the bracelet will inspire.

What’s the bottom line? Wearing a stylish fancy rock bracelet isn’t going to fix your SAD. But it may make you look like a goober. If you’re having a tough time coping with your SAD, you should talk to your doctor.