Saturday Quack – Magnetic or Copper Bracelets for Arthritis

Copper bracelets for arthritis pain relief have been used for years, without any proof of effectiveness.  It’s not even sure that copper is absorbed through the skin.  More recently, magnetic bracelets have been touted for the same purpose – relieving pain.  Apparently the market for therapeutic magnetic items is around 4 billion US dollars.

A UK study from the University of York, published in the journal Contemporary Therapies in Medicine, has examined the effectiveness of copper and magnetic bracelets in patients with osteoarthritis.  Forty-five patients with osteoarthritis were recruited from family practices in Yorkshire;  they were all over 50 years of age, and had been diagnosed with the condition earlier.  They were to wear, in randomized 4-week rotations, four types of wrist strap:  a commercially available magnetized strap, a weak magnetic strap, a copper bracelet, and a demagnetized strap (placebo).   The subjects were regularly assessed using the self-scoring WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Pain Rating Index; their use of medications was also recorded.

Results of these tests showed that there were no meaningful differences between the four devices worn on the wrist with respect to their effect on pain, stiffness, and physical function.  This is not the first report of disappointing effectiveness of these bracelets, but it represents the first placebo-controlled randomized study.  “It seems likely that any perceived benefit obtained from wearing a magnetic or copper bracelet can be attributed to psychological placebo effects”, to quote the principal investigator of  the study.