Power Balance

[[File:Power Balance bracelet on wrist.jpg|thumb|right|165px|An askew Power Balance bracelet]]
{{Billy Mays}}
{{pseudosciencenav}}
The '''Power Balance bracelet''' is another in a long line of [[science woo]] scams. In late 2010 and early 2011, they received significant amounts of media coverage due to players wearing the bands during the Ashes [[cricket]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12135402 What are Power Balance bands?], ''BBC News'', 7 January 2011</ref>

==The con==
According to their web site,
{{Cquote|POWER BALANCE’S Mylar [[Holographic]] Disk (the same substance used to keep static electricity from damaging electrical components) has been imbedded with an electrical frequency that restores your body’s electrical balance, promoting a free exchange of positive and negative ions and align your body’s energy pathways.}}
The benefits, again from their web site are:
{{Cquote|clear: faster synaptic response (brain function), enhanced muscle response (in both fast and slow twitch tissues), increased stamina (better [[oxygen]] uptake and recovery), more flexibility (faster recovery) and vastly improved gravitational balance.}}
Although there is a noticeable lack of supporting evidence of any kind, let alone [[peer-reviewed]] papers, they hark to the mystical east (where else): 
{{Cquote|Eastern medicine tapped this concept thousands of years ago when health practitioners researched, mapped and developed treatments based on the body’s natural energy pathways. Disciplines such as [[acupuncture]], [[acupressure]] and [[Reiki]] therapy often produce phenomenal results because of these fundamental biophysical principals.}}

==The testimonials==
{{main|Testimonial}}
On opening their web site (UK version), the first name you see is Rubens Barichello. For a device that relies strongly on testimonials, though, there are very few actually present; the Barichello bit is a claim that he has been seen wearing a bracelet, so not much of a testimonial there.

==The cost==
[[File:Counterfeit powerbalance.jpg|thumb|The irony]]
Bearing in mind that it's a rubber band with a piece of "hologram" foil embedded, they come in at a very reasonable £25 for the [[UK]] version and $60 for the [[US]] version. Whether they're working from a very old exchange rate or they reckon 'murkins are easier to part from their cash is debatable.

===The profit===
Power Balance LLC has apparently acquired the naming rights for the "Arco Arena" in Sacramento:

"''… a credible source told Sactown Royalty that the Kings have agreed in principle to a five-year deal with Power Balance LLC to rename the arena the Power Balance Pavilion.  This is not a joke.''"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110112151431/http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2011/1/11/1929138/source-new-name-for-kings-arena-will-be-power-balance-pavilion Report on the Sacrament Kings fan site] </ref>

The former sponsors were paying an estimated $700,000 per year.

==Investigation==
[[File:36 Wendy PB Picture.jpg|thumb|right|Testing Power Balance at the Independent Investigations Group]]
A 2010 investigation carried out by University of Wales Institute Cardiff at the request of the BBC confirmed that there was no difference between wearing the bracelet and wearing a [[placebo]]. Dr Gareth Irwin, the head of bio-mechanics at the university said, ''"Very simply the tests show that there was no difference between wearing this dummy band or wearing the Power Balance band. We tested it statistically as well and found that there wasn't a statistical difference"''.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11805616 Power Balance band is placebo, say experts], ''BBC News'', 22 November 2010</ref>

A 2010 test by the Independent Investigations Group found no difference between Power Balance and a [[Experimental control|control]] bracelet for either an obstacle course or for flexibility.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140125045424/http://iighq.org/index.php/investigations/power-balance-experiment Independent Investigations Group: Power Balance Experiment]</ref>

==ACCC==
In 2010, the [[Australian]] Competition and Consumer Commission found that "[The] claims made by Power Balance were not supported by any credible scientific evidence and therefore Power Balance has admitted that it has engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in breach of s 52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974."<ref>[http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/964065 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]</ref> While the refund policy that they were forced to adopt looks like a 
strap
 slap on the wrist, the admission of misleading conduct that they were forced to publish was picked up by non-Australian media<ref>Example: [http://gizmodo.com/5723577/powerbalance-admits-their-wristbands-are-a-scam PowerBalance Admits Their Wristbands Are a Scam], Gizmodo</ref> and may cause them more trouble.

==See also==
*[[Shoo!Tag]]
*[[iRenew]]
*[[Copper bracelet]]

==External links==
*Power Balance: Available in [https://web.archive.org/web/20091105172001/http://www.powerbalanceuk.com/ British], [http://www.powerbalance.net/ American], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091015212202/http://www.powerbalance.com.au/ Australian,] [https://web.archive.org/web/20091207044534/http://www.powerbalanceshop.co.za/ South African], [https://web.archive.org/web/20090821033222/http://www.powerbalance-sea.com/ South East Asian], and other exciting flavors
*The company's ad channels on [http://www.youtube.com/user/PowerBalance YouTube], [http://twitter.com/powerbalanceD Twitter], and [http://www.myspace.com/powerbalance MySpace]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Woo]]

Categories: Pseudoscience, Woo