kgb_ Special Agents are tireless and relentless in their search for the answers to America’s questions.  And what does America want to know, you ask?  Well, today’s buzz centers on the medicinal properties of metal:

So what’s with the necklaces MLB players are wearing?

Know more:

Titanium is reported to help stabilize the body’s flow of energy.  In fact, many Major League Baseball players have been draping themselves with titanium-coated necklaces (in official team colors no less) because they believe they are getting health benefits from the titanium.

Yankee pitcher Joba Chamberlain is among many professional athletes who believe the titanium-coated necklaces enhance their athletic performance.

Chamberlain, a paid endorser of Phiten titanium-coated sportswear says it helps him recover and he’s proud to be associated with the product.

Some scientific researchers suggest it is all hogwash and only delivers a placebo effect to the wearer.  However, certified athletic trainers know the placebo effect can be very powerful nonetheless, and seldom dissuade their pro athletes from trying out the latest fad.  As long as it is safe and not unethical, trainers believe it can give a player confidence and an edge.

A Japanese chiropractor founded the Phiten company after discovering a way to dissolve nanoparticles of titanium in water and then infuse it into products like shirts, socks, athletic tape, necklaces, massage lotion and more.

U.S. baseball players noticed players in Japan wearing the titanium necklaces and brought the fad home. Phiten reports that at least 300 major-league players have worn their products, and paid endorsers includes Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox among others.

Phiten cites the following research:  A study conducted at Japan’s Kyoto Prefectural University and published in the Journal of Life Sciences shows that mice in cages with titanium-infused rubber sheets slept better than mice with placebo sheets. It concluded that titanium “has a relaxant effect.”

While the mice may go night-night better, Phiten’s statements have not been evaluated by the FDA nor has the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) specifically studied titanium.

Phiten USA, Inc. Commercial (Joba Chamberlain)

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Source:  Metal: Panacea or Placebo?