Power Balance Wristbands: Real or fake?

As a former advertising professional, I like to think that I am wise to the ways of marketing a product to create extensive profit. Sometimes I fall for the gimmicks and other times I say "yeah right" and walk away—which is what I ended up doing with my Power Balance wristband. Lucky for me, I got it for free at a Women's Health event I attended in Chicago.

Power Balance claims that the hologram embedded in the silicone wristband interacts with the body's natural energy field to improve balance and flexibility. Apparently the hologram is treated with "energy waves at specific frequencies." I'm all about improving balance and flexibility—good balance keeps you on your two feet in a variety of different situations, and excellent flexibility keeps the body moving smoothly during physical activity. But is a hologram really capable of making noticeable improvements?

I wore the bracelet during a Yoga session at the event to test the theory. I felt fairly balanced, but my balance is pretty decent to begin with so it's a toss up as to whether or not the bracelet was having any effect on me. So I poked around on the Internet in an effort to read up on the concept of individual energy fields.

The results of my efforts were all over the place. Sometimes I felt as if I was reading legitimate scientific research, and other times I felt as if I was reading something straight out of a voodoo tiki tent. I couldn't even paraphrase it all if I wanted to. But I did decipher one common thread—the body's natural energy field creates physical and emotional balance, and people have been trying to harness and control that balance for eons. Can one single product actually do it? I'm feeling a bit unconvinced at this point. Take a look at the following video and draw your own conclusions.



My gut reaction? The guy fakes it when he's being tested. Then again, maybe he isn't. You be the judge...or not. My honest opinion? There are plenty of  proven ways to improve balance that don't include questionable accessories. Save your dollars, folks.

Question: Is there a product or service you think is a total, money stealing gimmick? Tell me about it.