A Review of Power Balance Wristbands: Do They Work?

Power Balance wristbands were first released in January of 2007 out of Orange County, California. Since then, they have become an increasingly popular phenomenon among people of all ages and all walks of life, including some of the world's top athletes. If you haven't heard of Power Balance wristbands yet, you are not alone. Fortunately, there's hope, with the following review of Power Balance wristbands we'll answer the questions: What is Power Balance? Do the wristbands really work? If so, how? And finally, where can I buy one?

Power Balance is a relatively recent product on the market. The company sells silicone wristbands and pendant necklaces embedded with a treated hologram. The claim of Power Balance products is their ability to increase physical performance and overall quality of life. They utilize holograms which are specifically designed to work with your body's natural energy flow, and in turn increase endurance, balance, strength, and flexibility. The Power Balance technology is worn and endorsed by many famous athletes including professional basketball players Shaquille O'neill and Lamar Odom, professional surfers Bruce and Andy Irons, mixed martial arts fighter Shane Del Rosario, and many others.

Arguments for Power Balance:

The science behind the bracelet relies on the embedded hologram. The hologram has been with treated with energy waves at specific positive frequencies. These frequencies react positively with your body's naturally occurring and ever-flowing energy fields. Once the hologram comes into contact with your body, energy flow is then supposedly improved throughout, thus improving ones balance, flexibility, and strength. Simple enough right?

While the idea of a bracelet optimizing your body's performance may be hard to swallow, the general idea behind it's technology isn't. Being in touch with our body's natural energy, and working to optimize it, is at the foundation of many ancient Eastern philosophies. Frequencies from items we use daily such as cell phones, radios, televisions, and microwaves can damage the naturally free-flowing energy in our body. Power Balance wristbands claim to be the answer to restoring that energy back to a normal level.

Arguments against Power Balance:

Many skeptics are left to wonder if Power Balance wristbands really work. It seems almost too convenient that wearing a bracelet can magically increase strength, balance, and flexibility. While the bracelets are endorsed by many athletes and celebrities alike (see video), there are still many skeptics. Many believe the bracelet works via the placebo effect. Which means any improvement in balance, flexibility, and strength is simply a result of positive thinking, and well, believing in the bracelet. A situation in which mind-over-matter, truly prevails. After all, the human mind is an extremely powerful tool, capable of some really outrageous things. Whether performing better athletically is achieved from believing in yourself, or in a rubber bracelet, is the ultimate question. The only way to find out is to do your own research and try one for yourself.

Nobody can afford to spend $30 on a fake. The only way to know that you are buying a real Power Balance, is to buy direct from the company website.

There are thousands of authorized dealers and distributors who claim to sell the real Power Balance bracelets. Whether or not this is true, I can't say. Similarly, There are many "fake" Power Balance wristbands on the market. These are usually offered at a much cheaper price.

Since the beginning, Power Balance has made claims of it's abilities to improve balance and strength by using the body's natural energy. But never once does the company offer scientific evidence of their claims. Is Power Balance just one big scam? Australia says "yes."

Recently, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Graeme Samuel said that Power Balance Australia couldn't provide any scientific evidence to back up the claim. He also stated that "consumers should be wary of other similar products on the market that make unsubstantiated claims, when they may be no more beneficial than a rubber band.” The ACCC is telling Power Balance Australia to refund customers money. If you feel cheated by false claims, contact Power Balance and ask for your money back.

Whether or not the intentions of Power Balance were to scam consumers, is debatable. But the truth is, the bracelet's "technology" lies in the power of thought, more than the hologram. For many people - placebo or not - the bracelet has worked for them. If you believe the bracelet improves your athletic abilities, then it does. Power Balance is not the first to market a product off such angle. Regardless, the Power Balance company has promised to remove misleading claims on their packaging and replace them with “corrective advertising.” Power Balance is still available, online and in stores almost worldwide.