Energy is one of the most abused Alternative Medicine buzzwords. While energy is a legitimate concept, the word is repeated ad nauseum in alt-med circles without specifying what type it is, how it is accessed, or the method behind how it works as a particular medicant.

The field also uses genuine terms incorrectly to try and impress or at least confuse. In a article for Skeptical Inquirer, Dr. Nick Tiller wrote that proprietors of magic jewelry claim the ability to harness quantum energy fields, get in tune with bodily frequencies, emit magnetic pulses, protect the wearer and generally “make Bilbo Baggins envious.” Best of all, there is no arduous adventure that makes one late for dinner; these trinkets, bracelets, and pendants are readily available.

As one example, Tiller cited the PowerBalance bracelet, which the doctor notes uses a physiological trick to make the product seem efficient. In the demonstration, volunteers stand on one leg and hold their arms out for balance. An assistant then pulls down on the volunteer’s forearm and they go a’ tumbling. The volunteer then slaps on the PowerBalance bracelet and the test is seemingly repeated, with the volunteer staying put. However, this is because on the second iteration, the assistant pulled down above the volunteer’s elbow, near to the wearer’s center of gravity.

A similar ploy has volunteers clasp their hands behind the back and when pulled down on, they lose balance. With the magic item is put on, the volunteer stays upright this time, but only because the assistant stands closer, close enough to prevent them from toppling over.

Another product with putative powers is the magnetic bracelet, which proponents claim can access the power of iron-based protein in red cells. Tiller writes that red blood cells contain iron and hemoglobin, and indeed, iron filings align along magnetic fields. However, iron in the blood is weakly paramagnetic and thus would never be responsive to magnetic fields.

In lieu of double blind studies or an explanation of a plausible mechanism, most of these products rely on an array of logical fallacies, such as the appeals to nature, tradition, and popularity.
Genuine medicine uses known properties and mechanisms to treat or cure a specific condition or ailment. Fraudulent knockoffs often claim to be a panacea for a host of unrelated health maladies, to include mental issues. Such wide-ranging claims are almost always a giveaway that the product is bogus.