# Help Me Debunk This... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189 "2001-04-16T19:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189/1 "2001-04-16T19:26:27Z")
A friend of mine is considering buying a franchise for doing ‘mineral body wraps’. After getting my skeptical comments on the concept, he dug up this information on how it’s supposed to work: > [@](#): > > How The Body Wrap Solution Works > > A problem is caused when there is inefficient transportation of nutrients in and out of the cells. > > Accompanying this problem is the insufficient flow of nutrients in the vascular system. The European BodyWrap solution increases the enzyme activity while the wraps compensate for the insufficient flow of nutrients resulting in the release of toxins and wastes in the cells and disposal of those wastes through normal bodyfunctions. > All ingredients in the European Body Wrap solution are natural and are present in the body. There are no additives present to create any stress on the body. > Magnesium Controls 75% of the enzyme in the body. The warm wraps facilitate the absorption of magnesium into areas under the skin where it can “spur on” the activity of the cells. Phosphorus is needed to get the desired reaction in the cell. Potassium “opens the door” of the cells since it is responsible for the osmotic pressure outside the cell. Nitrogen is present since it is the building block of all tissue, we do not want any loss of important tissue-- only fat. > A small amount of sodium is needed to balance the potassium and maintain a proper balance inside and outside the cell during the process. This actually prevents a problem in the body, there is no water loss. > > It is important to drink water, this cleanses the toxins from the system. > DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH > Nikolas Kohler This has all of those natural-medicine buzzwords in it, but sounds like complete garbage to me. But I’m not a doctor, and I don’t know a whole lot about the subject in general. So, I’m looking for any comments at all, pro and con. For what it’s worth, these body wraps are supposed to make you feel better, and they ‘guarantee’ an immediate 4-6 in reduction in body size (said reduction being the difference between a number of measurements of various body circumferences before and after the wrap). His wife has had it done three times and swears by it, which is why they are considering the franchise in the first place. She says it really works. I think it’s more a combination of placebo effect and selecting measuring and higher tension on the tape by the people doing the measuring afterwords. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189/2 "2001-04-16T21:45:16Z")
It would have been better if you had posted this to your [previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=67304) #1 You could possibly absorb a trace amount of minerals by being wrapped in them for hours. Supplements are going to be faster and easier. #2 When I had a wrap, it was an herbal wrap. They promised the exact same results. Do a check on Google for “body wrap” and see all the different variations on this theme. #3 Here’s a page: [http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/current/C761-25.html](http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/current/C761-25.html) - doesn’t say much, but ask your friend if he really wants to be promoting a proven scam? [Healthy Weight Network](http://www.healthyweightnetwork.com/identify.htm#categor) considers it a fraud. #4 Please show seawitch’s response in the aforementioned thread to your friend. In the end, it is how well the customers perceive the product that will determine the success of his business. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189/3 "2001-04-17T00:23:44Z")
Thanks, I spend the afternoon searching the web for more details, and found some good stuff from the FDA and other credible sources that thoroughly debunk this. It’s pretty much what I thought - water loss coupled with temporary compression of the skin. I’ve passed that info and a handful of link along to my friend. I appreciate the help. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189/4 "2001-04-17T21:13:13Z")
Here’s a skeptical article about anti-cellulite body wraps, which I found via a link on [quackwatch.com](http://quackwatch.com): [http://www.canoe.ca/HealthAlternativeColumns/001012.html](http://www.canoe.ca/HealthAlternativeColumns/001012.html) ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-debunk-this/62189/5 "2001-04-17T21:33:13Z")
Sam Stone wrote: > [@](#): > > This has all of those natural-medicine buzzwords in it, but sounds like complete garbage to me. I’d change the conjuntion in the sentence: “This has all of those natural-medicine buzzwords in it, **therefore** sounds like complete garbage to me.”