# Magnetic fields & iron in blood **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215 "2003-03-30T14:38:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flying\_Monk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Flying\_Monk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Monk)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/1 "2003-03-30T14:38:16Z")
Since a conductor passing through a magnetic field will have an induced charge, does that mean the iron in your blood is affected by a field of a strong magnet touching your skin? Would any charge built up have a chance of electrochemical bonding with anything else in the blood? Could eddy currents, or induced current through the blood or any part of the tissue cause any heating? I’m just trying to gather evidence to convince a buddy of mine that magnets, in fact, do NOT have any special healing powers. (I’ll tackle the crystal issue later, he’s especially attached to those) ---
**Author:** ![DaveW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DaveW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveW)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/2 "2003-03-30T14:45:34Z")
See the [magnet therapy article on Quackwatch](http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/QA/magnet.html). ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/3 "2003-03-30T15:38:59Z")
Even something as thin as a sheet of paper can affect the strength of a magnetic field. But if your friend wears a magnetic bracelet and derives some benefit from it (as in a placebo effect), why not leave it alone. But if he doesn’t use one, give 'im hell! ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/4 "2003-03-30T15:45:39Z")
My father in law tried a magnetic bracelet for arthritis. He said it worked but has given up on them in favor of WD40. He says it works better. geesh ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/5 "2003-03-30T15:59:53Z")
Yeah, tell him to wrap the bracelet around the can of WD40. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/6 "2003-03-30T16:05:06Z")
The Master Speaks: [Can magnets alleviate pain?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990618a.html) So do some of the rest of us: [Magneto-therapy?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49846&highlight=ferritin) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/7 "2003-03-30T16:59:51Z")
If a small magnet around the wrist can affect the iron in your blood, then the powerful magnet in magnetic resonance imaging out to slam it around pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/8 "2003-03-30T19:03:47Z")
And if sodium explodes in water, why doesn’t all the sodium in our blood explode. And if chlorine is poisonous, why don’t we all die from the chlorine in our blood? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/9 "2003-03-30T19:13:57Z")
We have cholrine in our blood? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/10 "2003-03-30T19:32:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by USCDiver \* > \*\*And if sodium explodes in water, why doesn’t all the sodium in our blood explode. And if chlorine is poisonous, why don’t we all die from the chlorine in our blood? \*\* Not sure if the questions above were sarcastic or not, but here goes: We have neither elemental sodium nor elemental chlorine in our bodies. We do, however, have sodium _ion_ and chloride _ion_. Neither of these have the same chemical properties as their elemental form. In particular, sodium ion is stable in aqeous form (dissoved in water). In the concentration normally found in blood, chloride ion is not poisonous. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/11 "2003-03-30T19:35:51Z")
> [@](#): > > We have cholrine in our blood? Ever taste blood? It’s salty, right? Well, what’s salt? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/12 "2003-03-30T19:39:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robby \* > **Not sure if the questions above were sarcastic or not** As **uscdiver** is a med student, I sure hope he was being sarcastic. I expect so. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/13 "2003-03-30T19:40:15Z")
As pointed out above, it’s the chloride ion, which is chemically different than elemental chlorine. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/14 "2003-03-30T19:44:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > **Ever taste blood?** **Chronos** , have you been drinking blood again? You know, that’s a great way to get HIV, Hep B, and Hep C. And if you’re drinking sheep or cattle blood, brucellosis too! And maybe even Licky End!! Don’t do it! Eat blood sausage instead! It’s processed! And salt is added too! Nice with head cheese! If you’re just drinking your own blood, never mind. But keep in mind it’s not a real efficient use of resources, unless you just happen to be bleeding anyway, and wish to recycle. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/15 "2003-03-30T19:44:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > **Ever taste blood?** You’re freakin’ me out, man! ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/16 "2003-03-30T19:45:34Z")
A common claim in magnet therapy is that the magnet attracts the iron in our blood and stimulates blood flow. What happens when blood flow to an area increases? The area turns red, right? This doesn’t really directly answer the OP , but digging up a nice strong magnet and showing people that it doesn’t redden their skin has been a very effective in debunking magent therapy for people who think _maybe_ there’s something to it. But, as has already been pointed out, the magents used in magnet therapy are usually very weak. You can demonstrate this by showing that if you put a few sheets of paper between the magnet and a paper clip, the magnetic field won’t have enough strength to hold up the paper clip. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/17 "2003-03-30T19:51:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*Ever taste blood? It’s salty, right? Well, what’s salt? \*\* Ever taste sodium ? Neither have I, but after it gets done burning a hole in your tongue, it’ll taste really bitter, as it reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide, which I can attest tastes bitter, not salty. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/18 "2003-03-30T20:13:37Z")
> **[How MRI Works](https://science.howstuffworks.com/mri.htm#pt4)** > > An MRI scan is the best way to see inside the human body without cutting it open, but that may be little comfort to you when you're getting ready for the exam. Lying perfectly still on a tiny slab in a narrow hole, you might wonder what's happening... Try this if you want to see how a really strong magnet can affect your body, by aligning the hydrogen protons… ---
**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/19 "2003-03-30T20:54:04Z")
Iron isn’t magnetic. Wait wait, it’s true! Stop and think: rust is iron, yet magnets can’t pick it up. Iron METAL is ferromagnetic, but ferromagnetism requires that atoms be in a crystal array and have a particular spacing. Individual iron atoms don’t count. I believe that they’re weakly paramagnetic when distantly separated. If “magnet pain therapy” really works, then it very probably has nothing to do with the iron in hemoglobin. After all, oxygen, carbon and water are magnetic too, if by “magnetic” we mean the feeble paramagnetism and diamagnetism forces experienced by individual atoms. You can concentrate oxygen gas in the air with a strong permanent magnet. Or even lift liquid oxygen. Here are some home experiments on water magnetism and carbon (graphite) magnetism: [http://amasci.com/neodemo.html#water](http://amasci.com/neodemo.html#water) [http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/magnets/pyrolytic\_graphite.html](http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/magnets/pyrolytic_graphite.html) [http://jjlahr.com/science/physics/diamag/seismo/index.html](http://jjlahr.com/science/physics/diamag/seismo/index.html) With a few cups of blood we could do a quick test to see whether blood is overall diamagnetic (repelling) or paramagnetic (attracting.) Any volunteers? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215/20 "2003-03-30T21:22:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robby \* > \*\*Not sure if the questions above were sarcastic or not, but here goes: > > We have neither elemental sodium nor elemental chlorine in our bodies. We do, however, have sodium _ion_ and chloride _ion_. Neither of these have the same chemical properties as their elemental form. In particular, sodium ion is stable in aqeous form (dissoved in water). In the concentration normally found in blood, chloride ion is not poisonous. \*\* Yes I was being sarcastic. (Thanks **Qadgop** ). My point was that ions behave very differently than their elemental counterparts. Like the Fe[sup]2+[/sup] and Fe[sup]3+[/sup] in our body versus a big hunk of pure iron. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnetic-fields-iron-in-blood/165215.md?page=2)