# Potential Harm From Magnetic/Copper Bracelets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512 "2009-05-25T00:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/1 "2009-05-25T00:24:22Z")
I bought a pretty bracelet today, which turned out to be made with “therapeutic” magnets in addition to brass, silver, and copper. I’m not sure if I believe the folklore around copper bracelets and magnets in regards to circulation, healing, and pain relief, but I’m willing to try it. So as a recent cancer survivor, I’m concerned about potential harmful effects of continuous wear. I am not pregnant, don’t wear a pacemaker, have electronic implants, nor use electric blankets/heating pads. Can you think of any reason why it might be harmful? ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/2 "2009-05-25T00:48:57Z")
Copper has been worn as jewelry for millenia. And magnets are known to be harmless, unless you pass too close to a loose stack of razor blades. As for the therapeutic benefits; there are none. Wear 'em if you want. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/3 "2009-05-25T00:50:12Z")
You could be allergic to the metal. You could scramble magnetic data media. Your bracelet could cause an electrical short if brought in contact with bare wires. You could cut yourself if it has a sharp edge. I can’t think of any other harmful things from wearing them. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/4 "2009-05-25T05:39:09Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > Can you think of any reason why it might be harmful? It encourages gullible fools to believe the irrational folklore about “therapeutic” benefits. such woo-woo beliefs are harmful to the human species. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/5 "2009-05-25T11:10:50Z")
You live on the sixth largest magnet in the solar system. If it was a problem, it would have been apparent long ago. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/6 "2009-05-25T11:29:49Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > I bought a pretty bracelet today, which turned out to be made with “therapeutic” magnets in addition to brass, silver, and copper. I’m not sure if I believe the folklore around copper bracelets and magnets in regards to circulation, healing, and pain relief, but I’m willing to try it. > > So as a recent cancer survivor, I’m concerned about potential harmful effects of continuous wear. I am not pregnant, don’t wear a pacemaker, have electronic implants, nor use electric blankets/heating pads. Can you think of any reason why it might be harmful? Because you might spend more money on ‘woo woo’ cures. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/7 "2009-05-25T14:26:56Z")
I’ve seen those bracelets. One woman used to use them to block bullets. You should try spinning round and round really fast. Let me know if anything happens, so I know to hatch my international Nazi takeover plot elsewhere. ETA: On closer inspection I notice the OP’s name. Hmmmm ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/8 "2009-05-25T14:40:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You live on the sixth largest magnet in the solar system. If it was a problem, it would have been apparent long ago. This is a misleading statement. True, the Earth is a giant magnet, but it’s field intensity is much lower than even the weakest fridge magnets. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/9 "2009-05-25T16:42:07Z")
I dunno about that… Get a few thousand miles away from a fridge magnet, and see how much field strength you get then. And it looks to me like the OP bought the bracelet primarily because it was pretty, and only noticed the pseudoscientific stuff after the fact. So there’s probably no risk of falling for more pseudoscience, though there might be a risk of falling for more tacky jewelry. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/10 "2009-05-25T16:53:59Z")
Intensity and strength are two different things. You know that. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/11 "2009-05-25T17:02:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And it looks to me like the OP bought the bracelet primarily because it was pretty, and only noticed the pseudoscientific stuff after the fact. So there’s probably no risk of falling for more pseudoscience, though there might be a risk of falling for more tacky jewelry. You got it exactly, although it’s not tacky. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/12 "2009-05-25T17:11:36Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > This is a misleading statement. True, the Earth is a giant magnet, but it’s field intensity is much lower than even the weakest fridge magnets. So how come I can’t get my refrigerator to stop sticking to it? P.S. There isn’t any danger of having the hemoglobin molecules in her blood all lining up in the direction of her wrists, is there? P.P.S. 😃 ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/13 "2009-05-25T17:13:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > So how come I can’t get my refrigerator to stop sticking to it? I think you fail to understand the gravity of the situation, young man. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/14 "2009-05-25T17:16:02Z")
The real downside of having magnets near your hands is the potential to damage the magnetic stripe on your credit cards. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/15 "2009-05-25T17:16:56Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > I think you fail to understand the gravity of the situation, young man. That’s okay. I’m generally around here for the levity anyway. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/16 "2009-05-25T17:29:32Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > The real downside of having magnets near your hands is the potential to damage the magnetic stripe on your credit cards. Most of the magnets you’re likely to encounter in your day-today travels will be insufficiently strong to damage high-coercivity bank cards. Which is unfortunately not all cards. Before the days of fancy color-matched data strips it was easy to tell the difference: lo-co stripes were generally light brown and hi-co stripes were dark, almost black. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/17 "2009-05-25T17:32:24Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > The real downside of having magnets near your hands is the potential to damage the magnetic stripe on your credit cards. Ah, but that’s a good thing. It will prevent her from buying yet more tacky jewelery. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/18 "2009-05-25T19:14:12Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Most of the magnets you’re likely to encounter in your day-today travels will be insufficiently strong to damage high-coercivity bank cards. Hell, just being near my ass seems to fubar my credit cards. I have to replace them about once per year. Must be my magnetic personality. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/19 "2009-05-26T06:44:05Z")
Oh well, turns out the damn thing gives me a rash anyway! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512/20 "2009-05-26T07:03:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > That’s okay. I’m generally around here for the levity anyway. Levitation is not as good as titillation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-harm-from-magnetic-copper-bracelets/497512.md?page=2)