Years after this popular fad, and as the fascination with them has seemed to decrease, companies now have found a new reason for why customers should purchase silicon wristbands. Companies, such as iRenew, Pure Energy Bands, Energy Armor and PowerFX, have turned these ordinary silicon wristbands into accessories that supposedly use negative ions to help improve a person’s balance, focus, stress and energy.

The approach these companies use to sell this product to customers focuses on showcasing how their body lacks balance without the energy band.

Many people have seen the iRenew infomercial in which mall customers perform a standard balance test — customers cannot withstand the resistance put on their arm by the salesman, but after putting on the iRenew band, then all of a sudden their balance is stronger.

While recently at the mall, I experienced such a sales routine. I saw a kiosk for a similar band, produced by Energy Armor, and wanted to see if these accessories can achieve what is advertised.

I was skeptical at first of how a silicon band that contains natural resources, including volcanic ash and sand — which is what is said helps produce the band’s negative ions — would improve my balance and energy. But after completing a balance test, I was impressed with the outcome and purchased the $30 energy band.

I know $30 seems like a lot of money for an energy band, but some people spend more money on eating organic foods or buying exercise equipment to try and make themselves more energized. If I could get the same results from one $30 accessory, I was going to take advantage of the offer.

I now wear the energy band every day, and I do feel as if my body and mind are healthier. Despite my happiness with the results, I still wonder how much of an impact the negative ions have and whether the cause of my feeling healthier is all in my mind. Do the band’s natural resources really have a positive effect? Or do I feel better because my mind thinks the band is helping my body?

So, I consulted an expert.

Wolfgang Bauer, a chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, does not believe there is any physical mechanism that can have an effect on these bracelets.

“If you really believe that these (energy bands) work for you, then they will work for you,” Bauer said. “Almost always the placebo effect is actually a bigger effect (then the actual product).”

But the companies behind these bands claim it’s more than customers’ minds at work. The bands produced by Pure Energy and PowerFX contain holographic disks that are said to transfer negative ions into a wearer’s body. Those made by iRenew claim to use Selective Frequency Resonance technology to improve customers’ health. And my Energy Armor band contains restorative natural resources.

Bauer said the electric field these bracelets supposedly create in order to transfer negative ions from the band to a body are insignificant in size. They can’t produce enough power to improve a person’s health, he said.

“The electric fields that are generated by these (bands are so) incredibly small that they are totally dwarfed by electrical fields that you encounter every day,” Bauer said. “For example, if you are sitting close with your hand to the computer, even though computers emit very low power, they still generate electric fields that are probably bigger than what is emitted from these (energy) bands.”

After talking with Bauer and reading through the information on these companies’ websites, I realize now these bands’ “negative ions” have no physical effect. The bracelets really are no different than the standard silicon bands sold through LIVESTRONG.

Although they do not perform the tasks they advertise in the manner they claim to perform them, these bands do work. They might simply work because of a placebo effect, but this placebo effect does make wearers feel better.

I am not disappointed in my purchase because sometimes you need something — anything — to make you feel better so you can get through the tough school day or a difficult workout. And these wristbands act as just that.

As the old saying goes, sometimes you need nothing more than mind over matter.