Greek Government Takes Action Against Maker of Nanobionic Clothing SIMON DAVIS
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Nov Dec**_SI new design masters 9/27/12 10:56 AM Page 5 [ NEWS AND COMMENT Greek Government Takes Action against Maker of Nanobionic Clothing SIMON DAVIS Following an investigation published by claims lack scientific documentation. As On June 26, Vaxevanis and his team journalists Kostas Vaxevanis and Ste- for the the claim about reflecting in- featured a story on his investigative jour- fanos Gogos, the General Con sumer frared rays back to the body, the GCS nalism show on the Greek state television Secretariat (GCS), a Greek government had doubts about whether Nanobionic broadcaster on how bad science was used agency, ordered the im mediate removal products could do this to a greater degree to make misleading claims for marketing of key health and product claims by than a conventional fabric. In addition, purposes. The products in the story were Viotech Ltd., makers of the Nanobionic the an nounce ment mentions “consumer cosmetics, hologram brace lets, and so- clothing line. de ception” because “the impression is called “nano-vests.” The latter are sold by Nanobionic products include vests given that the products are distributed by Nanobionic—but not exclusively. The and T-shirts that retail for 298 euros a multi-national company.” The GCS show made no mention of brands and ($366). The company claims on its web- also asked for the removal of the claim obfuscated all company logos. None - site that each product “offers relief, in- that the company’s cited study was con- theless, this led to an immediate response creases strength and stamina, reduces fa- ducted “under the supervision of the by Triantafyllo poulos, who devoted an tigue, and offers a sense of well-being. University of Athens”—this after the entire show a few days later to question- Suit able for better recovery.” Vaxevanis HOT DOC investigation and an official ing Vaxevanis’s claims and reiterating his and Gogos claim to have information in- denial by the university’s dean. belief in the efficacy of Nanobionic based dicating that over 20,000 vests have been Viotech Ltd. is based in a suburb of on the numerous testimonials by cus- sold, estimating the company’s revenues Athens and does not list any domestic tomers—including famous athletes— at over 6,000,000 euros ($7,426,000). distributors or retailers on its site. The that he played for his audience. The products are frequently featured company sells directly to consumers and According to Vaxevanis and Gogos, on the television show of well-known accepts orders via phone and its website. this is what prompted them to publish Greek journalist Makis Tri anta - The only other known Greek retailer an investigation specifically into Nano - fyllopoulos. The Vaxevanis/Gogos in- for Nanobionic is the zougla.gr website, bionic and its relationship to Trianta - vestigation of Nanobionic was pub- which is the online presence for journal- fyllopoulos. The relationship appears lished in the July 19, 2012, issue of the ist Triantafyllopoulos. Tri anta fyllo - quite close; Nanobionic is based in a Greek magazine HOT DOC. poulos frequently features stories relat- building owned by the Triantafyllo - As reported on Vaxevanis’s news web- ing to Nanobionic on his late night poulos family that also houses his official site on August 6, 2012, the GCS issued television talk show, often accompanied website zougla.gr. At the time that the an announcement asking Vio tech Ltd. to by Viotech’s phone number featured HOT DOC article was being written, a withdraw all claims of beneficial health prominently so that viewers can place sign above the Nano bionic offices stated effects since all available data about the orders. “Under the supervision of the National As shown in an experiment, the Nanobionic product does not reflect far infrared waves back to the body as Viotech Ltd. claims. Arm area: Tmin 31.3°C, Tmax 34.1°C. Nanobionic surface: Tmin 30.9°C, Tmax 33.5°C. T-shirt surface: Tmin 30.4°C, Tmax 34.1°C. Skeptical Inquirer | November/December 2012 5 Nov Dec**_SI new design masters 9/27/12 10:56 AM Page 6 Capodis trian University of Athens.” The pany’s claims, Vaxevanis and Gogos set same and the minimum was 0.9°C lower. principals for Viotech Ltd. are the Psip- out to examine the product itself. Their This would indicate that any fabric causes sikas brothers. George Psipsikas is a fre- first step was to purchase an ankle brace some change in temperature but nothing quent guest on Tri anta fyllo poulos’s for fifty-nine euros ($72) plus a value that shows that the Nanobionic material show, particularly when Nanobionic added tax of 13 percent. This is not the behaved substantially differently than the products are being discussed. Viotech value added tax rate for retail clothing, fabric of the researcher’s T-shirt. When Ltd. did not respond to a request for a but rather for medical products. The label shown these results, Samaras agreed and statement regarding the investigation by designates it as an “orthopedic product” also added: “perhaps this is why I was un- Vaxe vanis and Gogos. with a composition of “Polyamid 55%, able to locate any information regarding According to the company’s official Elasthan 45%, Ceramic Textile.” This in- the physics of how the fabric works (as website: dicates a polymer fabric with a ceramic opposed to biology or medicine)?” texture, similar to what is used in curtains, Nanobionic® intelligent clothes re - However, the company does cite its flect the energy emitted by the hats, and other general-use fabrics. This own study. As recently as June 23, 2012, human body, which is 80% infrared was further corroborated by Loukas Viotech claimed on its website (al- waves (IR) and transform it into Far Mar garitis, professor of cell biology and though as of August 6 this is no longer Infrared Waves (FIR). electronic microscopy at the University the case) that: The reflection of our body’s In fra - of Athens, who examined a fragment red Rays, with the use of Nano - The study was conducted under the from the sample product under both a bionic® products, essentially pene- supervision of the University of trates our body at a depth of regular and a scanning transmission Athens, in Athens, in September ap proximately 4 cm, creating a sweet electron microscope. According to Mar- 2011. The object of the study was the warmth, with an effect on the tissues garitis in the Vaxevanis/Gogos article: effect of the Nanobionic technology and cells, helping in their faster re- “One side is smooth and the other side on sports performances. The result of generation. has reticulated fibers ... there are many the study was that the Nanobionic® The result from the use of Nano - fabric and technology positively affect bionic® intelligent clothes could be such types of fabric with a metallic athletic performance. ALL STATIS- significant improvement in perform- weave and many of them are used to TICAL DIFFERENCES WERE ance. Nanobionic® technology may in- manufacture curtains, mosquito nets, <0.01. crease endurance, cardio respiratory hats, etc. with the purpose of reflecting Specifically, by wearing the Nano bionic stamina, anaerobic capacity, strength electromagnetic waves. There is no pub- T-shirt: and flexibility. It could also reduce lac- lished peer reviewed study that states tic acid, heart rates, premature fatigue All the parameters of cardiorespira- and sweating. Nanobionic® clothes that such a product has health benefits.” tory endurance significantly in - may be also used for faster recovery. The next step was to go to the Mate- creased. rials Science and Engineering Depart - Vaxevanis and Gogos sent Nano - All the parameters of anaerobic ment of the School of Chem ical Engi- capacity significantly increased. bionic product literature to Theodoros neering at the National Technical The explosive strength and power Samaras, associate professor of physics University of Athens (NTUA) where were significantly better in both legs. at Aristotle University and and a spe- Professor and Deputy Dean Moro poulou The vertical leap was significantly cialist in infrared waves and asked him and her team examined the ankle brace higher. if the company’s claim could be true. The flexibility test was signifi- using a thermographic camera. They cantly better. His answer: “Infrared waves cannot placed it on the elbow of one of the penetrate the skin at the depth the com- NTUA researchers. The purpose of the When asked by Vaxevanis and Gogos pany claims, since they do not go past measurements was to investigate whether about Nanobionic’s use of the university the stratum corneum, which is the layer this particular product reflects far infrared name in its advertising, its dean, Theo- that contains dead skin cells. Given that waves back to the body. In order for this dosis Pelegrinis, stated: “The University under normal circumstances over 50 claim to be corroborated empirically, the Board has no jurisdiction, nor does the percent of the body’s heat is released thermographic readings would have to University conduct any studies of this through this mechanism (Cameron show a substantially lower temperature kind. The responsibility for any such J.R., Skofronick J.G., Grant R.M.; on the surface of the Nanobionic product study falls exclusively on the individual Physics of the Body; 2nd edition, 1999; than that of the body. who conducts it.” Medical Physics Publishing), this does The readings did not support the The study was presented at the 59th lead to questions about possible nega- company’s claim. The minimum surface Annual Meeting and Third World tive consequences of wearing these gar- temperature on the ankle brace was 0.4°C Congress on Exercise is Medicine in ments, especially by groups with re- lower and the maximum was 0.6°C lower San Francisco, California, May 29–June duced thermoregulatory capabilities.” than on the bare arm.