When Japan’s Mebuki Suzuki stepped onto the track at National Stadium in Tokyo last September for the men’s 10,000 meters, most spectators were watching his feet. A few thousand were staring at his neck.
Stuck to his skin were small, beige adhesive discs — neat, circular, and deeply confusing to anyone who hadn’t seen them before. Runners, coaches, and casual fans watching from home all wanted to know the same thing: what on earth are those things, and do they actually work?
A Very Japanese Phenomenon
The patches belong to a category of therapeutic products that have been popular in Japan for years. They contain microscopic particles of titanium or ferrite permanent magnets and are marketed as a way to improve circulation, reduce stiffness, and help athletes breathe more easily. Two brands dominate: Kyoto-based Phiten sells its version as Power Tape, while Osaka-based Colan Totte produces the NS Magneban.
Both are widely trusted by top Japanese athletes. Trial-size packs are sold in ¥100 shops — the Japanese equivalent of a dollar store — which tells you something about how normalized they are over there.
Phiten recommends placing the patches on the shoulders, lower back, and knees, but also on the temple for “sporting moments that call for split-second decisions, sharp awareness and unwavering focus.” So, basically everywhere.
Suzuki — who finished 20th in the 10,000 meters on his world championships debut — said he started using them at university after his team picked up a Phiten sponsorship. He’s been sticking them on ever since.
“I apply the patches all over but mostly on my neck and back,” he said. “They help me breathe easier and loosen up the tension in my upper body, so I can run with a smoother stride.”
He wasn’t alone on the start line. Several Japanese distance runners, including Hakone Ekiden competitors, wore the patches in Tokyo. For spectators unfamiliar with the products, the effect was somewhere between baffling and vaguely futuristic.
What the Science Says (Brace Yourself)
Here’s where things get interesting — or frustrating, depending on your tolerance for academic hedging.
The patches are definitely legal. Titanium isn’t on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list, and nobody is seriously campaigning to change that. So runners can slap them on freely without worrying about a phone call from their federation.
Whether they actually do anything useful is a murkier story.
Shingo Nakura, a former researcher at Keio University’s Department of Neuropsychiatry, is skeptical. “Phiten research on aqua titanium technology hints at stress relief and muscle relaxation, but company-led studies and limited independent verification mean there’s no scientific evidence supporting these claims,” he said.
His explanation for why athletes still swear by them is more mechanical than molecular: the physical act of applying something to the skin can slightly lift tissue, boost local circulation, and normalize muscle function — similar to kinesiology-style wearables. Add in a generous helping of placebo effect, and you’ve got a product that feels like it’s doing something, even if the titanium itself is largely along for the ride.
But Nakura stops well short of telling people to throw them in the bin. “The placebo effect can be seen as a false benefit or a mind-body tool,” he said. “For those who value psychological gains, these Phiten patches may be worth trying. If cost or scientific certainty matters more, cheaper alternatives like compression-style recovery products would be the wiser choice.”
Fair enough.
The Research That Exists — and Its Asterisk
A 2014 review in the Journal of Functional Biomaterials took a serious look at Phiten’s proprietary form of titanium, called Aqua Titan. The results were genuinely intriguing. Athletes recovering from strenuous hill running showed faster restoration of Achilles tendon stiffness, improved reflex response times, and modest improvements in running economy compared to placebo groups. In cell studies, the titanium-treated materials appeared to accelerate muscle cell growth and bone cell adhesion. Separate research on office workers sleeping in Aqua Titan-lined rooms found lower stress hormones and better mood scores after five days.
There is, however, a fairly large asterisk: the review was funded by Phiten Co., Ltd. Independent replication remains scarce. The researchers themselves acknowledged that “further research is required” — which is scientist-speak for “we find this promising but wouldn’t bet the house on it just yet.”
So Should You Try Them?
For marathon runners who spend half their lives managing tight calves, cranky Achilles tendons, and the psychological warfare of a 20-week training block, the appeal is obvious. Anything that might nudge recovery in the right direction — even slightly — is worth considering.
The honest answer is this: the patches almost certainly won’t hurt you. Titanium is biocompatible and used in surgical implants without issue. They might help, at least in part because believing something helps you often means it does. A runner who feels their muscle recovery is being supported trains with more confidence, pushes harder, and races better. That’s not nothing.
At a dollar or two per patch from online retailers, the financial risk is also pretty low. You’ve probably spent more on a single gel you didn’t even like.
Phiten’s necklaces made a splashy entrance into American baseball in the 2000s, popping up around the necks of major leaguers before mostly fading from the conversation. The patches seem to have more staying power — at least in Japan, at least for now. Whether they’re genuinely effective is a question scientists are still quietly arguing about, and one that elite Japanese runners have apparently decided isn’t worth waiting around to answer.
