Recently, I was forwarded an email about the Biomat—a $1,950 USD “healing mat” that claims to cure everything short of a broken heart. And boy oh boy, is it ever a hotbed of pseudoscience wrapped in a cozy cotton cover and priced like a small vacation. When I dug into the science behind the Biomat’s claims, I found a textbook case of clever marketing dressed up in scientific jargon, with very little evidence to back it up.
Drowning in Jargon
Biomat’s website reads like it was written by a rogue AI with a thesaurus and a minor head injury. "3-part synergy of quantum energetics from deep-penetrating heat of Far Infrared Rays, Negative Ion therapy for cellular activation, and the healing properties of Amethyst." Excuse me, what? Let’s break this down:
Far Infrared Rays (FIR): They claim that far infrared rays (FIR) from the Biomat “penetrate 6–8 cm into your cells and organs” to trigger detoxification. That’s amusing. While FIR is indeed real—it’s just a form of radiant heat—the idea that it penetrates deeply enough to cleanse your organs is misleading. In reality, FIR penetrates up to about into soft tissue, mostly interacting with muscle, fat and superficial tissues—not your liver, kidneys, or any other real internal detox machinery. And even if it did reach deeper, that still wouldn’t trigger detox. ; it’s your liver and kidneys that do the heavy lifting. Sweating is just how your body cools itself—it's not a biohazard flush. No amount of pricey, crystal-filled heat pads will “vibrate your water molecules” into health
Negative Ions: The mat supposedly pumps out 3,400 ions/cm³ to balance your mood and serotonin. While a few studies have shown minor changes in mood or physiological parameters from negative ion exposure, the evidence is wildly inconsistent: some report , while others find . What’s more, the studies that did observe physiological changes typically used much higher concentrations—often between in controlled lab environments. That’s well above what the Biomat claims to produce, casting further doubt on whether its ion output, if any at all, is enough to make any real difference. To make matters murkier, the company never clearly explains how these ions are generated—leaving the entire mechanism shrouded in vague promises rather than verifiable science.
Amethyst and Tourmaline Crystals: Amethyst, chemically indistinguishable from sparkly sand, is hyped on the Biomat website as “superconductive” and “healing.” Really? It does nothing except maybe look pretty. Tourmaline only generates ions when you grind or squish it—and even then, it produces equal parts positive and negative ions, which cancels out the whole negative ion benefit they’re claiming by using it.
Health Claims Held Together with Duct Tape and Hope
The Biomat proudly declares it’s been “clinically shown” to reduce stress by up to 78%. That’s a bold claim—especially when there isn’t a single clinical study linked, cited, or even vaguely alluded to on their website. No authors, no institutions, no journals—just a suspiciously specific number floating in a vacuum. Until real peer-reviewed evidence appears, this figure is about as trustworthy as a bad Yelp review from a former company employee.
Then there’s the sauna comparison. The Biomat suggests it offers similar benefits to infrared saunas—like improved cardiovascular health and reduced chronic pain. But the science behind infrared saunas is still developing, and even the most describe the benefits as modest and highly condition-specific. More importantly, lying on a crystal-stuffed mat is not the same as immersing your entire body in an infrared sauna. That’s like equating a hot water bottle to a full-body workout because both raise your temperature. Nice try.
Final Diagnosis: The Biomat is pseudoscience gift-wrapped in scientific gibberish, sold with the confidence of a man in a trench coat offering Rolexes in a back alley. It preys on our desire for health, relief, and easy fixes—then offers you heat and glittering rocks at a luxury price point. If you want to feel warm and relaxed, grab a $20 heating pad and a cup of tea. You’ll get the same results, minus the marketing fluff, financial regret, and false promises.
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Sophie Tseng Pellar recently graduated from 51łÔąĎÍř with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in the physiology program. She will be continuing her graduate studies in the surgical and interventional sciences program at McGill. Her research interests include exercise physiology, biomechanics and sports nutrition.
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