What do Cleopatra, NASA astronauts, the golfer Christy O'Connor Jnr, and my best friend's dog have in common?

They all are, or have been, fans of magnetic therapy.

They are not alone. More than 150 million people worldwide use magnetic therapy to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, improve circulation and enhance well-being.

There are also those who claim it is all a placebo effect. Beyond hearing how Cleop-atra wore a magnet on her forehead to keep her beautiful, two stories got me curious.

Firstly, NASA research found that the reason why astronauts were returning to earth feeling ill and debilitated, was because they were suffering withdrawal symptoms from the earth's magnetosphere, which allows the blood to become oxygenated and to circulate freely.

Once static magnets were placed both within spacesuits and the spacecraft, the problem disappeared. READ ON............