Wellness influencers are selling a new object lesson in internet health marketing: a $50 stainless steel straw promoted as protection against electromagnetic fields from ordinary electronics.
WIRED reported that Sandra Fernandes, who describes herself on Instagram as a detox coach, wellness leader, and holistic mother, showed one of the curved metal straws in a November 2025 Instagram Reel. In the video, Fernandes placed the straw between a phone charger and a device she described as an electromagnetic frequency detector, then claimed the signal stopped. She told viewers that drinking through it amounted to “drinking protection,” and directed interested followers to comment on the post.
The pitch sits inside a larger social-media market for “EMF-blocking” or “EMF-neutralizing” goods. WIRED found videos on Instagram and TikTok in which wellness creators claim similar straws can restore energy, support the gut, boost immunity, or shield users from supposedly harmful emissions from phones, hair dryers, and microwaves.
The product’s shape has done some of the marketing work. The straw has a drinking hole set away from the top, a design that previously circulated on TikTok after beauty creators claimed it could prevent mouth wrinkles. Allure has reported that straws do not prevent wrinkles.
The company behind many of the links
Many of the influencer posts reviewed by WIRED linked to Frequense, a company founded by Dave and Barb Pitcock. The company describes itself as selling “frequency-based nutrition” and offers jewelry, supplements, and accessories that it says can help restore harmony and energy.
Frequense also runs an affiliate marketing program described in its own materials, WIRED reported. That structure is also known as multi-level marketing, where sellers can earn through product sales and recruitment-linked networks.
The straw promoted by Fernandes appears on the Frequense website as a “lip-friendly stainless steel straw” priced at $50. WIRED noted that the product page itself does not make the EMF-blocking claims shown in Fernandes’ video. The listing describes the straw as a beauty and wellness item and a gift for people interested in self-care and sustainability. WIRED said the Pitcocks and the Instagram influencers it contacted did not respond to requests for comment.
The science does not help the sales pitch
Electromagnetic radiation is a broad category, which gives sellers plenty of fog to sell through. High-frequency ionizing radiation, such as X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds can damage cells, and researchers associate that damage with increased cancer risk.
The anxiety driving these products usually concerns lower-frequency, non-ionizing radiation from consumer devices. The National Cancer Institute says research on mobile phones continues, but “few studies have reported evidence” linking non-ionizing electromagnetic fields with cancer.
The Federal Trade Commission has also warned consumers about this category of product. In a 2011 release, the agency said there was no scientific proof that so-called shields significantly reduce exposure from devices that emit electromagnetic fields. A 2021 BBC investigation of phone stickers marketed as radiation blockers found no measurable effect.
That has not kept the category small. WIRED reported that EMF protection products now include stickers, jewelry, clothing, glasses, bags, pet tags, and straws. The outlet also cited Google data showing US searches for “EMF radiation protection” rose 1,300 percent over the past 12 months.
Other public figures have helped push the market further into the feed. WIRED reported that NHL and UFC athletes have collaborated with AiresTech, an EMF protection company, and that Russell Brand promoted a $239.99 EMF-repelling amulet in 2024. Singer M.I.A. also announced a clothing line called Ohmni on Alex Jones’ Infowars in 2024, claiming it could block 99.99 percent of Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G. Ohmni did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
Mallory Demille, a creator who critiques wellness marketing, told WIRED she was astonished by how many everyday objects now get sold in alleged EMF-blocking versions. The straw is the latest one to look good on camera, which is apparently enough for a market that keeps mistaking metal accessories for medicine.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
