Novak Djokovic’s Nano Patch: He Calls It His ‘Biggest Secret’—Some Experts Call It Bogus

Topline

As tennis star Novak Djokovic continues his march toward another possible Wimbledon title and into the record books, he has religiously worn a “nanotechnology” patch that he claims is the “biggest secret of his career,” though some experts believe the technology is “pseudoscience” that’s not proven to work.

Key Facts

Key Background

The technology is backed by several studies, including a study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, which monitored participants’ posture and split them into two groups: one with an active patch and one with a sham patch. The group with the active patch swayed less than the control group when standing upright. The patch looks like a penny and is applied on the skin with either tape or a Bandaid. In a webinar on Tuesday, cofounder Dmitri Leonov claimed the TaoPatch contains nanocrystals made out of quantum dots, which convert the body’s heat into “wavelengths of light” that’s emitted into the central nervous system and helps “bring it into balance.” Leonov goes on to say customers have reported the patch helps to eliminate pain, reduces stress and helps with focus.

Contra

The credibility of these studies has been questioned. Hariet Hall, a former family physician and pseudoscience debunker, looked into the mechanics behind the patch and claimed the explanation was not credible, chalking it up to “pure pseudoscientific gibberish.” There are multiple studies that claim the patch can help improve balance and walking ability in patients with diseases like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis (MS). Neurologist Brandon Beaber reviewed the studies and discovered the Taopatch is “unproven in MS.” Also, the studies Tao cites are funded by the company, mostly limited and are published in lower-quality journals. The sway monitoring study, for example, only examined 30 participants, who were all female.

What We Don’t Know

Neither the Association of Tennis Professionals nor French Open officials have commented on whether the use of the patch goes against the ATP’s anti-doping policy, which bans the use of any “prohibited substance or prohibited method.”

Tangent

Djokovic previously came under fire for his alternative medicine stance when he denied getting vaccinated during the Covid pandemic. In 2022, he was deported from Australia because he refused to get the Covid vaccine. Because of his refusal, he missed several high profile tournaments, including the Australian Open and the U.S.Open. Djokovic has also been gluten-free for several years, but an unscientific test by a doctor is what led to his decision: The tennis star held a piece of bread in one hand, placed it against his stomach and lifted his other arm, which felt weak, causing the doctor to recommend cutting gluten out of his diet.

Further Reading

Djokovic Wins French Open—After Claiming ‘Nanotechnology’ TaoPatch On His Chest Boosts On-Court Performance (Forbes)

Djokovic Says He Is Prepared To Miss Future Tournaments Instead Of Getting Covid Shot—But Denies Being Anti-Vax (Forbes)

A decade of Novak Djokovic, a decade of gluten-free diet, and a bizarre test (Money Talks)