I am a 70-year old “weekend warrior” and I play basketball several times per week in addition to traveling to various basketball tournaments conducted as part of various Senior Olympics and Senior Games organizations. I am not an employee of Tommie Copper and have no interest – financial or otherwise – in promoting or representing the potential benefits of their products. In fact, I am a scientist and so am highly oriented to observation, measurement, cause-and-effect (outcome) analysis. That said, this review is based on my casual observations as a user of the product, not a scientific analysis of the materials and not a statistically-based blind study. However, I do have some insights that may be useful to some that are considering the use of the product.
I almost never watch infomercials, let alone buy anything from them but I just happened to see this one and decided that for the benefit of my long-term prospects of continuing to play basketball, these products were at least worth a try.
My review addresses the following key points:
- Are the Tommie Copper products high-quality garments from a manufacturing viewpoint? (fit, form, function, and longevity);
- Their function as purely compression garments vs the potential benefits of the use of copper-infused yarn vs normal yarn;
- Is the potential leaching or absorbing of copper into the body a potential problem?
My review of Tommie Copper claims is based on my personal use of the Tommie Copper products for about a year. I have, and regularly wear, a short-sleeved shirt, shorts and knee sleeves. I chose these products because I have had recurring bouts with shoulder pain (rotator cuff), back pain (herniated discs and sciatica), and knee pain (osteoarthritis).
Prior to my purchase of the Tommie Copper products, I had undergone extensive treatments over several years including physical therapy for my shoulders and spinal decompression (plus daily inversion) for my back. I regularly take joint supplements containing Hylauronic Acid (HA) for my joints. In addition, I lost some weight to help relieve the strain on my back and knees. (I am 6’2” and dropped from 210 down to 190). So, I had actively pursued lifestyle changes previously and had good results from these efforts. The decision to purchase TC products was just as an experiment to see if there would be any detectable benefits from their use.
Quality of Products: The products appear to be of high quality – at least equal to other top products such as Under Armour. However, I did notify the company that for the first month or so after starting to wear them, at each washing (which I do by hand in a plastic basin with cold water followed by air drying), the water would have a dark tinge to it as though either the dye or the copper were washing out. I have not noticed a change in color so it does not appear to be the dye. I cannot detect the copper content so I am not sure if the dark water is from the copper or just from the sweat from my body (I do sweat a lot). After about a year of wearing, I have noticed that the shorts do not fit as tightly as when I ordered them and the waistband has stretched significantly. It is not enough to affect my use of them but it is something to be noted. The video on the TC website that presents the manufacturing process indicates that good quality processes are used in the manufacture of the products (I am familiar with the fabric finishing industry).
The claims of comfort, dryness and temperature moderation all seem to be true based on my wearing. I do not always wear them 24x7 but I have on occasion worn them for over 24 hours and find them very comfortable in all temperature/humidity conditions and particularly beneficial during heavy exercise such as basketball. The UPF rating does not concern me even though I live in So. California.
Benefits of Copper in fabric: As TC points out in their claims, copper has been used for medical purposes for thousands of years – both as a treatment and as a preventative. Today, there are many products available which contain copper such as necklaces, bracelets, and anklets which purport to help reduce the effects of arthritis. The copper in the fabric of their products is claimed to offer improvements over these age-old methods due to the increased contact between the copper and the skin of the wearer. So, the question is: Does the wearing of copper of any sort really benefit the wearer? There have been research studies of copper bracelets but other than the testimonials on the TC website, there do not appear to be any direct studies of the TC products. The studies on bracelets have not shown any statistical proof of benefits from the copper. So, does that mean TC products containing copper likewise have no benefit? I think it depends on the wearer. I have recommended the products to some of my teammates in the basketball circuit and they have reported back good results to me. I cannot verify that the copper in the TC garments will improve oxygen transport, neutralize free radicals, or improve muscle tone (independent of my exercise regimen).
Benefits of Compression: My personal comparison is based on wearing the TC garments exclusively for about 6 months and then alternating between TC products and other high-quality compression garments. When I first started wearing the TC products, my sense was that I felt progressively more stable and pain-free over the first 3 months or so. Then things stabilized and have remained in the improved condition since then. When I alternately wear other non- copper compression garments I do not notice any difference in my condition. Whether that is because the primary benefit is in the compression and not in the copper, I have not been able to conclude. One possibility is that if the copper is, in fact, a significant benefit, I would need to stop wearing the TC products for, maybe, 3 months to notice a decline. I have not stopped for that long a period so perhaps the change is not detectable in a short-term period.
Possible leaching of Copper: I think this issue is highly dependent on an individual’s body chemistry. Copper is the main ingredient in various metal alloys including brass and bronze. Some jewelry, including native American and inexpensive costume jewelry contain copper or brass and many people will experience black or green color rubbing off when wearing such jewelry on their skin. Similarly, some musicians who play brass instruments may see discoloration on their hands and pitting on the instrument. This is due to acidic body chemistry. I do not experience discoloration from touching brass (I am a trumpet player) so I have not had any problem with copper leaching from the TC garments. However, someone with more acidic chemistry may have an issue. I don’t know that the copper content in TC is high enough to be a problem – after all, they claim that a key benefit is absorption of the copper in the body – so that is something that may need to be evaluated in more detail by those that have a concern about this.
Overall Conclusion: I find that I enjoy wearing the TC products – they are comfortable, good quality and my physical condition is better now than a year ago. How much of the improvement is due to TC vs other good quality (and less expensive) compression garments is hard to say. I will continue to try the others for awhile before I decide to re-order any TC products.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
