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

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

On Tuesday, Djokovic defeated Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, advancing to Friday’s semifinal against Italian Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic (known for promoting pseudoscience and wellness fads) was first spotted in May changing out a mysterious patch on his chest during the French Open, which he won for a record 23rd grand slam title.

Djokovic revealed the small disk was a TaoPatch, made by Italian company Tao Technologies, that he’d previously claimed is what was behind his victories on the court.

Tao Technologies claims the device converts the body’s heat into “microscopic beams of light,” that are then used to allegedly stimulate the central nervous system.

Tao also says the patch improves posture, athletic performance, movement, stamina, balance and recovery, can help with diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s, and lasts for up to 30 months.

The patch has several professional athletes as brand ambassadors—including alpine skiers, beach volleyball players, track and field runners, surfers and boxers.

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.