Biofield

Biofield refers to a purported energy field that surrounds and permeates living beings and is said to regulate physiological processes. The term is widely used in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to describe an interacting field that may be influenced by touch, intention, or therapeutic modalities to promote healing or balance. In mainstream biology, there is no consensus that a single biofield exists as a separable physical entity; rather, living systems exhibit interconnected electrical, magnetic, chemical, and mechanical signals.

In scientific terms, endogenous electrical and magnetic fields (such as those generated by nerves and the heart) are well-established, measurable phenomena explained by biophysics. The concept of a practical biofield as an overarching energy field is not supported by robust evidence. Some researchers use the term to describe integrated bioelectromagnetic phenomena or to frame studies of biofield therapies; systematic reviews of therapies like therapeutic touch and Reiki have found insufficient evidence of efficacy beyond placebo in many cases, highlighting the need for rigorous trials.

Organizations such as NCCIH classify biofield therapies as a subset of CAM and emphasize cautious interpretation. Measurement of physiological fields uses EEG, ECG, MEG, and imaging methods; there is ongoing work exploring intercellular and interorgan communication via signaling networks that may include electromagnetic or biophotonic components, but these are not proven as a coherent global field. The term remains common in CAM discourse and is sometimes used to describe both patient- and practitioner-perceived energy interactions; scientific consensus remains unsettled.