Wellington, Dec 23 (IANS): New Zealand's Ministry of Health has recommended that consumers exercise caution when buying alternative health products online.

Overseas regulators reported radioactive material in a number of pendants, jewellery items, sleep masks and bracelets, a ministry statement said on Thursday.

The products are claimed to offer protection against radiation and microwaves from phones, computers, and TV screens, as well as 5G, it said.

"While those claims are unproven, the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment has found that the products emit potentially harmful radiation," it added.

The Ministry of Health strongly asked people to go to reliable, science-based sources for information, saying if claims made about a product sound far-fetched, consumers would be wise to be sceptical.

To date, the World Health Organisation has not linked wireless technologies to any adverse health effects, it said.