Homeopathic Remedies: Potentization versus Dilution
Homeopathic remedies are unique. No other medicine or remedy is prepared in the same way as a homeopathic remedy. This is one of the reasons why they are given their own classification as a Natural Health Product by Health Canada; namely the DIN-HM classification. It is also one of the reasons why they are generally considered safe.
The preparation of a homeopathic remedy is called Potentization which involves a series of successive dilutions and succussions. Succussion is the forceful pounding of the liquid dilution against a firm but resilient surface such as a leather bound book. (Think of James Bond who liked his Martini shaken not stirred!). What results is an essence or energetic signature of the substance, which is also completely non-toxic above a 30C potency.
A full description of the process can be seen here: https://www.helios.co.uk/en/remedies/remedy-preparation
To say that homeopathic remedies are simply diluted substances is false; dilution is only one step in the Potentization process which goes into making a homeopathic remedy. Skeptics use the dilution argument to say that homeopathic remedies cannot have any effect when there is no molecule of the original substance left. However, studies show that homeopathic potencies (remedies) can be differentiated from pure water.[1] [2]
The 200 million users of homeopathy worldwide know that this dilution argument is simply not true[3]. If it were homeopathy would have gone by the wayside long ago. The fact that it is still in use after over 200 years is a testament to its efficacy and popularity.
There are more than 13,400 articles on homeopathy, including more than 9,500 clinical studies[4]. Studies in homeopathy have shown interest and support in the therapy and in its effectiveness.
Other research is being done to answer the ultimate question in homeopathy which is: How do the remedies work? Skeptics say homeopathic remedies can’t work because we don’t know how they work. This reasoning is flawed. Other natural forces are invisible. Gravity and magnetism cannot be seen but are inferred by their effects.
Many people may be surprised to learn that scientists don’t actually know how gravity works. In fact, there are many things that the average person would be surprised to know haven’t been “proven” by science. Check out these lists:
https://phys.org/news/2020-01-gravity-wrong.html
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18524911-600-13-things-that-do-not-make-sense/
If we stick with the example of gravity, we can say its effects have been observed, studied and measured since Isaac Newton. Despite the efforts of some of the greatest minds of our time, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, the actual mechanism of action of gravity remains theoretical.
The same is true for Homeopathy; its effects have been observed, studied and measured since Samuel Hahnemann (over 200 hundred years ago). It is only recently that scientists are delving in to the question of the mechanism of action of homeopathic remedies, and unlike the scientists working on the question of gravity, the funding for homeopathy research comes mostly from private sources and has only started in recent years.
To deny that Homeopathy works is like denying that Gravity works; it is nonsensical. It would better to accept that there are still many things that we do not fully understand and just focus on the results that come out of them, and the benefits that they may provide. Homeopathy works.
[1] https://www.hri-research.org/hri-research/how-do-homeopathic-medicines-work/physico-chemical-properties-of-high-dilutions/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6760181/
J Altern Complement Med. 2019 Sep 1; 25(9): 890–901.
[3] Homeopathy Research Institute, https://www.hri-research.org/resources/essentialevidence/use-of-homeopathy-across-the-world/
[4] A number of articles on homeopathy identified on the comprehensive general biomedical database (EMBASE) which includes Pubmed and Direct Science articles published from 1945 to the end of 2018.