​Homeopathy: magic, science, or super-listening power?

By Eli Liverani

It was in the mid-90s when I heard of homeopathy for the first time. I was at university, and it was through word of mouth. Some friends were seeking homeopathy to solve minor health issues, such as weight gain, anxiety, insomnia and food allergies. I was intrigued, so I joined the crowd and booked an appointment.

I remember this skinny guy in his 40s. He gave me specific dietary guidelines (no dairy, no nightshade vegetables). I remember going across town to a specific bakery to get some bread made with special yeast. It all seemed very complicated and unsustainable, so I did not continue. But I did not have any major issues, although I do not remember why I went.

Homeopathy was conceived in Germany in 1796 by the physician Samuel Hahnemann. It is based on the principle that a substance that causes symptoms of a disease in healthy people can cure similar symptoms in sick people, that “like cures like.”

Another principle of homeopathy is the “law of minimal dose:” decreasing the dose increases the effect.To reach this incredibly low dose, the preparations, called remedies, are made by repeated dilution of the original solution with water. The final products (remedies) are so diluted that no molecules of the compound can be detected. If we want to achieve the lowest possible dose of a compound, zero would do.

Why are we not just drinking water? The theory is that after all the dilutions, the water remembers the compound, so it is not “just” water. Is there any scientific validity to this claim?

The short answer is no. Homeopathy is still not considered science. It is called pseudo-science or alternative medicine by the most generous. I have also heard it called a “scam”, “witchcraft”, “alchemy” and other more colorful terms. The characteristics of the remedies or “water with memories” do not seem different from just water.

I carefully checked, and homeopathy is part of alternative medicine. But it is different from other branches, such as herbal medicine, for example, where you are treated with measurable concentrations of herbs. Homeopaths are doctors and other scientists, so they should be science-driven, but they all describe homeopathy as “magic”. The more you dilute, the better.

So why, after 200 years, do we still use homeopathy? And do we hear success stories?

Apparently, the patients return to the second visit and provide stories that their situation has significantly improved. Most of the homeopaths claim that the success is 100%. Are they lying? I cannot vouch for all homeopaths out there, but I have listened to several interviews and podcasts, and they all seem genuine. Biologically speaking, 100% success is very unlucky, so other people speculate that only happy people return, while the unhappy ones probably found another solution, which is why the success is so high. Regardless of statistics, though, there are still enough people to justify the number of homeopaths that we have.

I have heard interest in homeopathic vaccination. Homeopathic and traditional vaccines are based on similar principles. They expose people to a safe form of virus/bacteria, so you develop your own immunity without the disease (or a mild form). But in homeopathic vaccines, the concentration of the virus/bacteria is so low that we cannot guarantee our immune system would respond to the ”water with memory.” All diseases seem to be treated, but more common problems are ADHD, menopause, depression and insomnia.

Indeed, there are clinical trials that studied homeopathic treatment, and they noticed an effect in homeopathic therapy. Was it a placebo? It may be, but some studies were placebo-controlled and still saw an effect. There are even studies done in animals. The highest success was seen as an adjuvant to other treatments. So, there is some “magic” that science cannot explain, yet.

During my research, I noticed a very interesting pattern. Every homeopath spends one and a half hours with the patients on the first visit. Clients are often surprised, as most people spend 10 minutes with their doctor at the most. In the interview, the homeopaths were able to describe the symptoms in detail and to find the uniqueness of what the client was experiencing. The homeopath learned about lifestyle choices, such as sleep patterns, eating habits and stress. They are able to provide targeted lifestyle changes for the client: better sleeping patterns, hydration, eating healthy and exercise. Generally, homeopaths do not tell you not to take drugs nor to abandon your other doctors. They are there to help and supplement. And listen.