Homeopathic Sugar Bombs: The Sweet Taste of Nothing!

Globuli

In the world of globules, these little sugar pellets that serve as carriers of homeopathic “active ingredients,” one must ask what they actually contain. The fundamental principle of homeopathy suggests that a substance which causes symptoms in large doses can, in extremely diluted form, contribute to the cure of that very disease. The idea is intriguing: treating like with like. But how much of this “like” remains in the globules?

Let’s first look at the potencies, which play a crucial role in homeopathy. Dilution occurs in stages, where a substance, often of plant or mineral origin, is diluted in ratios of 1:10 (D-potencies) or 1:100 (C-potencies). Dilute once, shake, and you have D1 or C1. Dilute again, shake, and you get D2 or C2, and so on, step by step. For example, D7 means the initial substance has been diluted and successes seven times in a 1:10 ratio. Let’s do the math: D7 is a ratio of 1:10,000,000, indicating we’re already dealing with a very low concentration of the original substance. In the chemical world, this is already an extremely low concentration. But it goes further.

Higher potencies, like C30 or even C200, take this principle to the extreme. At C30, the original substance has been diluted 30 times at a 1:100 ratio, leading to a dilution ratio of 1 to 10^60, a number so large it’s hardly comparable within the universe. At C200, it’s 10^400. For comparison, Avogadro’s number, which tells us how many particles are in one mole of a substance, is about 6.022 x 10^23. Beyond this number, the likelihood of even a single molecule of the original substance remaining in the solution is virtually zero. So, what remains in these high potencies like C200? Essentially, just the solvent—or the sugar carriers, when speaking of globules. No trace of the original active ingredient.

Advocates of homeopathy argue that it’s not the material substance itself that works, but rather a kind of “energy” or “information” transferred to the solvent during the potentization process. It’s like believing that the mere memory of the substance is stored in the water or sugar, similar to the warmth of a laying on of hands, which leaves no visible trace but is supposed to have an effect. This thought, however, is more esoteric in nature and eludes scientific proof.

Criticism of these high potencies is thus understandable. On a molecular level, nothing remains to have an effect. Yet, millions worldwide trust in globules and swear by their effects. Is it the placebo effect? The evidence strongly suggests so. Belief in the treatment and trust in the therapist can be powerful psychological mechanisms. One might say: it’s more the act of ingestion, the ritual, the care—perhaps even the symbolic laying on of hands, that produces the therapeutic effect, rather than the sugar pellets themselves.

Ultimately, the question remains how one can take seriously a “medicine” that lives off nothing but the memory of a substance long gone. It’s like believing you can be satiated by a meal you only remember, not one you’ve eaten. Yet, the market for homeopathic remedies fills entire shelves, and not without reason. Humans seek healing, often alternatives to a medicine that can seem complex and impersonal. Whether globules provide the solution or merely a gentle gesture satisfying a deeper yearning for support and care is debatable.

Now, sugar is known to be a quick energy source for the brain, and looking at some contemporaries, a small dose wouldn’t hurt.

Why, then, do I write such things on my blog? Well, forensics? In my view, those who profit from such sugar balls are committing a form of fraud, which can have serious health consequences. Why a state of law tolerates this is as illogical as many governmental actions in today’s world.