An honest, balanced guide to homeopathic OTC products. What they are, what the evidence shows, how to read labels, and how they differ from herbal medicine.
Homeopathy is a practice developed in the 1790s based on the principle that substances causing symptoms in healthy people can, when highly diluted, treat similar symptoms in sick people. Most homeopathic products are diluted to such an extent that no active molecules remain in the final product.
Large systematic reviews have found that homeopathic products do not perform better than placebo for any health condition. Regulatory agencies in many countries, including the US FDA, have increased scrutiny of homeopathic product claims.
Herbal products contain measurable amounts of plant-derived compounds with documented pharmacological effects. Homeopathic products are typically so dilute that they contain no measurable amount of the original substance. The two categories are regulated and evaluated differently.
Look for the dilution notation: 6X, 12C, 30C, etc. The higher the number, the more diluted the product. An HPUS listing means the ingredient is in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.