Live Blood Analysis revisited … but it still turns out to be pure quackery

About a year ago, I published a blog-post about LIVE BLOOD ANALYSIS (LBA). My conclusion at the time was that LBA is an ineffective, potentially dangerous diagnostic method for exploiting gullible consumers. My advice is to avoid practitioners who employ this technique. But perhaps it was too harsh?

Recently, this post started to attract a lively discussion. Surely, a good reason to re-visit the subject and see whether anything has changed.

First, we need to remind ourselves what LBA is. This website by a LBA practitioner explains:

Live Blood Analysis uses a drop of live blood from the patient’s finger that has not been killed by staining, and viewed under a special microscope using a darkfield condenser.

This enables the blood sample to be illuminated from the sides, making the various components phosphoresce behind a dark background. This makes it possible to see very small particles, smaller than a cell that would not normally be visible under a normal light microscope. All the living components of the blood are seen clearly, and can be viewed by the patient and therapist using a video camera and a dedicated monitor.

The examination of live blood is valuable for the early detection of serious health conditions. It is possible to see at what stage of pathological development the body is in, simply from using one drop of blood. Because the precursors to serious health imbalances may be observed in the state of ever-present floras found in the blood, health imbalances may be averted by reading these early warning signs and making the necessary changes that will allow one to rebalance the physiology. These markers are also applicable in the course of tracking the progression and reversal of degenerative conditions that may already be in motion…

Depending on the irregularities found in the blood, there are a wide variety of different conditions that can be determined.

The following are just a few examples:

• Indication of low immune status
• Liver and spleen stress
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Hormonal imbalances
• Fungal infections
• Parasite infestation
• Digestive problems
• Atherosclerotic predisposition
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Predisposition to cancer or other degenerative diseases

END OF QUOTE

Next, we need to see whether there is any new evidence that might support these astonishingly far-reaching claims. To find out, I conducted a couple of Medline-searches. The result is easily reported: none of the claims seems to be supported by any evidence. Neither did I find any evidence to show that LBA is a valid diagnostic tool – nothing on sensitivity, reliability, etc.

And what does that mean for LBA-practitioners and their patients?

Evidently, I am not an expert on legal matters, but I guess it means that the former are fraudulent and the latter should ask their money back. In any case, as an expert in SCAM, I can confidently tell you that, in my view, LBA is bogus.