THE WORLD FOUNDATION OF SCIENCE had been unknown to me, I must admit (I came across it when googling ‘Schuessler salts’). The name does, I suspect, attract many people who search for reliable, science-based information. Its website contains all sorts of amazing articles, for instance:
On the subject of Schuessler salts (also called Tissue salts), their website informs us that:
… Dr. Schüßler found out that functional organ disorders are often caused by a lack of one or more minerals. To treat the disorder, these minerals are supplied in homeopathic potency to stimulate the body to improve the absorption and transport of the mineral in question. In the treatment of colds or to strengthen the immune system, very good results can be achieved with Schuessler salts.
Colds
On the first signs:
Schuessler Salt no. 3 Ferrum phosphoricum D12
For coughs, colds, hoarseness, sore throat, earache:
Schuessler Salt No. 4 Potassium chloratum D6
For persistent colds with yellowish secretions:
Schuessler Salt No. 6 Potassium sulfuricum D6
Schuessler Salt No. 12 Calcium sulfuricum D6
With a fever below 39 degrees Celsius/102.2 degrees Fahrenheit:
Schuessler Salt No. 3 Ferrum phosphoricum D12
With a fever of more than 39 degrees Celsius/102.0 degrees Fahrenheit:
Schuessler Salt No. 5 Potassium phosphoricum D6…
I wonder how many patients with persistent cough have followed their advice and taken Schuessler Salt No. 6 Potassium sulfuricum D6 and/or Schuessler Salt No. 12 Calcium sulfuricum D6.
And why not?
I’ll tell you why not: persistent cough can be a sign for corona-virus or other serious infections. And if it’s not due to an infection, it might be due to cancer.
IF YOU HAVE A PERSISTENT COUGH, PLEASE SEE YOUR DOCTOR!
Back to Schuessler salts (I have written about them before here and here). They are a derivative of homeopathy in the sense that they are highly diluted (Schuessler was a German homeopath). But they do not follow the ‘like cures like’ assumption. Many homeopaths are thus indignant, if Schuessler salts get confused with homeopathics. Yet, they shouldn’t be: both Schuessler salts and homeopathics have one important feature in common: they are ineffective.
Some years ago, I published a systematic review of all clinical studies of Schuessler salts (sorry, I cannot find the reference at the moment). That was an easy task, because there are none (one ought to ask why there is not a single trial of Schuessler salts. I suspect the manufacturers do not want one, because they already know the result). This renders the recommendation of the THE WORLD FOUNDATION OF SCIENCE all the more enraging.
I think I will therefore rename this organisation; I shall call it
I dont think anyone would be stupid enough to take a Schuessler salt very long for a “persistent” cough without results particularly if the cough worsened, before they gave up and went elsewhere. What about all the cough nostrums that big pharma advertises by the billion$ and sells over the counter? Which do you think would more successfully suppress a cough? I dont think we have to worry that they would miss out on a diagnosis of cancer or covid from a cell salt.
I see … and that makes all outrageously false health claims alright, does it?
Roger
You clearly don’t know a lot about human nature. Nor do you seem to know about the tu quoque fallacy.
You dont seem to want to address the question: If the cell salts are a threat, are they a bigger threat than Nyquil? Should we take the bigger threat of Nyquil off the market too?
Roger
You could try to derail this discussion by introducing any number of problematic pharmaceuticals (and there are many), but that won’t divert me from discussing the topic of this post. The blog is about pseudoscience in health care, not about the faults that exist in conventional medicine. Your comment is classical tu quoque.
You are not even illustrating the issue appropriately, by citing Nyquil. That is an effective treatment (maybe minimally) that has a bigger issue, that of addiction. That is not at all relevant to an argument about a demonstrably ineffective product such as Schüssler salts. Try to keep on-topic.
Oh my. On the one hand the “evil” pharmaceutical industrie, who makes money with their drugs.
And on the other hand, the misunderstood hard-working homeopath or Schüssler adept, who of course has only the best of the patient in mind. Namely his money.
“I dont think anyone would be stupid enough”
Clearly you’ve never met any homeopaths.
And neither have you, apparently, except in your fevered imagination.
“And neither have you, apparently, except in your fevered imagination.”
Shows what you know.
A homeopath once cost me my pudding.
It might be best to give this august body its full title:
“The World Foundation for Natural Science – the New World Franciscan Scientific Endeavour of the New World Church.”
“Restoring and Healing the World through Responsibility and Commitment in accord with Natural and Divine law!”
Not just ‘natural law’ – but ‘divine’ as well.
(The declaration a member signs expresses a belief in reincarnation.)
Says it all.
Sigh.
You would say that Rawlins, this is just your first time around! I’m lawyer in this incarnation, last time I was a cockroach. I’m not sure if I’m going up or down the scale…
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”