Do Homeopathic Medicines Contain Steroids? – Debunking the Myth
One of the most frequently asked questions is do homeopathic medicines contain steroids or are steroids being used in the preparation of homeopathic medicines or do homeopaths use steroids? I have been asked this question as well. The short answer to this question is NO. It is a rumor and misbelief that homeopathic medicines have steroids. The purpose of saying that is to defame the homeopathic system of medicine. In this article, we will discuss the matter in more detail. First of all, we need to learn that what are steroids and what are their side effects.
Are steroids natural or manmade?
Steroids are natural hormones and chemicals that are made inside the human body in a natural way to perform normal physiological functions. The adrenal cortex, testis, ovaries in the body and placenta during pregnancy help in the secretion. The adrenal cortex produces steroids known as corticosteroids which are glucocorticoids including cortisol and mineralocorticoids and sex steroids, which are generated by testis and ovaries which are androgens, estrogens and progestogens.
There are two types of laboratory-made medicines called steroids including corticosteroids and anabolic androgenic steroids. Corticosteroids include anti-inflammatory drugs that doctors recommend to reduce the inflammation immediately. Their function is to suppress or slow down the immune system of your body and also reduce the production of chemicals that result in inflammation. They are prescribed to deal with a number of health issues including eczema, asthma, vasculitis, myositis and autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus and myositis etc. Some corticosteroids include cortisone, prednisone, and methylprednisolone. Anabolic steroids are man-made types of testosterone that are recommended by doctors when the body does not produce enough testosterone in the body that can cause medical issues and when a person loses muscle mass from diseases such as cancer and AIDS. These steroids work to build up muscles and prevent further breakdown.
Side effects of steroids
Steroids may work as a lifesaver in different health conditions, but over-using them can also be detrimental to your health as they cause many side effects that can be life-threatening. The severity of side effects depends on the type of steroids you use, its dosage, and for how long they have been used.
By using corticosteroids, one can experience weight gain, puffiness of the face, difficulty in sleeping, nausea, increased appetite, unwanted hair growth in different areas especially on the face (hirsutism), hyperglycemia, hypertension, blurred vision, mood swings, acne and compromised immunity with increased possibility to catch infections because they suppress the immune system. The use of these steroids for a long time can lead to the weakening of bones resulting in breakage i.e. osteoporosis, diabetes, slow growth in kids, muscle weakness and adrenal insufficiency which is a life-threatening state.
By using anabolic steroids, one can experience fluid retention, male pattern baldness, facial hair(hirsutism), stunted growth in teenagers, mood swings, aggression and menstrual cycle issues in females. Overdosage of these steroids can prevent the body from producing testosterone resulting in low sperm count, reduced size of testicles, infertility and breast growth in men(gynecomastia). If used for a long time, it can damage organs including liver, heart, and kidneys and result in high LDL (low density lipoprotein) triggering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
What is homeopathy and what types of medicines are used in treatment?
Homeopathy is a 200-year-old system of medicine and the founder of the system was German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and it is based on the law of ‘Similia Similibus Curentur’ or ‘like cures like’.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the homeopathic mode of treatment is the second largest medical system in the world. It is being practiced in more than 84 countries. More than 500 million people use this healing system worldwide. Homeopathy healing system is acclaimed under AYUSH which has five alternative healthcare systems including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.
Homeopathy has the ability to treat acute as well as chronic health disorders. Homeopathic medicines used for the purpose of treatment of diseases are obtained from different sources such as plants, minerals, snake poisons, disease germs (nosodes). They are devoid of side effects if used after consulting a competent homeopath. Homeopathy does not have medicine that have any steroid in any form whereas allopathy does have steroids. Qualified allopathic doctors prescribe steroids to patients in some cases and they are allowed to do so.
Homeopathy is replete with natural medicines, so we do not need to use steroids
Homeopathy itself is an advanced healing system that is full of medicines that are produced from different sources and they are capable of treating health issues. They can work as great anti-inflammatory remedies that are devoid of side effects and prevent the suppression of the immune system. To make it clear, it boosts the immune system to make it act like normal. So, why would a homeopathic doctor use any type of steroid as homeopathy contains safe, natural medicines that can only treat the patient in the best possible way.
One may become skeptical about Quick homeopathic action
Whenever we treat patients and they get immediate relief in acute cases using homeopathic remedies, they think that they might have steroids as they work rapidly beyond imagination. There is also a misconception that homeopathy works gradually and every case cannot be cured quickly, so how can I get relief instantly? People who have these doubts in mind or those who try to inculcate them into the minds of general people have no idea about homeopathy and its principles, the sources of remedies used to make them so they might believe that homeopathic medicines have steroids as they are illiterate in terms of homeopathy.
Homeopathy works slowly is also not true. In acute cases, when homeopathic remedies are chosen appropriately keeping in view the principles of homeopathy with the right dosage and potency, they can perform significantly faster than you can imagine. They begin to work as soon as they are absorbed on the tongue with the assistance of nerve endings. In acute cases such as cold, diarrhea, cough, ear pain, and headache, the signs of improvement will be observed sooner as compared to chronic cases where it may take a while to respond properly. The pace of these medicines can be different from case to case as the nature of the disease, the chronicity of the issue, and individual response to medicine are other factors that can impact the speed of action of these medicines.
If homeopathic medicines have steroids, you will experience side effects too
There is no doubt in saying that but it is a fact that usage of steroids can cause side effects on human body as we have discussed above. So, in case homeopathic doctors use steroids, then there would be side effects too. They must follow after using any remedy. But there have been no side effects ever reported until now with the consumption of any homeopathic remedy.
Analytical Laboratory tests for steroids presence in homeopathic medicines
Colorimetric method of testing steroids
A false positive result in this test may raise doubts and questions in your mind that homeopathic remedies have steroids. Hence this test cannot be recommended to confirm the presence of steroids in homeopathic remedies.
This test is an old way to find out the steroid in a substance that uses tetrazolium blue salts. A highly-colored compound known as Farmazan is produced in the substance on which this test is completed to check if it has steroids. The presence of a reducing sugar in a substance may result in false positive. Additionally, homeopathic medicines do have a slight amount of dispensing alcohol that can also make the results false positive. This test must not be considered to confirm the steroids in homeopathic medicines and pills.
What other tests can be considered to check steroids?
In order to confirm the presence of steroids in homeopathic remedies, the authentic tests that can be recommended are thin-layer chromatography method the Liebermann Burchard test and UV absorption method. They are the most accurate tests to consider to check steroids in any substance. There will never be a positive reaction in this test when checking homeopathic medicines. Another point to keep in mind is that only FDA-approved labs (universal level) and in our case DRAP-approved labs should be selected in order to test homeopathic medicines as every lab is not equipped with appliances to do the tests.
Conclusion
The above discussion clearly states that homeopathy is a natural healing system based on fixed rules. Homeopathic medicines are entirely free of steroids so homeopaths cannot prescribe them. We must never pay heed to any rumor lacking proof in this case and check the facts in every case before believing in any hearsay.
I had accomplished D. H. M. S in 2008, I have been into practice (in Rawalpindi & Islamabad) for more or less 14 years. During my practice, I have been treating acute as well as chronic disorders. I had also completed MHS (Masters of Human Sexuality) in 2014 from SAIHS. Covid-19, Dengue fever, Genetic Disorders, Auto-immune Diseases, Sexual dysfunctions and disorders in males as well as females attract my attention, therefore, I love to solve these cases.
Apart from Homeopathy, I am M.A in English Literature from Punjab University. I have been teaching English at Post Graduate National College Rawalpindi for 7 years. So I am holding two noble professions. I have written more than 7000 articles on different subjects. To be more specific I have authored different websites as well.