Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim "destroys" the world of globules with the HomöopaTEA
Created: 09/21/2022, 15:02
By: Constantin Hoppe
During the show "MaiThinkX", science journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim declares the fight against homeopathy and relies on an ice tea.
Mainz – Many people rely on the effect of globules.
However, there is no scientific evidence of their effectiveness.
Reason enough for science journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim to take a closer look – with a not-so-serious iced tea brand.
"Effect is what you make of it" - with these words Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim presented a new - and not really existing - drink in her format "MaiThinkX" on ZDF Neo: The "HomöopaTea".
According to the science journalist, the iced tea is sweetened with globules.
Is this a problem or good for health?
Mai Thi Nguyen Kim.
(Archive image) © Imago
Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim: Declaration of war on the world of homeopathy
By introducing her tea, Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim is, in a sense, making a declaration of war on the world of homeopathy.
Right at the beginning of the program she says: "Today we are destroying homeopathy." With this she invites you on a journey through the world of globules and uses a change of perspective: What would happen if all statements about globules and other homeopathic remedies were really serious would take?
It is of course important to know how globules are produced.
A very small proportion of a natural active ingredient, such as saffron, is heavily diluted with water - homeopaths speak of potentizing.
These "potentiated active ingredients" are then sprayed in very small amounts onto sugar pearls, from which the water evaporates.
This is how the small balls are made, which are then sold in pharmacies.
Mai Thi Nguyen Kim | |
|---|---|
Born: | August 7th, 1987 in Heppenheim |
Diploma: | PhD chemist |
Profession: | Science journalist and TV presenter |
Challenging homeopathy: How should globules work
The reason for the effect of the globules, on the other hand, lies in the "memory of the water".
The assumption behind this and the basic principle of homeopathy: water "remembers" the active ingredients and therefore unfolds its effect.
Unfortunately, after the water has evaporated, it is no longer present in the globules.
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This is where the change of perspective comes into play: What happens to the water used in the production of globules?
Because the disposal of water that was contaminated during the manufacture of medicines is subject to regulations.
Ngyuen-Kim and her team put the question to the responsible districts, authorities and associations.
The answer: The waste water from homeopathic products is treated in the same way as "normal" waste water.
Globules: What is behind homeopathic medicines
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Declaration of war on homeopathy: no concerns about using it as a sweetener
This answer supposedly surprised Ngyuen-Kim: The founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, warned that too high a potency (i.e. diluted) homeopathic remedies could even be fatal in the worst case.
And the more water is added, the more potentized the means should be.
However, the Carstens Foundation, which promotes research into homeopathy, says: "Homeopathy is a treatment method with few side effects".
This may seem a contradiction, but it puts Ngyuen-Kim's mind at ease during her broadcast.
Nguyen-Kim on homeopathy: "Honestly folks, this is all ridiculous"
However, this leads back to iced tea: Because homeopathic remedies are only available in pharmacies, this should speak against their use as a sweetener in the drink.
The editors of the program also wanted to know this from the Federal Ministry of Health.
The answer there: There are no concerns, since the composition is classified as food.
It's nothing more than the caffeine in cola or the quinine in tonic water.
Then Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim burst: "Honestly people, this is all ridiculous," she says during the show.
"Either homeopathy works and then, like any other medicine, you shouldn't just take it.
But then they must not get into the environment and, above all, you must not use them to sweeten iced tea.
Or - it just doesn't work."
No HomöopaTEA: globule prices too high
Mai Thi Ngyuen-Kim seems to have struck a chord with her homeopathy experiment.
Since publication, her posts have been shared thousands of times on social media.
You can't really buy the iced tea HomöopaTEA - that would probably have been too expensive: According to Ngyuen-Kim, at least 25 grams of globules per bottle would have been necessary.
(con)
