You hear this word all the time in my podcasts and Facebook Live events. You read it on my blog posts and in the Facebook groups.
What is it?
The word “dose.” As in, “I took one dose twice daily until very much better.”
“But how much is one dose? How many pills do I take?” you may ask.
If I had a nickel for every time I am asked that question, I would … well … I would have quite an impressive collection of nickels!
As my remedy cards state, “The number of pills/drops per dose is printed on the outside of the bottle.”
I’m not trying to be irksome or vague with my answer. Believe me. I’m trying to be precise. Although homeopathy is gentle, relatively safe and polite, it IS medicine and the efficient use of it should be accordingly precise.
Each of the homeopathic pharmacy manufacturers advises a specific number of pills or drops as a dose of their medicine. Their numbers may vary depending on the size of the pillules that you've purchased! Therefore, it is essential that we read the remedy bottle and follow each particular pharmacy’s standards!
Why the difference?
This is the basic idea: one dose is equal to one exposure to the potentized medicine. “Exposure” could take the form of a single pill — as long as you're positive that that measurement was fully coated with the medicine solution during the manufacturing stage.
You see, the dosage has more to do with how the homeopathic remedies are manufactured.
My observations made while watching how the medicines are made in a number of manufacturing pharmacies is that when remedies are made in a homeopathic pharmacy, the inert sugar pills are either sprayed with the liquid remedy solution or turned in a vat as the liquid remedy solution is applied over them.
Click here to watch a fascinating Boiron video detailing the entire manufacturing process. (If you skip to around 4:55 you can see the inert sucrose pellets getting sprayed with the medicine. But I urge you to watch the entire video. It will answer a lot of your questions regarding homeopathic medicines.)
Generally, a pharmacy will recommend somewhere between 3-5 pellets as a dose because they feel confident that this is what it would take to ensure that most of those suggested number of pellets will most certainly have received the medicinal coating.
So, if you follow their recommendation, you're assured to get at least one adequately coated in the remedy. And often, that's all that is actually needed!
This is the reason I defer to the label on the bottle: Each manufacturing pharmacy has its own pill size assessment of how many pillules (based on the size) should statistically guarantee you are getting a minimum of one pill with the medicine infused.
Because the original substance is so highly diluted and potentized, consuming more than the recommended number of pills at one time would make little difference. One exposure is still one dose.
One could take an entire bottle, and it would still be considered one dose. However, obviously, it’s certainly not frugal — or necessary — to take a whole bottle at once.
But, I mention it because regularly, there has been a curious child who sneakily gets into the family’s remedies and makes quick work of a tube of pillules. The child thinks they had a tasty treat while the mom flies into a panic!
Also, to reiterate, even when taking the teeny-tiny little poppyseed-sized pillules —although you might hardly see them when pouring them into the cap — these minuscule pills are just as effective.
But again, follow the manufacturer’s recommendation because they know their manufacturing process. They know how many pills would best ensure you receive an adequately permeated pillule.
As you know, some protocols require mixing remedies together — to be taken at the same time. One should still observe the manufacturing pharmacy’s recommended dose for each remedy.
Trust our reputable American manufacturing pharmacies! They go to great lengths to make sure your remedies are manufactured to the exact industry (as well as FDA) specifications that will provide you with the proper exposure to your chosen homeopathic medicine.
So read the directive on the label, pour the pills into the cap, count them and get ready for the efficacy of homeopathy.
And don’t forget to pass on the good news of homeopathy!
Warmly,
P.S. Questions such as this are answered in my Gateway to Homeopathy study group curriculum, which I strongly recommend as the best place to catapult your homeopathy education.
It’s the same way I learned about homeopathy — with others. My guided curriculum ensures that you stay on track, learning the foundational things you need to gain confidence and competence. (Plus, it’s fun! A time devoted to you, like-minded friends and homeopathy!)
P.P.S. Boiron has made another fascinating video available on YouTube that I think you might enjoy. Filmed in 1937 by their co-founder, Jean Boiron, this video shows the manufacturing process as it used to be at the beginning of the 20th Century. My, how things have changed … but the effectiveness of our homeopathic remedies has stayed the same!
I am a homeopath with a worldwide practice working with families and individuals via Zoom. I'm also a teacher and most importantly, a mom who raised my now-adult children depending on homeopathy over the last 31 years. I lived decades of my life with food intolerances, allergies, and chemical sensitivities until I was cured with homeopathy, so I understand pain, anxiety, and suffering. You may feel that your issues are more severe or different than anyone else’s, but I have seen it all in my practice and in my work in India. My opinion is that nothing has come close to the reproducible, safe and effective results that my clients, students and I have achieved with homeopathy.
Call today and learn how homeopathy might just be the missing piece in your health strategy.
Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. Joette believes that the advice and diagnosis of a physician is often in order.
We've provided links for your convenience but we do not receive any remuneration nor affiliation in payment from your purchase.
The Author disclaims all liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise incurred as a consequence of use of any material in this article. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Thank you! A friend and I were just talking about this yesterday! Do you believe in energy/manifestations? 😉 ha! Thank you for your work
I’m Roman Catholic.
Hi Joette,Thanks for all you do!
Does the same apply to liquid remedies? I ordered my first one from OHM and it says to shake the bottle 10 times and add10 drops to one oz of water. That seems like a lot of drops especially since its in liquid.
It’s always best to follow directions from the manufacturing pharmacy.
Thanks for the information. I bought the 100 kit from you and the y are so small and hard to handle. It seems hard to only pour the dose out.Tips on how to use them more effectively?
I really like the Boiron with the twist caps.
Pour some of the pills into the cap back and forth until you count about 6-10 pilules. Then toss them into the mouth.
I have been an ardent user and supporter of homeopathy for over 40 years and believe that homeopathy is a natural and one of the most effective healing sciences.I prefer liquid dispensation to pills as liquid bottles can be stroked each time(about 10 strokes) to enhance/raise their potency if needed to repeat the doses.Technically one drop directly on the tongue should suffice as a dose.Please refer to my Facebook page “Homeopathy the complete cure” to understand how it works on us and why it works better than allopathy.Homeopathy is the “energy medicine”,works electromagnetically.
My contact +13134554708.Thanks ms Calabrese for enlightening us in homeopathy.
My husband showed me with the small 100 kit glass bottles that if you hold the bottle in one hand as if to pour the pellets out and the lid in the other hand and twist the small glass bottle while you are trying to pour, the pellets will only pop out one or two at a time. It makes it real easy to control the amount of tiny pellets that are dispensed.
Can you please specify what brand you are talking about?
The Boiron bottle have this feature, but the Washington Homeopathic Products bottles (which I believe is where Joette got her kits from) does not. Doing what you suggested with these bottles gets way too many out in the bottle cap.
Thanks, Joette! Question: When giving a cat a dose of medicine, and it’s near impossible to get them into his mouth, is it OK to put the dose of pills inside a “pill-pocket”, or “Greenie” as they are sometimes called, and give them that way? I’ve tried it with one of my cats who has minor seizures, and it seems to work, but that could be wishful thinking.
The best way, of course, is to administer it in a clean mouth but if you have no choice delivery in food is often effective.
It is difficult with cats. I try to put the pellets into the mouth, towards the cheek, and hold the mouth gently closed. It usually helps cats get the medicine.
I have 11cats and i mainly use homeopathy for their needs (sometimes also herbs and energy healing). The way that works best for us is a small 2ml syringe (no needle). I pop the pills in the syringe and suck in a bit of water, wait until the pills have dissolved. Then grab the cat gently from the back of the neck and lift just a little bit. This will loosen the jaw nicely so its easy to squirt the medicine in the mouth. There not even need for the third hand u know 😀
Do these concepts about dosing apply the same way to the cell salts?
Cell salts are homeopathic medicines so the same rules are followed.
I’ve been using homeopathy for family pets for 30yrs. I put 1 pill in as close to 1 drop of milk as possible for cats, just to soften it as well as entice them to consume it. My dog thinks they are treats, so that is handy.
Buster thinks their treats too.
In light of how they spray the pellets, have you ever had a remedy taste like hairspray/alcohol? Not a neutral vodka taste either – more of a chemical/hairspray taste! Just received a brand new, sealed Boiron tube of Cina 200 (seller was “Boiron” on Amazon) and the taste is very strong. (I’d bought the exact remedy from them before with no weird taste.)
Update: Buyer beware! Seems like the tube (which arrived by itself a single Amazon envelope) seems to have come in contact with something! Smells like Lavender Febreze. The smell is strong on the outside of the bottle. No water damage or label-peeling. I’m sure the remedy is affected! 🙁
It could certainly be contaminated from an external source in Amazon’s warehouse.
Matthew’s mom here. It is a known fact that Amazon doesn’t always sell what they say they are selling in terms of supplements and homeopathy. I would be very suspect. Have you tried buying from a2zhomeopathy? I would want certified items. Several physicians have warned me and my husband about supplements and such sold on amazon.
I’ve purchased from A-Z but purchase Boiron from Amazon regularly and have not had a problem so far. You may also purchase directly from Boiron’s site and use my 1st name (Joette) as the discount code when checking out and you’ll get a discount.
Those chemicals are on everything now!!! Horrible smell and toxic chemicals. I am willing to bet the remedy IS affected. I return things that smell that bad. Before i return them I put them in the garage, the smell is so awful. What a world!
What would you recommend if the bottle has no number of pills per dose? I have some 200c remedies I was able to pick up locally by Hahnemann labs but it just says use according to standard homeopathic protocol. Would I therefore assume what seems to be the industry standard of 3-5? And would that also apply to children?
Yes and yes.
I was taught by a classical homeopath to use water dosing and high potencies for acute illness (I bought a 1M kit which is all I use). Can you explain why you recommend dry pellets to the water dosing method and if you would recommend purchasing a different kit if I were trying the Banerji Protocols or simply using your method of homeopathy? I hate to have to buy a new kit (or several), because we have seen wonderful results over the years, but I have also been frustrated with the complexity of classical homeopathy and have never successfully treated colds or coughs, for instance for my family due to there being so many options. It seems so difficult to find the correct remedies. So if the exact dosage you recommend and in pill form is a game changer, it would be worth purchasing to me. Thanks for your help!
There are many ways to skin a cat.
If you plan to implement what I teach, the potencies, frequencies, etc. must be adhered to rather strictly.
The reason I abandoned classical homeopathy is precisely the same reason you’re considering doing the same now.
The method I teach is infinitely easier to learn and utilize if you hope to be independent of a homeopath.
Hello Joette,
I bought some remedies from helios in a 50g bottle in No.3 size pills but it has no instructions on any of the bottles. Do you know how many is a dose in that size pill from that company?
Across the board, anywhere between 3-5 pills will act as a dose with most pharmacies.
I asked Helios company what is one dose. they replied that one dose is ONE pill or ONE spray or ONE tablet. One pill is one dose. They are very insistent about that, as I write to them twice about this matter.
The manufacturer is the expert regarding their products.
To Joette Calabrese
I come from Germany, the area code is 0049 1773179661 in the Narayana publishing house it says in an article of yours that homeopathy helps with problems of the musculoskeletal system – not only in humans! From Joette Calabrese I need to know something in the article it is written In the event of a torn ligament or meniscus (as in the case of Buster): Take Symphytum C200 twice a day They wrote that you should take Symphytum officinale C200 twice a day but not how many globules per dose. Please, I need to know because I also have a meniscus tear, how many globules do I have to take per dose? And how long ? Please answer soon, regards Petra Güngör date 23.092022
The number of globules is printed on the side of the bottle.
We use medicines for as long as they’re needed and resume as needed
To Joette Calabrese
I come from Germany, the area code is 0049 1773179661 in the Narayana publishing house it says in an article of yours that homeopathy helps with problems of the musculoskeletal system – not only in humans! From Joette Calabrese I need to know something in the article it is written In the event of a torn ligament or meniscus (as in the case of Buster): Take Symphytum C200 twice a day They wrote that you should take Symphytum officinale C200 twice a day but not how many globules per dose. Please, I need to know because I also have a meniscus tear, how many globules do I have to take per dose? And how long ? Please answer soon, regards Petra Güngör date 23.09.2022
I’m having a hard time figuring out when to go from 200C to 1M and how long to wait in-between doses when using a high potency. My daughter suffers from severe anxiety and panic attacks and a fear of throwing up. In the past Phosphorus 200C was the remedy that worked for her. Recently her anxiety was triggered from being rescued by the National Guard after her apartment complex was in a flood. Aconite 200C seemed to work but then the panic attacks came back a day or 2 later. We then realized that CBD can be an antidote so we tried 200C again (3rd time in a month) but this time without the CBD and any herbs. She felt great for a day and then the panic attacks came back the next night and then again the following day. At what point is it safe to try the 1M or do I try another remedy?
Can you clarify for OHM remedy what’s a general dose ie. how many pellets? The bottle doesn’t state clearly like boiron does. Need some help please. Is one pellet equivalent to one dose in general for OHM brand remedies
Thank You
It depends on what size pellets you purchased. You might want to ask the pharmacy.
Thanks for continually drilling down with your information. All helpful.
What amounts to one dose once a remedy is mixed with liquid? I know you mentioned it somewhere but my mind is blanking. OHM says mix 10 drops in 1 oz water and then take 2D. Take what 2D…a teaspoon of the mixture?
When using OHM’s medicines follow their number of drops or pills. The same holds for the number of pills manufactured by Boiron, Washington, etc.
Generally, a teaspoon or so comprises a dose once added to water.