Homeopathic COVID-19 treatments: what are they and do they work? – WKOW

Homeopathic COVID-19 Treatment

Coronavirus-COVID19 imported 6-02-20 to test cropping of smaller versions

MADISON (WKOW) -- Instead of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers underwent a homeopathic treatment before the season started.

Homeopathic medicine has been around since the 1700s and uses products from plants, minerals or animals to treat diseases.

Dr. Aaron Henkel is a naturopathic doctor in Madison who uses some homeopathic treatments.

"The hope is that we're building our immune system, but we're also stabilizing it so that when we do fight a normal virus, like a coronavirus or like a flu virus, our bodies are adapted to be able to handle it well," he said.

Henkel said he's seen a lot of people looking for alternative treatment options over the past year and a half.

He said those treatments can range from taking supplements like Vitamin D or Zinc to sleeping more, lowering stress levels or exercising regularly. Hesaid he does believe masks and vaccines are good options that can prevent COVID-19 infection, but he said he wants people to have other treatment options, too.

"Vaccines definitely hold advantages for certain people, and I think they hold disadvantages for other people," Henkel said. "As a naturopathic doctor, I believe each individual person looks at the risks and they look at possible benefits and then, based on that, they choose."

However, Dr. Gregory DeMuri, an infectious disease specialist at UW Health, said homeopathic remedies offer no protection against COVID-19.

"There are no supplements, herbs, tinctures or homeopathic treatments that prevent COVID," he said. "The difference is the vaccine works."

DeMuri said getting vaccinated boosts the body's antibody response, which provides protection against infection from the COVID-19 virus. Other homeopathic remedies only treat symptoms after someone gets sick.

"There's not much you can take to keep yourself from getting COVID if you're going to be exposed other than the vaccine," he said.

Although they don't protect against COVID-19, DeMuri said homeopathic remedies do sometimes work against other viruses.

"There is some evidence that reducing stress levels and exercise and things can increase your resistance to the common cold," he said. "But for COVID, there's no evidence of that. Is it a good idea? Absolutely. Those are all helpful behaviors, and we, as physicians, want to encourage them. But don't rely on those things alone to prevent you from getting COVID. Get the vaccine."

DeMuri said the Packers are the latest example that vaccination is the only path forward out of the pandemic.

"[Rodgers']teammates who were vaccinated did not need to be quarantined," DeMuri said. "They're playing in Sunday's game. I think that should tell you everything. If we want to keep our athletic teams playing, if we want to keep our churches open, our schools open, our businesses open, people need to get vaccinated."

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Homeopathic COVID-19 treatments: what are they and do they work? - WKOW