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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

More Homeopathic Woo: Super-Memory

 
This gets better and better as the week goes on. PZ Myers has discovered a company that markets fragments of DNA to promote good health. You don't actually eat the DNA, instead you drink water that has been exposed to the DNA [More Magic Snake Oil].

The company is called Homeovitality® and one of their products is Super Memory/IQ. I'm showing a picture of the product taken from their website in order to prove to you that it actually exists. This is part of the discussion concerning its scientific/medical efficacy—an important part of science education and social responsibility.

How does it work? Before I explain it to you, you'd better be sitting down. Try and remain calm.

There are two genes in your genome called CRM2 and SNAP-25. CHRM2 encodes a muscarinic receptors and various alleles of this gene have been associated with alcohol dependence and drug dependance, according to the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database [CHOLINERGIC RECEPTOR, MUSCARINIC, 2; CHRM2]. SNAP-25 encodes a synaptosomal-associate protein of 25kDa molecular weight. There have been reports that alleles of SNAP-25 are associated with hyperactivity but a separate study did not confirm this association according to OMIN [SYNAPTOSOMAL-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN, 25-KD; SNAP25].

Homeovitality® had some DNA sequences made for each of these genes: a 164 bp fragment in the case of CRM2 and a 144 bp fragment in the case of SNAP-25 [What is Homeovitality®?]. They used these pieces of DNA to make the Super Memory/IQ product.
Homeovitality® products have also been succussed at each dilution stage so they will also help to promote desirable forms of hybrid vigour in a “like promotes like” mode of action involving some of the mechanisms (4) described by Dr. Kratz, (http://kulisz.com/how_does_homeopathy_work.htm).

Homeovitality® products are safe because firstly, they are used at similar dilutions to classical homeopathic disease remedies and secondly, hybrid vigour is a completely natural biological process that has been developed by nature over millions of years to enable all creatures to enjoy “super health” and disease resistance.
"Succussed refers to the practice of forcefully striking the various dilution solutions in order to help "potentize" the effect. "Hybrid vigor" refers to the belief that these DNA sequences—or, more appropriately, the memory of these sequences—will produce heterozygosity in patients and that's a good thing.


6 comments :

Lale said...

Another reason proper science classes should be compulsory... anyone in england who's done A-level science and remembers it would know that's complete rubbish.

karmaiko said...

You mean I can't just drink some water and get smarter? Damn. (sarcasm)

Why am I reminded of the phrase 'Let the kids decide?'

offshore said...

I presume that they haven’t used it themselves, have they? They wouldn’t have been saying all this cr@p if they had, would they?
And, no I cannot ‘remain calm’

Unknown said...

Sigh ... makes me wistful for a long argument with a creationist...

DK said...

Damn, I was hoping it would work seeing that they did not use full cDNA sequences, there is no doubt that it won't. Too bad, I really need some super memory.

OT: surprised to see no comment on Dawkins/Vatican craziness. Has Dawkins come off the rails completely? Jeez.

The Rat said...

Every time I see these things I can't help thinking that I would be a lot richer if I had no scruples.