It's technically impossible to overdose on homeopathic medicines, since they are diluted so much that they contain only water, or a very trace amount of an ingredient. However, many homeopathic medicines contain other ingredients, which have the potential to cause harm. For example, Zicam is labeled as homeopathic, but it also contains zinc which has recently caused some consumers to lose their sense of smell.

Any "overdose" that could occur wouldn't be as a result of too much drug effect (since there isn't any), but as a result of the volume of water consumed. Drinking too much water can cause a potentially fatal electrolyte imbalance. The condition is commonly referred to as "water intoxication," and it happens to marathon runners who drink too much water without replenishing sodium and other electrolytes.

Wouldn't an overdose of homeopathic medicine mean you took too little of the active ingredient? It makes no sense whatsoever.

As there are no active ingredients in a homeopathic remedy, so technically overdosing shouldn't be an issue!

That said I recently saw Boots selling Arnica 30C pills, on the packaging was guidance on what to do in the case of an overdose (seek advice from doctor or pharmacist).

I've blogged about it here ....

How Much Sugar is too Much Sugar

I've asked Boots & Nelsons (the manufacturer) for some clarification on how much constitutes an overdose, what the effects of an overdose would be and what actions should I take.

Boots have said they will provide an answer ......

on homeopathic overdoses.. this is a good, recent article that covers things quite nicely in the light of the case of billy joels daughter: http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2009/12/alexa_ray_joel_homeopathic_ove.php

ultimately you wouldnt be overdosing on the homeopathic remedy (unless, in the words of the old joke.. you drowned), but my thoughts are ... if they dont put an ingredients list on the label.. who knows what other crap is in there to make it shiny, or even just bulk out the sugar.. similar to the zinc/zicam thing a quick google finds this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14705842

I think james randi once downed a bottle of homeopathic pills during a lecture, good idea if you know theres no arsenic in it.. bad if there might be..

There is no way you would die of the actually drug effect, but the fact that people have died previously of over-hydrating: proof here: http://www.succeedscaps.com/overhydration.html.

Naturally there can be no side-effect from a true homeopathic "remedy" since it offers no effect in the first place. Of course with homeopathy, less is more ... so if you take no homeopathic remedy you face massive overdose and instant death!

The real threat is with mass-produced Chinese herbal remedies. Many of the treatments contain natural active ingredients that are not properly analysed. Further to that, many such preparations are enhanced with western pharmaceutical components in order to increase their efficacy. The inclusion of pharmaceutical components are never listed and are thus potentially dangerous.

People have died from drinking too much water.

Still not found any decent evidence to back up your assertions, Nancy?

Strictly speaking, no, you can't. In the UK homeopathic remedies are diluted to the point where they contain no active ingredients and are thus considered totally safe. The point about Zircam is taked but such a remedy would not be allowed to be described as homeopathic in the UK.

Whilst current UK homeopathic remedies are harmless, it is worth pointing out that James Tyler Kent, who is considered very important in the history and development of homeopathy, does describe euthanising patients. This is not generally known and homeopaths are very coy on the subject.

Isn't one of the problems though that 'homeopathic' as a label is not as well defined as it could be and there are medicines containing some level of active ingredients labeled as homeopathic.

In general, yes homeopathic products are just sugar pills but I would hate to take one of the others ones in the 1023 campaign and give the homeopaths ANY ammunition. Although I suspect realistically that any active ingredients would be relatively harmless.