Homotoxicology

Homotoxicology, the theory of disease developed by Dr. Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg (1905-1985), understands illness as the human body’s defense against toxic substances (homotoxins) that threaten to overwhelm the intercellular matrix.

According to this therapeutic model, the type and severity of an illness are determined by the duration and intensity of toxin loading in relationship to the body’s inherent capacity for detoxification.

"Clogging" of the cellular matrix obstructs the movement of nutrients from blood vessels into cells, disrupting the body’s steady state and hindering important biological processes. The resulting disturbances, which eventually manifest as illness, are the body’s attempt to restore a state of biochemical balance. For Reckeweg, restoring this balance was the ultimate goal of all medical treatment.