Parasites in Your Intestines May Actually Be Good for You

[bostonbro]

People are drinking worm larvae in the hope it will improve their health. Research into use of parasites to treat illness is promising, but some doctors aren’t so sure.

 

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Would you pay thousands of dollars and leave the country just so you could get a parasitic infection on purpose?

Intentionally ingesting worms may sound creepy but for some people with multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, or severe allergies, the prospect sounds more promising than gross. StudiesTrusted Source have shown that people who have or have recently had parasites in their bodies are less likely to develop autoimmune diseases. Clinical trials with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease patients showed reduced disease activity after exposure to intestinal parasites.

 

Advocates say parasitic infections can reset the immune system, preventing it from going haywire and attacking healthy tissues as it does in many autoimmune diseases.

Parasitic worms are called helminths. Although approved for clinical trials, helminthic treatment –or “worm therapy”–is not yet available in the United States. In fact, it’s illegal.

That doesn’t stop people from doing it on their own or traveling to other countries to give it a try. Some swear by it and researchers are excited about it, but scientists say we still have a lot to learn.