Medical professionals have issued warnings about a new trend on TikTok and other social media platforms known as 'parasite cleanses', which are being promoted by wellness influencers and celebrities. The treatments claim to rid the body of parasites responsible for symptoms such as bloating, insomnia, and food cravings. However, doctors caution that self-diagnosis and treatment are ill-advised.
Dr Ihab Ahmed, an infectious disease physician at Northwestern Medicine near Chicago, told NPR that patients often contact him with concerns that are largely unfounded. 'Unless they're actually looking at it under a microscope, or they have the expertise in that matter, I wouldn't trust that what they're seeing is an actual worm,' he said.
One prominent promoter is Kim Rogers, who calls herself 'The Worm Queen' and has a million followers online. Rogers, CEO of RogersHood, sells parasite cleanse kits for $125 and recommends using them three to four times a year, especially for pet owners. She claimed on a podcast that '95 percent of us have parasites' and need to 'clean out'. The Independent has contacted Rogers for comment.
Doctors are sceptical. Dr Ahmed noted that if cleanses are needed every six months, 'whatever they're doing isn't effective'. Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, added that 'catch-all' remedies are unlikely to work because there are many different types of parasites. 'No one would say you have one-stop shopping for all viruses. So it's the same with parasites,' he said.
Furthermore, many herbal parasite cleanse products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a fact acknowledged by vendors. Rogers' website states that the product 'is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease' and carries a California Proposition 65 warning for potential cancer or reproductive harm. Health professionals advise practising good food hygiene and seeking real medical advice if concerned about parasites.
