Do You Really Need a Parasite Cleanse? What Experts Say

Last August, supermodel Heidi Klum revealed that she and her husband, Tom Kaulitz, were planning a worm and parasite cleanse. “Everything on my Instagram feed at the moment is about worms and parasites,” she told the Wall Street Journal, ominously adding: “I don’t know what the heck is going to come out.” Maybe your social media feeds aren’t full of posts about worms and parasites, in which case, congratulations. But type “parasite cleanse” into TikTok or Instagram and you’ll be inundated with so-called experts peddling expensive herbal supplements that promise to detox the body and rid it of harmful worms and parasites. One TikTok user, whose credentials are “holistic mama”, suggests people should do deworming cleanses if they experience “sleep issues, gut issues, weight loss issues, mood swings, skin issues”. It would be nearly impossible to find a single human not dealing with at least one of these issues. Does that mean everyone should be on a parasite cleanse? “NO,” Caroline Susie, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wrote in all caps over email. She emphasized that there was no solid clinical evidence behind them. Ideally, all-caps discouragement from a medical professional would be enough reason to steer clear of something. But if you’re still unconvinced, here’s what to know about parasite cleanses, and why you probably don’t need to do one. What are parasites? Parasites are organisms that live in, on or with another organism and get their food “from or at the expense of its host”, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For example: tapeworms, fleas or me when I lived at my parents’ house after college. Humans contract parasites in several ways, says Beth Czerwony, outpatient dietitian for Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. These include ingestion of contaminated food or water and direct contact with infected feces, she explains. Some parasites, like hookworm, can also penetrate the skin when a person walks barefoot on contaminated soil, and others can be transmitted person to person in unhygienic environments. In the US and UK, the most common intestinal parasites are giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, says Dr William A Petri, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Virginia. Both are transmitted through the ingestion of fecally contaminated food or water. Parasitic infections are extremely common. According to a 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) report, almost 25% of the global population has an infection related to parasitic worms like roundworms, whipworms and hookworms. These infections tend to be concentrated in “the poorest and most deprived communities” where people lack access to clean water and sanitation, per the WHO. “Having intestinal parasites is less common in places with good sanitation,” says Czerwony. What are the symptoms of a parasitic infection? Symptoms vary based on the type of parasite and the health of the host, says Czerwony. Often, symptoms include conditions like diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite or increase in hunger, unexplained weight loss, skin irritation, visible worms or eggs in one’s stool, and itching around the anus or genitals. What is a ‘parasite cleanse’? Klum said of her own cleanse that it had “all these herbs”. Most of those so-called remedies peddled on social media involve taking herbal supplements (like anise, clove, grapeseed, wormwood and goldenseal), dietary changes (like eliminating processed foods or cutting out gluten) or some combination of the two. Does it work? No. “There is no evidence that these parasite cleanses are either effective or needed,” says Petri. And if someone feels better after one of these cleanses, it’s probably not the result of parasites, says Susie – it might simply be that they’re eating more nutrient-dense food. At-home cleanses are also not without risks. Supplements are not regulated, Susie notes. Additionally, she says, some herbs can interact with other medications and be toxic at high doses. Restrictive diets can also lead to nutrient deficiencies. How do you treat a parasitic infection? “If you think you may have a parasite, it is important to contact a medical professional and not treat it yourself,” says Czerwony. Infections can be diagnosed with stool samples or blood tests and, in some cases, with imaging tests like endoscopies or colonoscopies, she explains. If a patient does have a parasitic infection, treatment depends on the type of parasite and the severity of the infection. Often, doctors will prescribe antiparasitic or antibiotic medications, and/or rehydration and nutrition support if severe weight loss has occurred, Czerwony says. Did the parasite cleanse work for Heidi Klum?