Do we all have tiny worms wriggling around in our gut? According to supermodel Heidi Klum, we do.
That’s what the “Project Runway” host told The Wall Street Journal this week, explaining why she and her husband are embarking on a months-long “worm and parasite cleanse.” After learning about the creatures on Instagram, the couple started taking pills with clove and papaya seed to flush out the infectious intruders.
“I heard that you’re supposed to do this once a year, and I’ve never done it,” Klum told The Journal. “So I feel like I’m really behind. I don’t know what the heck is going to come out.”
Is Klum onto something? Should we all be doing an annual detox to rid our bodies of parasites? Here’s what experts think.
Parasites live on or in another organism, including humans, and get nutrition from their host. They’re also “detrimental to the host in some way,” Amy Edwards, MD, infectious disease specialist and assistant professor of pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told Health in an email.
That’s why bacteria and fungi, which live in and on humans, usually aren’t considered parasites—they’re neutral or even beneficial to our health.
There are three types of parasites that infect humans:
- Helminths: Also called intestinal worms, these parasites often live in human digestive tracts. Common types include tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms.
- Protozoa: These parasites are single-celled and commonly infect humans through mosquitoes. Malaria, the most deadly parasite infection in the world, is most commonly caused by the protozoa parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
- Ectoparasites: These parasites usually live on (not in) their host. Some examples include ticks, fleas, and lice.
Parasite cleanses typically target intestinal worms. These parasites and their eggs contaminate soil, which then infests drinking water and food, especially in areas with poor sanitation. Humans typically get these parasites from consuming the contaminated food or water.
About a quarter of the world’s population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths. They are less common in the U.S., and infections are more highly concentrated in travelers or people immigrating from countries where these intestinal worms are endemic.
In the U.S., pinworm infections are the most common, affecting about 12% of Americans, or 40 million people, primarily children. These parasites are actually not transmitted via contaminated soil or water, but by direct contact with an infected person.
In the last few years, parasite cleanses have blown up on social media as a natural remedy for intestinal worms. Some TikTok users even say that everyone should do a cleanse a few times a year.
Influencers claim that many of us unknowingly get infected by parasites in our food, water, or environments. They blame parasites for a host of symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, sleep issues, digestive issues, and skin conditions.
To cleanse yourself of these parasites, influencers usually recommend supplements with a mix of ingredients—such as wormwood and clove—and a diet plan centered around whole, unprocessed foods. The detoxes usually take a few weeks and aim to flush the parasites out of your body, alleviating any symptoms.
Some studies show that certain supplements—like papaya seed and wormwood—can actually combat parasites, but the research is too limited to draw conclusions about their safety and efficacy in humans.
“As with many herbal supplements, you can often find laboratory-based studies that show some bioactive agent or another that might have a certain effect,” Edwards explained. “But how something acts in a lab and how it actually acts inside our body can be two different things.”
Even if these detoxes could treat parasite infections, it would be “unnecessary” for the average American to do them regularly, Edwards added. Intestinal parasite infections are relatively uncommon in the U.S., where we have access to clean drinking water, high-quality food, and sanitary conditions.
“Plus, cleanses like this often come with strict dietary restrictions, which can lead to other health problems and even dehydration,” Edwards added.
Sue-Ellen Anderson Haynes, MS, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of 360Girls&Women, agreed that parasite cleanses may come with risks—the supplements may cause unintended effects or disrupt the gut microbiome.
“We have to remember that we have a balance in our system already,” she told Health.
If you’re concerned about parasites, it’s best to talk to your doctor. A healthcare provider can diagnose an intestinal worm by testing a stool sample, and then prescribe medication to treat an infection.
“We test, we don’t guess,” Anderson-Haynes added.
While influencers may claim that parasite cleanses relieve all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms, the actual symptoms of intestinal worms include:
People with pinworms, the most prevalent intestinal worm in the U.S., often show no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, the most common is itching around the anus, especially at night. Consult a healthcare provider if you’re concerned about pinworms—testing can diagnose infections, even if you’re asymptomatic.
“Overall, most Americans are not at risk for parasitic infections,” Edwards said. “However, if someone has symptoms or is concerned about this topic, they can talk to their doctor.”
