Can You Believe It? The Tapeworm Diet! Yes, It's a Crazy Thing, But True!
Ugh - Talk about Freaky! I find it hard to fathom that anyone would purposefully infect themselves with a parasite. But, most of us have done a silly thing or two in the name of trying to lose weight. Even Dr Michael Mosely, a qualified Doctor who works as a Medical Journalist for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), infected himself with a tapeworm in the name of science.
How & When Did This All Begin?
It seems as though we can blame the Victorian Era for this rather freaky dieting practice. The Victorian Era, about 1840 to 1900, (coinciding with the reign of Queen Victoria of England) was all about being extremely thin with translucent skin showing blue veins, rosy red cheeks and lips, prominent collar bones and being prone to fainting. And really, who wouldn't faint when you had your corset drawn so tight in order to get a 16 inch waist, that it actually squished your insides into places where they shouldn't have been.
If you could achieve this "look", (all the while looking as though it happened naturally) you were considered to be of a high social status and intelligent. This was mainly due to the fact that women who had to work, typically did so outside, and often developed sun affected skin and a healthy, sometimes muscular, physique over time.
Above ~ The Victorian Woman as They Desired to Appear.
Where did the inspiration come from for such a pale and fragile look? The inspiration came from the symptoms of the disease Tuberculosis, or Consumption as it was better known during the Victorian Era.
It was often believed that only the upper class suffered from Tuberculosis, as it was a disease more often associated with young ladies and poets. For this reason the disease of Tuberculosis, and its outward appearing symptoms, came to represent the upper class, or people of high social status, as well as the attributes of romantic passion, beauty and hyper sexuality. These were all the attributes a young woman wanted in order to marry her perfect man.
It was for this reason that women desired to look as if they were half dead, or dying. And being extremely thin was part of this look. It is this "being extremely thin" that lead many people, including those in the medical fraternity, to advocate swallowing a tapeworm egg. Many believed that by ingesting a tapeworm egg and having a tapeworm grow inside of you, the tapeworm would eat any of the food that went in your mouth, and you would not suffer the consequences of overeating.
Much was promised by taking a tapeworm pill, such as a being able to satisfy your hunger or cravings, and never putting on any weight. Or, never suffering any ill side effects from having a tapeworm inside of you. You only have to look at the advert below to see what many were lead to believe!
This is an exact copy of an advert for Tapeworm Pills that was seen during the Victorian Era.
What is a Tapeworm?
A tapeworm is a parasite, meaning that they require to connect to a host in order to feed, survive and reproduce. Without this symbiotic relationship with their host, the tapeworm would die and cease to exist all together. But did you know that there is more than one species of tapeworm?
Tapeworms are so well adapted as parasites, that they have evolved into many thousands of different species, with each one of them having specifically adapted to a certain host. For example, the tapeworm that is found in the gut of whales is called Polygonoporus giganticus. In rats, the tapeworms species is Hymenolepis diminuta, and in rhino’s it’s Taenia gigantea. The species of tapeworm that infests a human is called Taenia saginata, or better known as “The Beef Tapeworm”.
Now before you panic, let me say that the beef tapeworm is very rarely, if currently, found in the first world. It is more a problem in third world countries, where growing conditions and health hygiene and inspection regulations are totally different. In most first world countries, all livestock are regularly “drenched” (given an oral liquid) in order to eliminate parasites. Not only does this ensure the safety of those who eat the meat, but it also keeps the animal healthier, which in turns produces a higher income for the farmer.
How Do Humans Get Tapeworms?
Humans get Tapeworms from eating the meat of Cattle ie cows, buffalo, bison etc. But as with all parasitic relationships, it is not that simple. In order for me to explain it better, I will need to delve deeper into the life cycle of the Beef Tapeworm, Taenia saginata. Read on to learn more....
One human, Dr Michael Mosley, decided to travel all the way to Kenya in order to ingest a tapeworm in the name of science. The first video is all about his travels to Kenya and actually ingesting the tapeworm cysts. And in the second video we get to see the tapeworm in his gut.
The Life Cycle of a Tapeworm.
First, let me say that this whole life cycle thing can easily become a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” debate. But before we go down that rabbit hole, let’s just say for arguments sake, that the tapeworm has evolved and it is already in our ecosystem. So how does it get into humans, or cattle for that matter?
The image below gives a quick overview of the lifecycle of a Tapeworm to Human. Read below to learn more.
Above ~ An illustration of the life cycle of Taenia saginata and & Taenia solium, the causal agents of Taeniasis ie a Tapeworm Infection. Image Courtesy of the CDC. To read more about the lifecycle of the Tapeworm press here.
Let’s begin the cycle with a human looking after their cattle in Kenya. They have a close connection to their cattle as this is how they survive financially. There is also a high probability that they are already infected with the beef tapeworm, Taenia saginata.
While he is looking after the cattle, and far away from the toilet, he needs to open his bowels, so he defecates in the field and covers it up. After a while, the grass starts to grow over where the cattle owner defecated, but those pesky tapeworm eggs that he pooped out in his feces, are still in the soil long after the poop has gone.
As we all know, excrement acts as a fertilizer, so the grass growing over where the cattle farmer defecated, is lush and green and just perfect for a cow to eat. As the cow swirls its tongue around the bottom of the grass in order to eat it, its tongue touches the soil and the tapeworm eggs are ingested by the cow. It is here that they begin to grow in the cows gut.
After a while, the eggs hatch into larvae (at this stage they are called oncospheres) and then enter the bloodstream via penetrating the intestinal wall. As they travel around the bloodstream, these oncospheres enter into the muscle tissue of the cow, let’s say the rump area or the area around the ribs where the t-bone comes from, and forms a cyst and stays there waiting for the next stage of it's growth.
The above image is that of the Taenia saginata oncosphere. Or more simply, the larvae of the Beef Tapeworm. This is how it would look in a piece of infected meat.
The next stage in the lifecycle of the tapeworm involves humans quite simply because Taenia saginata can ONLY grow to adulthood ie a tapeworm, inside a human. This means that humans must eat the beef that contains the larval cyst in order to get tapeworms.
Now you would think that our body would have a defense mechanism against an infection such as the oncosphere image you saw above, but these parasites have adapted to use our defenses against us. The stomach acid, which normally protects us against invasions such as this, actually serves to breakdown the outer coating of the cyst, allowing the release of the worm larvae inside.
As the worm leaves the stomach and progresses along the gastrointestinal tract, it develops into a scolex. This is basically a head with four muscular suckers required to attached to the wall of your small intestine in order to keep the worm in place so we don't poop it out.
This image is a representation of the scolex of the tapeworm Taenia saginata. Note the four suckers at the end of the scolex required to attach to the wall of the small intestine.
After attaching to the intestinal wall, the tapeworm continues to feed from it’s human host, producing a new segment from the scolex end, (not the sucker end) and growing until reaching adulthood. At around 3 weeks or so, the tapeworm will be around 30 centimetres or a foot long.
The typical length of a fully developed tapeworm is usually 5 metres (about 16 feet) or less, however it may reach up to 25 metres or about 80 feet in extreme cases.
Each segment of a tapeworm contains both sets of reproductive organs, ie male and female, making the tapeworm hermaphroditic. Once the segment of the tapeworm is full of viable eggs, it will separate itself from the adult tapeworm and be passed in the feces when we defecate.
These are Tapeworm Proglottids, which is a scientific way of saying Tapeworm egg sacks. These are contained in the broken tapeworm segments that are defecated by humans. Once dried out, the eggs are released into the surrounding soil to be ingested by cows in order to begin the lifecycle again.
The above lifecycle between the human parasite Taenia saginata and humans, is so specific that without humans, tapeworms could not exist. The following video is a quick and concise overview of how humans and Taenia saginata ineract.
What are the Side Effects of Having Tapeworms?
The Beef Tapeworm Taenia saginata often causes problems of the gastrointestinal tract such as
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Upset stomach
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea in the beginning but then possibly
- Constipation if the tapeworm develops large enough to block the intestine
Other symptoms you may suffer are
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sleeping Difficulties
- Anal itching and discomfort
- Seeing Tapeworm eggs, larvae or segments in your stool
- Having the Proglottids evacuate from your anus and shuffle down your leg
- Fever
- Feeling of Weakness
- Malnutrition
Can You Get Rid of Tapeworms?
Thankfully you can get rid of tapeworms, even if you decide to swallow one in order to lose weight.
There are multiple oral medications you can take that belong to a class of drugs known as anthelmintics. These drugs contain active ingredients such as
- Praziquantel
- Albendazole
- Nitazoxanide
- Mebendazole
Each of these drugs has a different effect on the tapeworm in order to kill it. This is actually a good thing, because if one drug does not work, your doctor or health care professional, can choose another drug using a different modus operandi.
- Praziquantel - works by causing severe spasm and paralysis of the worms muscles.
- Albendazole - works by stopping the tapeworm from absorbing sugar, so that it loses energy and dies.
- Nitazoxanide - is an antimicrobial that works at a cellular level within the tapeworm in order to prevent growth and therefore dying.
- Mebendazole - also by stopping the tapeworm from absorbing sugar, so that it loses energy and dies.
The above drugs are only the active ingredients, and not the name of the medication you can take. If by chance you do need to take an oral medication in order to treat worms, especially worms we can get from our pets, if you have found one medication ineffective, it is best to try another medication with a different modus operandi.
INTERESTING FACT ~ When the worms are killed, those that are not excreted in in our feces, are absorbed into your gut which is rather ironic, as it is the host digesting the parasite.
If you have an extreme tapeworm infestation, the only option may be surgery. Below is a video of the surgical procedure to remove a tapeworm. Word of warning though - if you are not used to watching surgical procedures, you may find the video distressing. Please use your best judgement before watching.
SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND THE FOLLOWING VIDEO DISTRESSING
Is the Tapeworm Diet Pill Still in Use Today?
Yes it is! Recently a woman in Iowa USA, went to her doctor and admitted that she had bought a tapeworm pill off the internet and then proceeded to swallow it. The poor doctor was unsure what to do in this situation, so he contacted the Iowa Department of Health for advice and a public health statement was issued.
In 2009, Tyra Banks did an episode of her talk show where she interviewed women who admitted that they would be willing to swallow a tapeworm if it mean that they would lose weight.
And this phenomenon is not just confined to the Western World, even dieters in Hong Kong have been swallowing tapeworm pills in order to lose weight.
The following two videos are about ingesting a tapeworm to lose weight. The first one is about a woman who traveled to Mexico in order to use a Tapeworm to lose weight. And the second video is a Doctor's reaction to the Tapeworm Diet.
Pro's & Con's of Using Tapeworms as a Weight Loss Tool
PROS
You may lose weight but you are just as likely to have the weight pile back on after you expel the tapeworm.
now this is controversial, but there is research being conducted at the moment that suggests that because we are now living in such a "parasite free" environment, our immune systems are not being stimulated enough to adapt "aggravations" that were more common in our past.
this is being tested in the united kingdom, specifically for auto immune diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome - chron's disease.
Intestinal worm infections such as tapeworms, produce an inflammatory response in our body. but because the human body has adapted to this over time, the inflammatory response is less. due to this phenomenon, it is being researched in the hope that we can learn more about how the cytokines (which regulate inflammatory response) are not so reactive to the tapeworm parasite.
Since this procedure is not allowed in many countries, you may get to travel to a new place and have a holiday.
CONS
Increases Your Appetite, Specifically for Carbohydrates.
It's an infection - not a diet!
this means you may experience symptoms of an infection such as
- high temperature
- gut cramps
- skin lesions and or rashes
- diarrhea
- bloating
- fatigue
Removing the Parasite Requires Medications Containing Chemicals Such as
- Praziquantel
- Albendazole
- Nitazoxanide
- Mebendazole
you may need surgery to remove the tapeworm
Side Effects from Worming Medication can be
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Stomach Pain
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Joint/Muscle Pain
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Loss of appetite
- rash, itching, hives
- breathing difficulties
- swelling of tongue, face
Can cause Intestinal Blockage
Those individuals with weakened immune systems, or other co morbidity factors, who cannot excrete the tapeworm segments, have the propensity for the tapeworm to potentially travel to other parts of the body such as their organs (including the brain) and cause complications; or disrupt their nervous system.
Digestive problems
EXPENSIVE
Conclusion ~ Are Tapeworms an Effective Weight Loss Tool
DISCLAIMER ~ Please note that the following opinions are mine alone, and should not be construed as advice of any kind. If you elect to use any of the information on this page, it is incumbent upon you to do further research and consult with your registered doctor or health care professional before undertaking any action.
I personally would not ingest tapeworm larvae in order to lose weight, mainly because I don't believe it would be an effective long term method. But it is good to see that this once common method of weight loss, has in turned sparked some modern research that may help us discover more treatments for auto immune complaints and diseases.
DON'T DO IT!
One Last Thing I Must Mention
I thought it would be remiss of me not to mention another Tapeworm that infects humans and this is Taenia solium. This is a really nasty Tapeworm that you contract from undercooked pork meat. This is not the Tapeworm that is connected with the Tapeworm Diet Pill but if you decide to do further research on this topic, you will come across information on this nasty parasite as it still infects people worldwide.
Following is a video with information on Taenia solium.
SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND THE FOLLOWING VIDEO DISTRESSING
The following video is from Animal Planet, and tells the story of a person who was infected with Taenia solium ie the Pig Tapeworm.
