Intestinal Parasites: Everything You Need To Know (Including How To Tell If You Have One)

The possibility of having an intestinal parasite can be scary—the idea of having an almost alien-like creature inhabiting your body is enough to give anyone the shivers. These living organisms reside in your body as its host and feed off of it to survive, which can cause a whole slew of symptoms far beyond gut dysfunction alone.

Parasitic infections can be caused through either helminths—parasitic worms—or protozoan parasites. Single-cell protozoan parasites, like giardia, can multiply in your body and contribute to many cases of extreme diarrhea and when left untreated, dehydration, and even death.

Helminths live inside our gut and typically do not result in death but instead contribute to a lifelong struggle with chronic health problems due to their depleting nature on the body. The most common helminths are tapeworms, roundworms, flatworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

Pinworms, whipworms, and hookworms are all types of roundworms that can cause digestive problems, mood swings, abdominal pain, brain fog, and weight loss. Hookworms, in particular, can work their way outside the gut lining to feed on your blood, leading to anemia.

The shocking reality is that most everyone has some sort of parasite. Yes, even healthy individuals. It is estimated that close to 37 percent of the whole world has some sort of helminth parasite, in particular. It is a myth that you have to travel to faraway destinations in order to come in contact with these organisms. They are in our food, water, and things we come across on a regular basis.

One of the most common ways of contracting a parasite is through contaminated food, like undercooked meat and water. You can also get parasites through contact with contaminated feces—meaning: Washing hands is extremely important for those with infections. This stops the spread of the microscopic eggs through touch. Children and adults with weakened immune systems are most at risk for contracting parasites.

Since parasites feed off of what you eat and thrive off of junk—sugar, in particular—the unhealthier you eat, the more enticing of an environment you are providing. By damaging your microbiome and immune system, you are basically throwing open the door for these invaders to establish themselves in your body.

Parasites are often demonized due to the devastating effect they can have on your overall health, but we often ignore the fact that some parasites can be beneficial. In terms of the good they can do, parasites work to turn off Th1 and Th17 inflammatory cells to quell chronic inflammation and actually increase immune-balancing (regulatory T-) cells. There is so much evidence surrounding this that helminthic therapy is on the rise for many people struggling with autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions.

While this seems like the last thing you'd want to do, deliberatively giving yourself parasites has been shown in studies to greatly reduce symptoms in autoimmune conditions1, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), asthma, inflammatory bowel conditions (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), and type 1 diabetes.

Scientists theorize that this significant reduction of exposure to parasites in industrialized nations is a major reason autoimmune conditions are continuing to skyrocket and are virtually nonexistent in developing nations where parasites are more common. This is known as the hygiene hypothesis.

According to this hypothesis, due to our reduced exposure to microorganisms because of more sanitary conditions, our immune reactivity is increased as well as our likelihood for autoimmune diseases2 in response to toxins, poor diet, and other environmental factors. For years, we have co-evolved with helminths. Since their goal is to stay alive in our bodies as long as possible, helminths have been able to create a state of tolerance by modulating our body's immune system to avoid being eliminated yet also avoid suppressing the immune system enough to where it is detrimental for us. This immune-system modulation has, for centuries, helped protect us against these autoimmune-inflammatory conditions and continue to do so for those in developing nations.

Surprisingly enough, helminths can even modulate the microbiome by increasing good bacteria in the gut3. And since around 75 percent of your immune system is located in your microbiome, helminths can be a powerful tool we are missing out on when it comes to our optimal health. We may all want to get back to our roots and make friends with these friendly parasites once more.

Antiparasitic drugs, such as praziquantel and mebendazole, are the first line of defense against parasites in conventional medicine. These can cause many uncomfortable side effects4 almost as bad as the parasitic infection itself, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, weight loss, and insomnia. The damage parasites have caused before treatment will determine if you need additional pharmaceutical intervention.

These are great options if you want to take a completely natural approach or want to take something alongside anti-parasitic medications in accordance with your doctor’s recommendations.

We also can't discredit living a clean, healthy lifestyle. This will boost your immune system to help rid your body of the parasites and reduce your risk of re-infection. It is also key to continue to support a healthy gut environment by fostering good bacteria through either a probiotic supplement and probiotic-rich foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

Something to be aware of if you are intensively treating a parasitic infection is the possibility of a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. When you attempt to kill off and rid yourself of parasites, they release an increased amount of toxins as they die off. Without proper liver support during this time, your body responds to this elevated toxin load with uncomfortable detox symptoms, like headaches or the exacerbation of current symptoms. Basically, it can get worse before it gets better. It is important to remember to start with a low dosage and gradually work your way up to avoid this reaction as much as possible (but again, talk to your doctor to figure out what's best for you).

At the end of the day, we can't look at parasites as a black-and-white issue. For being so tiny, these organisms hold immense power over our entire health. By living a healthy lifestyle, we can keep these parasitic infections at bay. But we may not want to say goodbye to our old friends completely just yet.