Study shows worm treatment helps digestive syndrome

Scientists studying treatments for irritable bowel disorders say having intestinal worms actually may be a good thing.

Scientists studying treatments for irritable bowel disorders say having intestinal worms actually may be a good thing. University of Iowa researchers have been using pig whipworms to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, having patients ingest parasitic worm eggs in a glass of Gatorade. Raymond Fiedler, of Clinton, a study participant, says he wasn’t squeamish about drinking them down. The 65-year-old Fiedler says what you don’t see can’t hurt you. Lead researcher Dr. Joel Weinstock says the theory is that the deworming of people in industrialized countries may be responsible for the increased incidence of disorders such as Crohn’s and colitis. Both are painful, chronic inflammatory bowel disorders that can cause diarrhea, cramping and numerous complications. The worms, which are thin as a hair and can grow to half an inch long in the patient’s intestine, may provide chemicals which suppress certain immune-system responses to antigens and keep the digestive tract healthy.(Source: Associated Press Health News, May 2004)