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The Tapeworm Diet
The Arizona Republic has raised an interesting question. Is it possible to use tapeworms as a diet aid? Won't the tape worm just sit in your stomach and consume all the extra food you eat, and after a while you can pull out the thing? The basic answer is no. This would not be a good idea. They go into some more details:

While a tapeworm might take in some of the food you do, it would at the same time be taking in a lot of vitamins and other nutrients you need to stay healthy. Do you know what ascites are? A big pool of fluid in your tummy caused by an immune response to something in your guts. Something like a tapeworm. It gives you a big potbelly, which runs kind of counter to the look you might be wishing for. And a tapeworm might not necessarily just set up camp in your innards. It can also cause cysts in your muscles, liver and eyes. Your eyes! So don't you think it might be easier instead to just eat a bit less and exercise a bit more?
Categories: Body Manipulation, Food
Posted by Alex on Fri Apr 22, 2005
Comments (229)
More from the Hoax Museum Archives:
It appears that Canadians are just as fast on the up take as Americans....

Self righteous dullard, did you even bother to read the rest of the discussion ?
Posted by Darren  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  04:26 PM
Dullard?
If your doctor recommends tapeworms so much why hasn't he gotten any for you? Why is he having you search it out for yourself on dodgy websites????
Yes I did read the rest of the board; in fact I have read it from start to finish!
If you want to take use tapeworms fine. But have you actually had one inside of you yet?
Before you go encouraging something maybe YOU should have experienced it yourself.
Plus a lot of the people on this website who want tapeworms are not going on "advice of a doctor" they are going on it for a quick simple way to lose weight and they will probably end up getting very sick from it! If we were meant to have tapeworms inside of us we would be born with them.
I am trying to discourage younger people who truly have no clue what they are getting into to stop and think about it. That you don't have to be skinny to be happy, that there are other MUCH healthier ways to lose weight. Plus once the tapeworm is out these people are going to gain it ALL back. Then they'll have to get another one. Why not just adopt a healthy lifestyle and stick to it.
Now why don't you stop insulting everyone who is trying to help these obese people from making a mistake. And making judgments on people who you don't even know. If you are so smart and educated and concerned about these peoples health than why must you resort to name calling anyone who disagrees with you?
Posted by Sarah  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  04:42 PM
It is impossible for a doctor to prescribe them in the UK. Promising research is being done in Nottingham, so after trials they may be available in another 5 years or so. I can't wait that long !

My exe-GF is a vet, she is trying to get me onto the trial to receive one for 3 months. Beef tapeworms are harmless (although disgusting) Pork tape worms are possibly lethal ! The risk is that Prok tapeworms can also be found in beef !!! So without clarification of the type of worm beforehand that is a hell of a risk from buying online... even assuming that you get one rather than just being ripped off ! Provided you get the correct worm, the risks are minimal, far less that the alternatives. Yes it is totally disgusting and I will not feel good about it, but I am going to have to over come that revoltion. Can you empathise with another person's suffering ?

As for your motive for posting ? I can't see that you were trying to help people make an informed decision out of some civil duty.... 1) you are talking cr@p and 2) a compassionate plea doesn't usually start "HAHAHA"
Posted by Darren  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  04:58 PM
Of course I can empathize with another person's situation, which is why I thought I made it clear that I WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU!!! But apparently I didn't, so hopefully this post will make it clear.
OH I am talking crap am I? So it isn't important to love yourself? And it isn't important to try healthy ways to lose weight. Sorry I must be very disillusioned! But thankfully you have opened my eyes and led me to realize that the ONLY thing important in life is being skinny and beautiful, and luckily everyone on this place trying to get these tapeworms knows that they HAVE to get the beef tapeworms. I assume that your exgirlfriend is getting tapeworms for them as well?
You said yourself that getting the WRONG tapeworm can be lethal. Why do you think I am posting on here trying to dissuade people from wasting their money? Because chances are that many of them who manage to obtain a tapeworm, assuming the tapeworm they get is even alive) will be the wrong kind!
As well my laughter at the start of my message was not directed at the poor souls trying to lose weight, it was directed at the, as you called him, "crook" who is trying to sell "real" tapeworms to the people on this website.
So you take all the tapeworms you want I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU! I am talking to misinformed individuals who could end up dead or severely ill because they read your post (and many others) and assumed that tapeworms will solve ALL their problems, that they are completely healthy, and then end up with a fish or pork tapeworm.
And yes as a nurse it is my "civil duty" to make sure that people don't get unnecessarily sick, from trying to take quick-fix solutions when all they need is proper education on how they can solve their problem. I sympathize with them I do! Having a thyroid problem makes weight loss practically impossible, but I don't care. If I lose the last 15lbs I will be super happy, if I don't, I will still love myself. That's what's important!
Posted by Sarah  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  05:18 PM
I am not overweight, (or at least I wasn't until 3 years worth of high dose steroids have taken their toll) I was 3rd national karate champion in the UK in 2003. This is not about losing weight, but a tape worm in the diet could help several medicial conditions. Didn't John Wayne have one to help after stomach cancer ?

I DO empathise with people who are overweight and desparate, it is not enough to just tell people to live more healthy lives and diet !! Everyone has the anorexic image thrust upon them all the time, and as obesity is now at record levels; all that diet pressure seems to achieve is to depress people and lead to suicides.

Surely a beef tapeworm is far far less risk that a stomach bypass, or lyposuction. Those operations are becoming common place !!

When (if) I get one I will post my experiences.... Like everything thing in this world there, will be good and bad effects. Get the facts then choose what is the best option for yourselves.
Posted by Darren  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  05:40 PM
Do you not see that we are arguing over nothing? I have said, I UNDERSTAND your situation. I have read your post and I know about your disorder. If your doctor is telling you to try this and you are making informed decisions with the help of professionals then like I said, take all the tapeworms you want.
I am simply trying to advise people who DON'T have professionals help and ARE NOT getting these tapeworms from trustworthy sources to think twice and try an alternate solution!
I am well aware of the obesity problem facing our world. But unfortunately not everyone who claims to be "dieting and exercising" is. People need to realize that everything has to be in moderation, food, vitamens, exercise. Excess of any is not healthy for you!
As well, the increased suicides are not so much from being overweight, but from psychological problems created by society, television, and in some cases friends and family! The people who are killing themselves because they are overweight, are the people who even when they do loose weight, will probably continue, until they become so thin that they are very ill. These people don't need tapeworms; they need professional help from a psychologist who can help them see the beauty in themselves without the aid of mind-altering drugs. Tapeworms should not be taken by people who are this unhealthy, because they will get greedy and leave the tapeworm in until it makes them very sick or kills them.
As mentioned earlier the tapeworm needs to be taken out before it reaches its reproductive age. Do you really think that people, who want to kill themselves because they think they are so overweight (ort think they are), will take the tapeworm out?
Have you not been reading my posts??? This whole time I have been preaching about how these woman and men need to improve their self-esteem not how they need to diet and exercise!
With the surgeries, they are the same as the tapeworm, when you try to find a quick-cheap fix; you get what you pay for! My best friend just got liposuction and a tummy tuck. Although her reasons were more to get rid of stretch marks from pregnancy, it was partly to lose weight. It has been 3 months since the operation and she is doing fine. But she also went to the best Dr. in our province
So as far as I am concerned our conversation is over. We are arguing toward the same point, I am just trying to make sure that people don't make UNIFORMED decisions, and as far as I am concerned this website is not the place to learn about tapeworms. If a person is serious about taking tapeworms they should be talking to a dr. or a tapeworm specialist, and they DEFINITELY should not be buying "tapeworm pills" over the Internet.
Posted by Sarah  on  Sun Jul 01, 2007  at  06:21 PM
hey,

i have been following this thread for a while and what i feel is that everyone has the right to make a choice based on the stuff they read.

I want to lose weight. i have tried lots but since i was put on the pill for medical reasons about 8 years ago i ahvent been able t control my ever increasing weight. Due to side effects of the pill, i have become more and more lazy but upto about three yrs ago, i used to exercise regularly and my calorie intake is about 1000per day. i dont know what else to do. The only thing i can think of trying now is beef tapeworms.

Constant comments and looks from people who knew me when i was skinny kill me day in day out... people telling me how id be the perfect catch if i was "a little skinnier"...not feeling worthy of being loved because im so overweight damages me more than any of these beef tapeworms ever could.

if anyone knows where i can get beef tapeworms from please contact -----------atyahoo.co.uk.

thanx
m
Posted by m  on  Sat Jul 07, 2007  at  04:53 PM
in china we eat tape worm everyday!
Posted by kong  on  Sat Aug 04, 2007  at  10:45 AM
I have read through the entire thread and I would like to state for the record that not all of us "YANKEES" are that insensitive or nearly that ignorant. I apologize in advance for the poor spelling and grammar. unfortunately learning disabilities still occur in those with high I.Q's. I'm sorry to those who have eating disorders such as obsessive over eating, as well as those with other diseases such as lupus, and hypothyroidism. i have been researching the Taenia saginata or beef tape worm for quite a while. i have yet to find anywhere short of flying to another country that has an effective or wallet friendly solution. but i am continuing my hunt. i will keep you posted with links.
Posted by goldini  on  Sat Aug 25, 2007  at  06:17 PM
what this world really needs is MORE people who live by God's word. Church is a place we go to worship and be with others who believe as we do. I'm scared for those who believe that this life is all we have. so sad.

I came upon this site while researching tapeworms for college. It was a waste of my time.
Posted by mama  on  Sun Aug 26, 2007  at  05:04 PM
Medically, tapeworms aren't used for dieting. Its like anorexia for the clever. Nikos T. Plakas. I imagine your diet would have to be very carefully monitored your diet to ensure you were getting the nurtients you need.
Posted by Ashb  on  Thu Aug 30, 2007  at  09:05 AM
Shortly after my daughter celebrated her fourth month I
Posted by Veronika  on  Mon Sep 03, 2007  at  11:40 PM
hey does anyone know where to get tapeworm eggs? I hear they come from Mexico.call me crazy but i wanna try it. i mean if i lost all my weight then it would be worth it right? i mean so what if you get a bad case of the shits when you get it out. I mean come on i get that from drinking cranberry juice.As for the whole vitamin loss thing, why not just take a bunch more vitamin pills? the worm cant take that much in at one time right? plz get back to me!
Posted by Emily  on  Wed Sep 19, 2007  at  04:01 PM
eating tatar (raw beef)may get you one. (raw beef)
Posted by veronika  on  Wed Sep 19, 2007  at  11:09 PM
see the problem with the eating raw beef solution is that now a days people try really hard to make sure that doesnt happen, and i dont eat beef so theres another problem, so thanks veronika but i was thinking more along the line of pills
Posted by Emily  on  Fri Sep 21, 2007  at  03:01 PM
For those of you considering this tapeworm diet - read this story:

<a href="http://fray.com/drugs/worm/">http://fray.com/drugs/worm/</a href>
Posted by I'm not gonna eat them  on  Sun Sep 23, 2007  at  09:16 PM
I have never been to a church that taught people should use tapeworms to lose weight.
Posted by Danny Ray  on  Sun Oct 07, 2007  at  08:53 PM
I don't know about the education background of people on this site and those who are submitting posts, but I would like to inform those who are thinking of trying tapeworm pills for the hell of it (whether a hoax or not) that the major concern about tapeworms are their species specific characteristics. Coincidently, in humans, tapeworms in the stomach are not the major concern. The major concern is migration of the worms from the intestine to the brain where they tend to prefer to "set up camp"--forming large fluid filled sacks filled with millions of tiny larvae. These cysts filled with the larvae are the major health concern because they damage brain function and must be removed by surgery. So those of you who want to diet, keep that in mind. It is not the large worms you should worry about because the smaller ones can more efficiently travel through the body.

http://www.healthleader.uthouston.edu/archive/Infectious_Disease/2006/brainworm-1025.html

or you can watch the lovely documentary on animal planet which touches on tapeworms called Eaten Alive.
Posted by Billy Chong  on  Wed Oct 17, 2007  at  06:30 PM
Hey, Ty, when a person uses vulgarity and profanity to support an argument, it usually indicates that either the person or the argument is weak - and commonly it is both. This type of self expression is the "common crutch of the conversational cripple" to quote Keuck, and is viewed by the majority as the ineffective weapon of the hopelessly witless, the lazy, the uneducated, the base, and the unmotivated. It is a sharp tool for the individual who uses it to " flavor the dish ", but for someone who uses it as the dish itself, it is the easy evidence of ignorance. (If you are below the age of 13 then you are excused and I apologize)
Posted by Brother Breeze  on  Sun Jan 06, 2008  at  12:27 PM
this is fucked!!
Posted by amee  on  Mon Jan 07, 2008  at  03:13 PM
I had seen something on T.V about this diet and thought I would look into it. Was it real? If so why? Then I saw this site where someone was thinking about really doing this to ones self and was shocked. Here is a link to the truth about tapeworms. Not personal opinion but facts from the medical people who take them out of people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapeworm

If you
Posted by ocean  on  Tue Jan 08, 2008  at  03:35 PM
You people that want a tapeworm are stupid! How could you want such a thing that ate a woman's entire intestinal system in the Netherlands, and after hearing all these terrible things about it! Do you actually WANT to harm yourself? And by the way, we don't wish to hear your personal opinion about church and school, so leave it to yourself. The subject is about tapeworms, not discussing your views on other things.
Posted by sagwa  on  Tue Jan 08, 2008  at  10:55 PM
look I need help I have tape worm ate pork a FEW WEEKS AGO ago in Mexico and it gave tape worm I know it's way not good I'm trying to find niclosamide it kills all types of type worm were can I find it I have to go to the doctor in 5 days I freaking out and want to know how long does it take for it to get bad I want to kill this shit it sucks I mean it doesn't hurt yet I had it when I was younger but I can feel it's gross dude ANY ONE WHO WANTS TAPE WORM CAN HAVE IT BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE SICK AND HERE IS THE FUN THING I'M GAINING WEIGHT BECAUSE THE TAPE WORM MAKES YOU MORE HUNGRY ASSES ALL OF YOU WHO WANT THIS NEED TO GET A REALITY CHECK JACK ASSESS
Posted by chi  on  Thu Jan 10, 2008  at  11:34 PM
I did the tape worm diet. Most of the stuff I have read above is true... but I will clear some stuff up...
First of all I went to Costa Rica to get it (well I was on vacation and heard about it before hand so got it there). It cost 1,000 to bribe the guys at the slaughterhouse to let me in. I then picked out a tapeworm and had to swallow it pronto so it wouldn't die.
I want to be clear that the pills are a hoax. You literally have to get an actually worm (about 4 inches long) and swallow it live. You can't chew and it is actually pretty hard to do. The pills claim that they have eggs in them which hatch but this is impossible because even the eggs need nutrients.
Ok so I swallow it... I then waited for side effects- but there weren't any. I had read up on it online so after 4 weeks I went to the doctor and fessed up for what I did. My doctor prescribed anti-biotics and other meds that killed the worm while it was still inside. I didn't even know when I passed it out. Actually, once you get past the mental part of swallowing it you can't even tell it is in you.
So the worm was there a total of 5 weeks before the meds. In five weeks I lost 40 pounds. I am female and weighed 225 pds (5 foot 7) when I ate it. I did, however, diet during those 5 weeks so the tape worm didnt have tons to eat directly from ingestion- it had to feed off of fat in the body.
I loved the diet. I've kept the weight off. Since I involved doctors in a timely matter everything was safe. Just be sure you research it and it helps if you know someone who lives in the country you are visiting so they can investigate slaughterhouses for you.
Posted by JB  on  Fri Jan 11, 2008  at  10:35 PM
hi you have sucky information
Posted by corey  on  Tue Jan 29, 2008  at  09:34 AM
Hey guys talking about obesity and stuff. Exercise doesn't make you lose weight it helps you tone muscles and make them larger. Possibly one of the only ways to lose weight is to go on a low carb diet. Why? Carbs are energy your body uses. When you eat a lot, all that extra energy is stored into fat under your skin. Thus if you eat less carbs your body begins to use the energy in your fat as energy. Obesity is curable don't be stupid. It's just that either people are too lazy and/or they don't know which diet would help them lose weight. DIETING isnt about starving yourself and throwing up, if you've taken any university health or biology classes you'd know that it doesn't work like people want it to. Neither does not eating at all. Overeating isnt a disease or a disorder, its just liking to eat, and liking the food that you eat. Overeating is as much as a false disorder as ADD or ADHD. Same with bulemia and anorexia. Because only in a place where people pay too much attention to stupid magazine and have way too much food do these stupid excuses for disorders rise up. Anyone have a credible argument against that? With actual evidence? I'd be glad to hear it.

John Thompson I enjoyed what you wrote btw. Well written, Cheers!
Posted by Ero  on  Tue Feb 12, 2008  at  06:26 PM
The search for acceptance and beauty can lead people to do stupid things. I can understand the want for a quick way out but its not because we are lazy, its because we feel that this problem is beyond our control and in a way it is.
Posted by Lap-Band Surgery  on  Sun Feb 17, 2008  at  10:32 AM
First of all why eat a worm? Just go and get the diet pill Ali, it works just as fast as a worm and you dont have to go to the doctors to get anything taken out of you.. The only thing bad about Ali is you shit constintly but it works very well. If you want to eat a worm and chance dying then i think thats sad. Try working out and not eating unhealthy bullshit foods that usually works too! Maybe if people moved around more and didn't eat portions that would feed 3 people, then we'd have less fat asses in this world. In other words.. less worms more brains!
Posted by Amanda  on  Mon Feb 25, 2008  at  03:02 PM
LOL huuuurrray for tapeworms.... yea im drivin down to mexico tonight and gonna buy an egg sandwich at the nearest gas station!! Hey why not im sure american medicine can cope with a simple parisite like tapeworm!! **im insured**
Posted by Halarious  on  Mon Feb 25, 2008  at  05:53 PM
The overwhelming wealth of misinformation here is downright horrifying.

I was obese when I was younger (BMI 30+) - it is possible, very possible to work off the last ten or twenty pounds (my BMI is now 20). It will require more effort and dedication than earlier efforts (people who weigh less burn less calories for similar workouts and can't afford as large calorie deficits). The weight won't come off overnight, especially those last couple pounds. It can take months, even a year or two. Yes, that is a reality, but I haven't gained weight back. I'm a believer in proper diet and exercise to lose weight.

That being said, there are people who will opt for easier, quicker fixes. And there are those with health disease which makes it harder for them to commit to a healthy diet or exercise plan. Fine - consult with your doctor for options. Keep in mind that a lot of doctors are not nutritionists, so it may do you good to consult with several physicians to get a better idea of your options.

Tapeworms? Those of you who think it is a good idea, despite six pages worth of hair-raising details, deserve it. I mean it too. The thought of worms crawling out of my ass at ANY time of day, medical emergencies aside, scares the living daylights out of me.

Good luck to all of you.
Posted by Mia  on  Mon Mar 24, 2008  at  08:48 PM
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