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?

Body Manipulation Food

Posted on Fri Apr 22, 2005



Comments

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
Actually, I wanted to clear up a few misconceptions on this forum. As a veterinary technician currently going through parasitology, I thought I could straighten some things out.

1) The adult tapeworms live in your small intestines and the head stays attached there.

2) They don't 'eat' your food. They're actually feeding on your blood. The reason people and animals loss weight while being infested is by the massive length of the tapeworm blocking the intestines from absorbing the nutrients and calories from the food.

3) The way you get tapeworms is by eating the segments that break off filled with eggs or the eggs.

4) Eating the eggs isn't why they encyst in the muscles or other tissue. It's because the body builds up antibodies against the foriegn object and they have to find other places to go. After antibodies have developed, young larvae (young tapeworms) can move to the blood stream from the intestines and then find a place to encyst. They build a protective barrier (the cyst) to save themselves from the antibodies. These can get many more tapeworms developing inside and if they burst can cause massive problems.

In the end you shouldn't do this. It's extremely dangerous and you can die if not at least get extremely sick and cause permanent damage to your body. I agree with what they said, in the end, is it that difficult to just eat less and exercise more? When the tapeworms come out, which they'll have to or you'll die, you'll just gain the weight back since your body will be in starvation mode and when you actually get the nutrients your body's been lacking it will over use them and you'll most likely gain more weight.
Posted by Rachel  on  Sat Apr 05, 2008  at  01:08 PM
I found an interesting article about this:
http://www.tapewormdiet.net/

To briefly summarize, the beef (cow) tapeworm is the only "safe" tapeworm. Others can have negative side effects. The problem is the beef tapeworm doesn't exist in the United States.
Posted by Scotty Tougas  on  Tue Apr 08, 2008  at  01:02 PM
i know a way to get to get tapeworms for a diet but you need a passport and 900$ because it is illegal to transport.also to the cysts or eggs whatever cannot live more than 2 days without a host. you will be met at the border at tijuana escorted and given the cyst and medicine to kill it after so many days, if more weight needs to be lost the process will be repeated. jaime
Posted by jaime  on  Mon May 05, 2008  at  03:58 AM
I've been following this for a good few page's. It seems warped responses come from both side's of the discussion. It's important to know the difference in worms, an idea most of you simply are missing the mark on.

This idea has been pressed over and over though by the few here who actually know what they're talking about opposed to the vast majority of "tapeworms will kill yew omg omg get off fat ass and lose wait nowwwwzz" poster's.

I myself am neutral on the issue, seeing how I have no issue with weight therefor see no need to take such severe measures.

I can say though that bickering over the internet is not going to change someone's view point on the matter.

Then again, I'm 16 so what do I know right?
Posted by Gwen B.  on  Mon May 05, 2008  at  09:57 AM
Listen up right now! I am still fighting off a tapeworm infection that caused me to have severe flu-like symptoms for months. Not to mention a weight-gain of 10 pounds due to fluid build-up and the disgusting weight of the worms themselves. I had a distended stomach and the thrill of feeling their movement inside me as well as the trauma of passing them.I have never been so sick for so long or so disgusted. These creatures are unsanitary,unhealthy and just plain gross. Care more for yourself than to consider such nasty alternatives.
Posted by Christine  on  Sun Jun 01, 2008  at  09:48 PM
hi all, i was thinking about getting this tapeworm thing but after reading all this info i wont be bothering,i might be fat but my kids mean more to me then me being thin and they would prefer me fat and alive then skinny and dead.
Posted by lisa  on  Wed Jun 04, 2008  at  05:04 PM
i wol love to now where to get a tape worm becuse im super fat and i would like to see if it works
Posted by makayla englutt  on  Fri Jun 06, 2008  at  11:25 AM
Please Listen!! Tapeworms are dangerous! I have been struggling for two months to rid my body of a 20+ foot monster. I only discovered I had it after passing sections of it. Then I learned that it was the reason I have been sick with recurring flu-like symptoms for months. I have a slender body with a huge swollen stomach. It affects my mood to the point of depression and my vision as well. I have had to deal with doctors who are totally ignorant of the problem and have racked up 2000 dollars in medical bills. And just when I think its over, another large segment gets stuck in my intestine and blocks it off. I am drained emotionally from the stress and repulsion at what I have to have inside my body until I finally get it all out.I have nausea, cramps, fatigue and insomnia, just to mention a few lovely symptoms. I can assure you that you will not enjoy any benefits from a parasite, nor can you control it after it takes up residence. Its far better to be heavy.
Posted by Christine  on  Thu Jun 19, 2008  at  12:16 AM
I hope the lady that is so confident about American medicine will believe me when I tell her she is way off. If anything, American doctors are ignorant on the subject of parasites. IF you can get them to believe you have one, they often prescribe the wrong medication or not enough. It took me two weeks to get stool samples processed and in the meantime, my visitor was getting larger and producing up to a million eggs a day.Finally, I had to take a picture of a 2 foot long segment I passed into the toilet to convince an ER doctor to help me. The whole experience has been a total humiliation.
Posted by Christine  on  Thu Jun 19, 2008  at  12:32 AM
this has been very educational, as well as highly entertaining. "love" how everyone shares these horror stories, and try to warn people, and save them from themselves and their own stupidity, and you have all these girls jumping in saying how they don't care if they become chronically ill as long as they are skinny! hahahaha! good times! good times! nothing is better fun than human stupidity! :D
Posted by blahblahblah  on  Wed Jun 25, 2008  at  01:05 PM
yo eryn- it's mean to brag about your bulimia to all these fat people trying to lose weight. 😉 everyone else: seriously, rock the tapeworm if you want to. you'll never be lonely again! this forum is hilarious. the idea of a tapeworm may gross everyone out, but know what grosses me out? fat, lazy people with no self control. don't give me any copouts about congenital disorders or low metabolism. shape up and eat less, fatties! or get that tapeworm!
Posted by nichole  on  Wed Jul 23, 2008  at  10:30 AM
Thanks for the email.......my dog just had tape worms but i know some types are dangerous so i let it go. but i bought 2 extra bottles of medication to kill them, just in case. you never know when oppurtunity knocks....Jaime
Posted by jaime  on  Wed Jul 30, 2008  at  02:41 AM
Hi there

I was on the "tape worm diet" and found it to really help. I think people get a little carried away with all the side effects, I believed that you need to control the parasite and start the dose again from start after 8-10 weeks, at least thats what i did. I lost approxiamatley 28 kilogrames or approxiamatley 56 pounds in 2 and 1/2 months. But if you do try it remember the bigger it gets the more harm it can cause.
Posted by Gary  on  Wed Jul 30, 2008  at  02:19 PM
Sorry i made a mistake it took me a total time of 6 months to loose the weight the 2- 1/2 months is 8 - 10 weeks the periode whereby i kiilled the parsite with prescription tablets and restarted the process.
Posted by Gary  on  Wed Jul 30, 2008  at  02:31 PM
i agree w melissa. i could certainly deal w some discomfort in exchange for effortless weightloss.
we can be tape-worm-fabulous together 😊
ill start looking
Posted by derek  on  Wed Aug 20, 2008  at  02:20 PM
need address for tape worms? where do you buy a pill form? can anyone tell me the website if there is one?
Posted by Cindy Schindler  on  Sat Aug 23, 2008  at  10:40 PM
West Virginia/10/Meghan-
😕 WHAT THE CRAP? WHO EATS A TAPEWORM? THATS GROSS AND A DRASTICLY BAD IDEA! IT COULD KILL YOU AND STARVE YOU. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE? I AM A 10 YEAR OLD GIRL. I JUST SAW THIS AFTER LOOKING UP TAPEWORMS CUZ I THOUGHT THEY WERE ON MY SHEETS! (but they weren't) AND THEN ME AND MY MOM SAW SOMETHING ABOUT TAPEWORM DIET ON YAHOO ANSWERS. MY MOM IS A NUTRITION INSTRUCTOR. THIS IS REDICULOUS THESE DAYS. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO JUST STAYING HEALTHY WITH HEALTHY FOOD AND EXCERSCISE???
Posted by Kitty  on  Mon Aug 25, 2008  at  09:17 AM
Where do you buy a tapeworm I would like to use and adjust when needed
Please can you answer
Posted by Angie  on  Mon Sep 08, 2008  at  09:37 PM
I want to order one
Will someone who has please contact me
Posted by Angie  on  Mon Sep 08, 2008  at  09:56 PM
Hi

Ive done the tape worm diet, it worked for what i needed, and f..... u all that think they can try and tell or rather advise us """" ohhhh noooooo please dont they will kill you """" F U theres medicine to sort out the shyts and im thankfull for it

All my love

Gary
Posted by Gary  on  Tue Sep 09, 2008  at  02:54 PM
Would someone who does this diet please please e-mail me where to get as really want to do. I will try and if works ok for me and then find the time span to get rid of and start again as your supposed to do.

Regards
Angie
Posted by Angie  on  Wed Sep 10, 2008  at  11:53 PM
if anyone's repied to the others about where to get tapeworms from can youplase please tell me, even if you ave an idea of where to gt it from?
i want to try them
Posted by fara  on  Thu Sep 11, 2008  at  01:57 PM
I keep asking those who are on or who have used if can get pill in Australia I really need to try and ofcorse if have ill effects are too bad just wont do again, but we all need some extra help at times. Please can anyone e-mail me
Thanks
Posted by Angie  on  Thu Sep 11, 2008  at  10:46 PM
Hi, I wanted to let us all know I found a website that you can order the pills and am waiting for them to contact me it's called Weight-B-Gone hope it helps us all
Posted by Angie  on  Sun Sep 14, 2008  at  12:14 AM
you cant buy a tape worm pill as the parasite dies in 48 hrs if not hosted. ie: if they cant have juicy burgers or divine steak they die lol
Posted by Gary  on  Mon Sep 15, 2008  at  09:54 AM
sounds as if all the comments posted yer have a lot in common with the worms loads of crap 🧛 :coolgrin:
Posted by jedhia  on  Mon Sep 15, 2008  at  12:30 PM
Hi Alliester, I need to email you but need the address or can you email me bout how to get
Thankx
Angela
Posted by Angie  on  Thu Sep 18, 2008  at  10:56 PM
Garin
Can you email me somehow on where I can get some please
Thankx
Angela
Posted by Angie  on  Thu Sep 18, 2008  at  10:57 PM
I have just read the opening lines of this thread and I would like to say this....
Me thinks using a tapeworm for slimming is excellent and very effective... I
Posted by stee  on  Sun Sep 21, 2008  at  01:37 PM
haha this is funny, ive been reading about this tapeworm diet cause i heard about it off my flatmate... so funny people are really miseducated it is disgusting! it is less of a risk to be anorexic (bullemia will rot your teeth and burn your throat lining but still much less risk) so the long and short of it is change your diet and exercise or don't eat! its as simple as that!
Posted by meme  on  Mon Sep 22, 2008  at  08:49 AM
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