Health
Woman swallows tapeworm: Diet Worries Health Officials
An adult Taenia saginata tapeworm is shown in this file photo.
Health Officials Concerned About Iowa Tapeworm Diet
Health official in Iowa are worried that there is a new diet trend that may turn deadly after one of the state’s medical doctors reported that he recently treated a woman who had swallowed a tapeworm in an effort to lose weight quickly, says Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, the medical director of the Iowa Department of Public Health.
The doctor’s patient revealed that she purchased the tapeworm from a vendor on the Internet after reading a website’s claims that introducing a tapeworm into her digestive tract could help her quickly shed unwanted pounds. But she sought medical treatment when the tapeworm caused her to feel sick instead.
Health officials are now trying to spread the word throughout the state that the tapeworm diet may in fact be fatal for some people. Medical authorities say that the sale of tapeworm eggs that could be ingested in pill form first became popular in the early 20th century.
Eating tapeworm eggs in an attempt to lose weight, however, can cause a variety of negative side effects because the tapeworms can grow to several feet in length and result in intestinal blockages and even death.
Here’s what a tapeworm looks like. Lovely, isn’t it? This is the Taenia saginata, or beef tapeworm, which is the one usually associated with weight loss schemes.
(CDC)
“Ingesting tapeworms is extremely risky and can cause a wide range of undesirable side effects, including rare deaths,” Quinlisk wrote in the email, as the Des Moines Register reported Friday. “Those desiring to lose weight are advised to stick with proven weight loss methods — consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity.”
The woman who sought medical help when the tapeworm she ingested made her sick, was given medication in order to kill the worm infestation.
It’s possible she could have saved some money and acquired a tapeworm by eating raw hamburger meat.
On The Web:
Iowa Tapeworm Diet: Woman Ingests Tapeworm to Lose Weight, Experts Warn of Death Risks
http://www.christianpost.com/news/iowa-tapeworm-diet-woman-ingests-tapeworm-to-lose-weight-experts-warn-of-death-risks-102494/
Iowa woman tries ‘tapeworm diet’, prompts doctor warning
http://www.today.com/health/iowa-woman-tries-tapeworm-diet-prompts-doctor-warning-6C10935746
Midwest woman buys tapeworm online, swallows it to lose weight
http://fox4kc.com/2013/08/20/midwest-woman-buys-tapeworm-online-swallows-it-to-lose-weight/