thetapewormdiet-blog1

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

Welcome to the Tapeworm Diet blog

Your student analysis for all the good, bad, and weird things with tapeworms.

George Brown College

Nutrition Project

Student Blog Administrators:

Kevin O, Kaleigh D, Ameen J

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

Table of Contents

Introduction

History of the Tapeworm

Dissecting the Tapeworm

How is the ‘diet’ done?

What are the side effects?

What are the risks?

Conclusion

References

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

Introduction

LARD-B-GONE. Digital Image. Power of Movement. Web. December 13, 2017 <powerofmovement.co/more-crazy-diet-fads>

Every day we are bombarded with advertisements on television and magazines about food products claiming to be healthy, more superior to others, and even how to lose weight. One such method of losing weight is the tapeworm diet. You might be surprised, but with a quick google check, you will see that it was marketed in the early 1900′s. Despite being illegal in the United States and Canada, it is still being advertised today, even offered in some places like Mexico and in other countries. There are people who will go to any length - even as extreme as swallowing a tapeworm egg - to achieve the desired body image. 

The question is - can one really lose weight with this tapeworm diet? What are the benefits – if there are - and what are the risks involved?

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

History of the Tapeworm

Early 1990′s Tapeworm Diet Advertisement. Digital Image. Diet-Blog. Web. December 13, 2017 <diet-blog.com>

The Tapeworm diet was first marketed in the early 20th century under the brand name “Lard-B-Gone” (Golden, 2014). It originated in the “1900s,” as told by historian, Louse Foxcroft to BBC News (Lewis, n.d.). According to Janet Golden, Professor of History at Rutgers University, sanitized tapeworm eggs were used and voila, people can eat what they want and still lose weight without exercise or dieting.  The individual does not have to worry about gaining weight because the tapeworm will eat some of the food that's consumed.  The tapeworm egg matures and can grow up to 20 feet long, even longer depending on the kind of tapeworm egg ingested.

Once the individual has reached the target weight loss, it’s time to get rid of the tapeworm, and it's done by taking deworming pills that will kill the tapeworm (Golden, 2014). Sounds simple and easy, but, let us take a closer look at this particular diet.

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

Dissecting the Tapeworm

Tapeworms are parasites that can live in humans –  in the small intestine - as well as animals (Staple, 2012). “Tapeworm, Human Diseases and Conditions” (n.d.) explains that the most common are the beef tapeworm (Taenia saginata), and the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium). The adult beef tapeworm can grow as long as 30 feet, while the pork tapeworm is 11 feet long, and both can live up to 20 or 25 years in the host, even more than 30 years for a beef tapeworm.

Taenia Solium/Taenia Saginata. Digital Image. Slideshare. Web. December 13, 2017 <pt.slideshare.net>

The head of a tapeworm is called scolex. It is full of suckers or hooks that are used to attach to the intestinal tract. They do not have an intestinal tract so they absorb nutrients directly from the intestinal lining of the host using their suckers (Kokroko, 2010). They rely solely on the host – humans or other animals. They do not have mouths or tongues or senses, so they have no way of knowing food around them.  Their bodies consist of a chain of segments called proglottids, also covered with suckers, which grow and produce eggs. The beef tapeworm can have up to 2,000 proglottids, each containing 80,000 to 100,000 eggs, while the pork tapeworm can have 1,000 proglottids each containing about 50,000 eggs. From time to time the segments or proglottids break away from the body and can be seen in the feces.

Tapeworm Body/Proglottids. Digital Image. Quora. Web. December 13, 2017 <quora.com>

Tapeworm eggs are quite tough. They can live in the outdoors for months and even years (Tapeworm Human Diseases and Conditions, n.d.). When a pig or cow eat egg-contaminated plants, the eggs hatch in the stomach; the larvae then travel through the blood and form cysts in the muscles or tissues. They do not stay in one place. These mobile larvae can travel to the lungs, central nervous system, liver, or the brain and form cysts which can cause tissue damage. When a man eats undercooked meat from an infected animal like beef or pork which has larvae in its muscle tissue, the larvae will develop into adult tapeworm in the intestine of the human host where it will then feed/suck  on the nutrients and vitamins of the intestinal lining, thus depriving the host of necessary nutrients and vitamins.

Eggs of Taenia Saginata & Taenia Solium. Digital Image. Study Blue. Web. December 13, 2017 <studyblue.com>

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

How is the diet done?

Since tapeworm diet is illegal in the United States and Canada, the individual has to go to countries like Mexico. According to Mizpah Matus from Dietblog.com, this diet takes five steps (Edwards, 2016). The first step involves giving the individual a beef tapeworm cyst.  It might be in the form of swallowing a tapeworm pill, eating a tapeworm egg, drinking a soup with tapeworm, or eating a live one (Edwards 2016). The last one might imply swallowing it whole than chomping on it.

When the tapeworm grows in the stomach, it will absorb the nutrients from the intestinal lining of host. It will continue to grow and produce more eggs that are later shed in the feces (causing itching). Half of the food the host eats is consumed by the tapeworm, it is claimed, thus leading to the claim of weight loss. According to a research paper written by J. Kokroko of Stanford University, (Kokroko, 2010), “the tapeworm diet” claims that one can loose  up to 2 pounds per week . And for the price of $2,000, weight loss is achievable.

When the individual has slimmed down, then the tapeworm is removed. This is done by giving a deworming pill to kill the tapeworm (Edwards, 2016). The dead tapeworm is expelled through bowel movement.

Dr. Kwak’s Tapeworms. Digital Image. Skeptic North. Web. December 13, 2017 <skepticnorth.com>

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

What are the side effects?

An individual infected with tapeworm may show symptoms that include: headache, nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, and malnutrition.

Some people infected with tapeworm will see parts of the worm in their feces. More serious complications can occur in invasive larval infection. As mentioned earlier, tapeworm larvae can travel out of the intestines to other tissues and organs, including the brain and the eyes. They become cysts and the individual may suffer bacterial infections, allergies, fever, or seizures.

If a tapeworm egg is swallowed, it develops into larvae in the intestines.  Being mobile, it can travel and end up in other tissues as cysts. It ruptures and releases more larvae to other organs.  On the other hand, if it is a larvae cyst in meat from raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal, the larvae develop into adult tapeworm in the intestines and sucked or feed on the intestinal lining, thus depriving the host of vital nutrients which can lead to other complications.

Tapeworm Cycle. Digital Image. Weebly. Web. December 13, 2017 <swaggology.weebly.com>

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

What are the risks?

According to the Mayo clinic, an individual with intestinal infection caused by tapeworm can have the following complications:

• Digestive blockage – a large tapeworm can block the bile duct, pancreatic duct or the appendix leading to infection • Brain and central nervous system malfunction - seizures, meningitis, visual impairment from invasive tapeworm infection • Organ function disruption - when the larvae cyst in the organ ruptures, it can cause allergic reactions; or reduce the blood supply when it has become so big

AJ Collantes. May 27,2013. Monsters Inside Me Pork Tapeworm. Video File. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZcsGe3FYF4

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

Conclusion

Although one of the side effects of the tapeworm diet is weight loss, there was no evidence to suggest that this was due to the said diet. This form of a diet can become life threatening due to the fact that the tapeworm could potentially start to form around certain organs in the digestive system, leading to an invasive infection. Adding the discomfort and the side effects which accompany the diet, it is not worth the risk to embark on such a quest for the perfect figure- whatever that maybe. Instead, dieters should opt for a better option like eating nutritious food with plenty of fruits and vegetables along with more physical activities.

Additional Tips You Should Know!

People can unknowingly get infected with tapeworm by eating raw meat. To avoid this, it’s best to cook all raw beef and pork steaks, chops, and roasts that have not been cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. They are relatively uncommon in the U.S and Canada, although travellers and immigrants are occasionally infected - which means when traveling to countries where the water supply may be unsafe, either avoid the water or boil it for 1 minute to kill parasite eggs. Avoid ice in those same areas. Drinking bottled beverages or hot coffee and tea are safe alternatives.

Tapeworm Comics. Digital Image. Jantoo Cartoons Web. December 13, 2017 - jantoo.com

[thetapewormdiet-blog1]

References

Doerr, S. MD.(n.d.) Eating Tapeworms for Weight Loss. Retrieved from www.medicinenet.com/eating_tapeworms_for_weight_loss/views.html

Edwards, A. (2016, Sept.10). Is The Tapeworm Diet Safe? Retrieved from https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa16/2016/09/10/is-the-tapeworm-diet-safe/ 

Golden, J.(2014,Mar. 26). Still can’t lose weight? There’s always the tapeworm diet. Rutgers University. thepublicshealth@philly.com Retrieved from www.philly.com/philly/blogs/public_health/Still-cant-lose-weight-Theres-always-the-tapeworm-diet.html

Kokroko, J. (2010, Feb.27). Tapeworms and the search for a Slimmer Waist. Parasites Paper. Stanford Univesity. Retrieved from https://web.stanford.edu/group/parasites/Parasites2010/Jolene_Kokroko/JoleneKokroko%20Parasites%20paper.html

Lewis, P. The Tapeworm Diet Is an Actual Thing and Here’s Why You Should Never Do It. (n.d.). Mic Network Inc. Retrieved from mic.com/articles135917/the-tapeworm-diet-is- an-actual-thing-and-here-s-why-you-should-never-do-it#.dFADYeY3f

Senthilingam, M. (2015, January 20). The Worms That Invade Your Brain.

Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/20/health/tapeworms-invade-brain/

Staple, S. Bournemouth University.(2012, April 23). The Tapeworm ‘Diet’. Retrieved from Buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/2012/14/the-tapeworm-diet/

Tapeworm Diet Review. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/diets/ tapeworm-diet/

Tapeworm-Human Diseases and Conditions.(n.d.). Retrieved from www.humanillnesses. com/original/T-Ty/Tapeworm,html 

Tapeworm Infection. (n.d.)Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ tapeworm/basics/treatment/con-20025898?p=1

Tapeworms: Easy Weight Loss Or Potentially Fatal.( 2016, Jun 1). Retrieved from https:// healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_460smrek

Tapeworm Diet: Weight Loss, Risks and Side Effects.(n.d.) Healthline, Healthline Media. Retrieved from www.healthline.com/health/diet-and-weight-   loss/tapeworm-diet.