‘Parasitic cleanses’ are the latest health trend to infest social media. But what does the evidence say?

Influencers are pedalling parasitic cleanses on social media, but do they really work, or are they doing more harm than good? Composite: Getty Images

Parasitic infections are fairly uncommon among otherwise healthy people living in most major developed cities. But this hasn’t stopped a wave of social media influencers spruiking at-home “parasitic cleanses” for any number of symptoms such as constipation, fatigue, poor sleep and brain-fog.

“Just comment ‘deworm’ or ‘cleanse’ for more info,” they may say, promising more information about pills with all sorts of “natural” ingredients including wormwood, clove, turmeric, clove, thyme and black walnut.