Does it even need to be said? No, you don’t need to do a ‘parasite cleanse’

Pricey deworming remedies are being touted as cure-alls. Supermodel Heidi Klum gave it a go – experts roll their eyes

Last August, supermodel Heidi Klum revealed that she and her husband, Tom Kaulitz, were planning a worm and parasite cleanse.

“Everything on my Instagram feed at the moment is about worms and parasites,” she told the Wall Street Journal, ominously adding: “I don’t know what the heck is going to come out.”

Maybe your social media feeds aren’t full of posts about worms and parasites, in which case, congratulations. But type “parasite cleanse” into TikTok or Instagram and you’ll be inundated with so-called experts peddling expensive herbal supplements that promise to detox the body and rid it of harmful worms and parasites.

One TikTok user, whose credentials are “holistic mama”, suggests people should do deworming cleanses if they experience “sleep issues, gut issues, weight loss issues, mood swings, skin issues”.