Why can't tapeworms be used as a weight loss solution?

Question

It used to be if you were very thin and ate a lot, people would say, "You eat so much and you're still skinny. You must have a tapeworm or something." If tapeworms can keep people from gaining weight, why haven't weight loss researchers used them as a solution? Seems to me people who were very obese could have them put in until they lost the amount of weight they needed to lose. Then, they could take the cure for them. Seems like it would be safer than stomach stapling and such.

For those of you who may have been concerned, this was only a hypothetical question. I am not interested in ingesting tapeworms myself. I always thought they were benign at least for the short term. Surely you've heard such stories, "My uncle had a tapeworm and he lost all this weight and had to take pills..."

Answer 1

They can be.. but I am not sure if it is a good idea....see the following web sites

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/vanities/tapeworm.asp

http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Weight_20loss_20GM_20tape_20worm

Answer 2

It no longer remains a medical practice, but not so long ago, tapeworms were used to treat patients who were overweight. Once the patient had attained their desired weight, the tapeworm was killed by anti-parasite meds, and the worm was then eliminated with other bodily waste. As gross as this may seem, it was an effective tool against obesity. I, for one opt for hoisting my tail off of the couch, and going for a 5 mile run over a parasite inside me. Eeeeewwww! Put down that donut!

Answer 3

Being a Vet Tech we desire to apply a bland weight loss software which includes cooked white rice with chicken. Probiotics from the puppy shop jumbled in a typical weight loss software as quickly as the diarrhea has stopped works nicely with conserving bowels common. Pumpkin is a sturdy source of fiber as quickly as there's a classic stool. If the diarrhea keeps for a sort of days; ought to be parasites or inflammatory bowel. could want therapy.

Answer 4

tapeworms continue to grow until they fill up your insides. Then you die. Not a good weight loss solution

Answer 5

Well Because the starve the host (which is the human) and countinue to grow and remove many nutriants from the body which we need, and the tapeworm can not be pooped out becuase it stays
in certain areas and will grow and kill the host.In conculsion it's extremely dangerous you dumb ***.....

Answer 6

I don't understand your thought process, but I would feel uneasy to have a 50 foot long organism growing in my digestive system dear....

Answer 7

60 minute cycling session

Answer 8

LOL....the easy answer is the tapeworms eventually make their way up to your brain, cause you to have epileptic seizures and increasing the pressure inside your head, eventually killing you if not cured or diagnosed in time ;)

Answer 9

They also cause malnutrition and starvation. No matter how much you would eat, they would take it from you. Thus the reason why it is an illogical, not to mention dangerous, way to lose weight.

Answer 10

Actually it sounds like a good idea in theory. I think they might get big fast and start eating all the good nutriets so you get unhealthy...but it might just work.....should do some research on this sounds like a good natural cure to extreme obesity.

Answer 11

Chew thoroughly chewing each bite 30 times before swallowing