Helminthic Therapy

Has anyone tried this for alopecia? It is being used experimentally on other auto-immune disorders with some good results. I heard about it on RadioLab (an internet and radio program). The idea has been tossed around for a while and is now getting some trials, but not on alopecia as far as I know. If you haven't heard of it, brace yourself, helminthic therapy uses stomach parasites (hookworm most often) to help the body reduce its immune response. The hookworm does not reproduce in the human stomach and don't eat much, but they do interact with the body's immune system to sometimes cause it to stop having auto-immune reactions. Anyway, I'm looking into it even though it is kind of disgusting -- thanks, Maureen

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Permalink Reply by Maureen Roddy on April 15, 2011 at 11:33pm
I bet the show was about Jasper Lawrence - he's been featured on t.v., radio, newspapers, etc. His health was in terrible shape because his severe allergies to pollen gave him crippling asthma and he had ballooned in size due to constant steroid use. He researched alternative treatments to auto-immune disorders and came up with the idea to go to Africa to walk barefoot in infested areas and became infected with hookworms. He was cured of his allergies and went on to develop safe worm therapies for others. Here is a link to an interesting article on him http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/23/parasitic-hookwo...

We haven't tried this yet but keep reading the helminthic therapy blog - I hope someday we get up the nerve!
Permalink Reply by Craig on April 19, 2011 at 7:29pm
yeah, I'm sure it was Jasper. I've talked to him on the phone recently after seeing that same TV show. The worms cost $3k and you need to leave the country to get them cuz of our FDA. F#@$ our government for telling me what I can and can't put in my own body.
Anyway, I suffer from bad asthma and severe allergies, so even if it doesn't help my Alopecia (totalis) but it helps my allergies and asthma, then it's a win situation. I wish money was no object. I would have already booked my flight to England to get the treatment from him. (jasper had to move to England due to harassment from the FDA). I don't find it gross at all.
Jasper said 2 people recently tried it for alopecia (within the past 4 months), so it's too early to see results. hasn't anyone else out there tried this?
Permalink Reply by Holly on April 30, 2013 at 8:33am

wow just realised that this is a really old post.. one of my subjects is actually looking at helminth interactions with the body's immune system, and having numerous autoimmune conditions myself i am extremely interested. has anyone heard of any recent developments with this? i am looking into it but finding mixed results..

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