When most of us hear the word parasite, we can’t help but think of something living inside of us. Something that thrives with us as its host. Well, that wouldn’t be far from the truth, a parasite cannot live or multiply without a host. And they do reproduce fast. Generally, parasites don’t kill the host, as their very survival depends on its host. But sometimes they spread diseases, and some could be fatal.
Having said that, it seems clear that parasites are not beneficial, and have no good effects on their host. But apparently, some studies have suggested that the absence of parasite infections may be linked to an increased generality of inflammatory conditions. A review of these studies actually suggest that parasites may have anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent aging.
For quite some time now, we have been trying to find ways to improve our health and promote longevity. The emphasis of proper hygiene is the first step to combat parasites that can cause spreadable diseases. Cleaner environments have less sicknesses and diseases as compared to dirty environments. But, at times, there are trade-offs.
Throughout history, parasites and humans have had a natural coexistence. There is a hypothesis that considers some parasites as “friends” of the human body that assist to improve tolerance and function, and that their decline gave way to allergic responses and autoimmune conditions.
The decline of parasites may also promote inflammaging, which is a chronic form of inflammation that gets worse with age. This can contribute to several age-related conditions, such as osteoporosis, dementia, heart disease, and cancer. A recent study as well suggests inflammaging may also worsen symptoms of COVID-19.
A review of the existing literature to explore the use of parasite worms as a therapy to reverse conditions linked to inflammaging was done by Dr. David Gems and Bruce Zhang, of the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London in the UK. The authors focused their research on a specific group of parasitic worms called helminths – tapeworms, roundworms, and flukes. They live in host environments such as the human body and take advantage of their immune responses in order to survive.
The decline of helminths has been associated with multiple inflammatory conditions that happen earlier in life. Examples are: type 1 diabetes, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, eczema, and inflammatory bowel disease. Evidence supports that both natural and deliberate infection with helminths can combat these conditions.
In 1976, researcher J.A. Thurton published a report explaining how his hookworm infection reduced the severity of his allergies. And more recently, Canada’s University Of Montreal’s Marc Charabati, showed that infecting mice with helminths eased their multiple sclerosis symptoms.
These findings may suggest that restorative helminth therapy may address pre-aging inflammatory conditions, it however has yet to be discovered if it can also prevent conditions in older ages. A main characteristic of inflammaging is a consistent increase in proinflammatory proteins in the blood. Experiments have shown that helminth infection can suppress these levels of proinflammatory proteins. On the other hand, administering anthelmintic treatments, which kill helminths, increased the inflammatory response of these proteins.
But take note, that direct administration of helminths can be beneficial, however, it can also cause undesired infections. A viable alternative is to use the molecular components of helminth mechanisms.
An experiment conducted by Jenny Crowe and others at the University of Glasgow, UK, incorporated this concept in a mouse model that ate a high calorie diet. A protein called ES-62 was administered, which is an anti-inflammatory molecule from roundworm secretion. The researchers found out that the protein ES-62 prevented both the degradation of the gut barrier and the enlargement of fat tissue. Both are mechanisms that contribute to inflammaging. The mice also showed a 12% increase in their median lifespan, suggesting that ES-62 also limited health-related age acceleration.
Similar studies have also shown the effectiveness of helminths and helminth-secreted products in protection against type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis. There is also evidence that points to helminth therapy in cancer resistance. Some studies in mice have shown that tapeworms prevented the formation of colon tumors.
Still, it is important to also consider the fact that certain helminths can cause cancer as well. An example would be the trematode parasite Schistosoma haematobium which can cause bladder cancer.
While there is no evidence to surely confirm that helminths can directly reduce inflammaging, they do show the ability of helminths to protect against the processes that ultimately lead to it.
There is a need for future research. Zhang and Dr. Gems raise the questions regarding helminth therapy research. “ What are the optimal ages to apply such therapy to reduce inflammaging? Would helminth therapy act only in a preventive fashion (typical of anti-aging treatments), or could it reverse existing disease symptoms?” . They also mention the importance of understanding the pathways that shape anti-inflammaging properties.
“In the wake of successes during the last century in eliminating the evils of helminth infections, the time now seems propitious to explore further their possible benefits, particularly for our aging population – strange though this may sound,” explained Dr. Gems.
But surely parasites will still give some people that unsettling feeling, whether studies prove some to be beneficial. Definitely more studies have to come out to prove the benefits of helminths, not only to the researchers, but the general public as well.
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