Gut worms can help calm inflammation, but they need enough fiber to work properly. When fiber is missing, the worms go into a sleepy state and stop helping the body.
The study was published in Nature Communications by scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Why Look at Gut Worms?
For most of history, people carried intestinal parasites without getting sick. Modern hygiene and medicines have reduced these worms, while allergies and gut diseases have become more common.
Researchers wondered if certain worms could be used as medicine for inflammation. This idea is called helminth therapy. Results have been mixed, so scientists searched for what makes the worms work or not.
Kateřina Jirků, a parasitology expert, says the key factor is the amount of fiber in the diet.
What Fiber Does to Worms
Scientists studied a harmless tapeworm called Hymenolepis diminuta. They fed the animals either a high‑fiber or a low‑fiber diet.
When fiber was plentiful, the worms grew well and could lower the host’s inflammation. With little fiber, the worms shrank, never matured, and stopped producing eggs. Their genes also changed, affecting growth and energy use.
Fiber Changes the Whole Gut
A high‑fiber diet also boosted good bacteria in the gut. A typical Western diet lowered bacterial diversity and let harmful microbes grow. These shifts matched changes in the immune response.
The research shows that what we eat shapes the entire gut ecosystem – from worms and microbes to the immune system.
Health agencies suggest adults eat 25‑30 grams of fiber daily, but many Westerners get far less. Traditional societies often eat 80‑120 grams a day.
Low fiber weakens the gut microbiome, which affects digestion, immunity, brain health, and mood. An unbalanced microbiome is linked to allergies, anxiety, depression, and even Alzheimer’s disease.