Putting parasitic worms back into our gut could slow the ageing process and reduce our chances of suffering from a range of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.
Better hygiene has eradicated helminths—worms such as flukes, tapeworms and hookworms—from our gut, and our health has been the poorer, say researchers from University College London.
The gut parasites produce proteins that protect us from chronic conditions and slow the ageing process. “The loss of ‘old friend’ microbes and helminths increases the sterile, ageing-associated inflammation known as inflammageing,” said researcher Bruce Zhang.
But rather than reinserting the worms themselves, it may be possible to instead use helminth-derived proteins that could achieve the same health benefits and be more palatable to patients.
(Source: eLife, 2021; 10: e65180; doi: 10.7554/elife.65180)
