Copyright New York Post
Gut health has become incredibly trendy, with everything from fibermaxxing to probiotics earning acolytes on social media. But while boosting your gut microbiome and staying regular have major health upsides, not all TikTok and Instagram hacks are created equal — and one gastroenterologist is warning against four celebrity-beloved trends that can actually hurt you. Dr. Wendi LeBrett (@socalgastrodoc) has seen her fair share of gut health trends gone wrong. “There are so many viral social media gut health trends that can be harmful,” LeBrett, a founding partner and medical advisor of Norms, told The Post. But there are four in particular that she says she frequently cautions her patients, friends and family about. Parasite cleanses First up, parasite cleanses, a favorite gut health treatment of supermodel Heidi Klum, who said she was going to “deworm and de-parasite” in August. “Apparently, we all have parasites and worms,” she told The Wall Street Journal. “I heard that you’re supposed to do this once a year, and I’ve never done it. So I feel like I’m really behind.” But LeBrett dubbed says they are “not necessary and potentially harmful.” “[These are a] popular trend on social media to attribute vague gut symptoms such as bloating, constipation, gas and diarrhea to parasites,” she said. “While certainly parasite infections can happen, attributing symptoms to parasites without a proper evaluation could risk another condition being missed.” Klum and others claim these cleanses — which include taking herbal supplements, using herbs with anti-inflammatory properties and changing their diet — get rid of parasites that cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. But the science doesn’t support the method and may do more harm than good, according to LeBrett. “The parasite cleanses that are marketed don’t have any sufficient evidence to effectively treat parasites,” she said. “With any medication or supplement, there is a risk benefit consideration between treatment effects and side effects including kidney or liver injury.” Coffee enemas While coffee enemas were promoted by Gwyneth Paltrow — and are an obsession of “Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives” star Mikayla Matthews — the doc says it’s better to stay away from them. A type of colon cleanse, coffee enemas have been around since the early 1900s and involve injecting a mixture of caffeinated coffee and water into the colon through the rectum. But LeBrett cautions against them: “Because coffee is an acidic substance, inserting this into the colonic as the risk of causing acidic injury to the colon.” Colonics Another trendy solution to stomach issues? Colonics, an older but still popular procedure that involves flushing the colon with water. “Colonics are potentially harmful because these procedures are not being administered by medical professionals,” LeBrett explained. “Some of the potential risks include injury to the colon or even colon perforation.” It can have some pretty nasty side effects, too. “The large fluid shifts during colonics have resulted in dehydration in some people,” she warned. “[They] have the potential to cause disruption to the gut microbiome and change the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut.” Apple cider vinegar shots The last gastrointestinal social media hack to avoid? Apple cider vinegar shots, the pantry staple that Victoria Beckham starts her day with to support digestion. But this claim is most likely overblown. “The acid in the vinegar has the potential to cause acid related injury to the stomach and esophagus,” said LeBrett. “There was recently a case report of a patient who sustained severe acid injury to the esophagus as a result of apple cider vinegar shots.” There’s also speculation that a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar could help acid reflux, but LeBrett said this “has the opposite effect by introducing more acid into the stomach and esophagus.”
