While blastocystosis may clear out on its own, the symptoms do not go away and only worsen for many.
Doctors may prescribe one of a few antibiotics, however these can distress the body more and do not always work to clear out the infection.
Natural options are available to support the body’s natural detoxification and immune function while it eradicates the parasites. Before you continue, make sure to watch this video by Eric Bakker. He goes through the whole treatment plan step by step.
Avoid anti-diarrheal medications as these can further irritate the intestinal lining, which only makes parasites bind stronger to the intestinal walls and mucus. While these medications may put a stop to the discomfort, it’s allowing the parasites to reside in your body and other complications that can actually worsen your illness.
Certain herbs and spices should be consumed to help support the immune system and fight blastocystosis. You can consume them as the fresh herb, dried, or in forms of tea, pill, or tincture (however, if you have had any alcohol-related abuse, avoid tinctures). Work with your healthcare provider if you’re on any medication, as some herbs may have contradictions:
- Garlic: Parasitology Research published a study from the department of medicine at The Aga Khan University in 2011 which demonstrated garlic was an equally effective agent against B. hominus as conventional prescription medication.
- Wormwood: Known in traditional medicine to eliminate worms, it is a mild sedative and can increase stomach acidity.
- Black Walnut: A traditional remedy to fight parasites and fungal infections, it also promotes good digestion and serves as a mild laxative.
- Goldenseal: Helps promote healthy immune function, fights inflammation and infections while cleansing the body and improving digestion.
- Clove: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine has a 2015 published study showing that clove oil, along with five other traditional Chinese herbs (cinnamon bark, rhizome alpiniae officinarum, prickly ash peel, orange fruit, and Manchurian wildginger) were tested in patients with demodex, a parasite. Results found that none of the natural remedies had side effects, and clove oil was particularly effective.
Supplements are critical to fighting not just parasitic activity, but also an imbalance of bad bacteria and Candida overgrowth: two side-effects that may result from parasites disrupting a healthy gut.
- Probiotics: Since b. hominis may correlate to an overgrowth of bad bacteria, beneficial bacteria needs to be reintroduced into the body to help with digestion, immunity, and inflammatory response. Canxida Restore contains 6 potent, clinically studied strains of probiotics with a total of 18 billion bacteria. This amount is ideal, as consuming too many strains has risks of them battling each other for attention and killing each other off, and too high a number of bacteria can shock the body and cause prolonged, worsened symptoms such as diarrhea, light headedness, or bloating. The blend also contains 7 enzymes, which are crucial for breaking down and absorbing food. This means that your body gets the nutrients and the parasites are starved. Gastrointestinal side effects are also lessened or avoided when taking enzymes with food.
- Anti-parasite Blend: Canxida Remove is my top pick. It has herbal blends to help fight parasites including blastocystis, along with candida overgrowth and bad bacteria which may both develop from having parasites. It doesn’t say on your page anything about blastocystis but don’t worry about that this thing works for all types of parasites.
- Zinc: A common mineral deficiency, zinc supports the immune system and healthy intestinal walls. You can safely take up to 30mg of zinc a day, even if you’re not deficient.
- Fiber: Fiber is critical to remove toxins from the body. Produce is a naturally rich source of fiber, however additional supplementation is available.
For a list of foods to eat and avoid, see my article on the best diet for blastocystis hominis.
If you have B. hominis, recognize that it is highly contagious and take extra precautions not to infect others. Wash your hands regularly, don’t use recreational water facilities (such as pools, spas, or water slides) until at least one week after any diarrhea has subsided, and take extra precautions during sexual activities to avoid fecal contact. By helping prevent the spread of this parasite, you are being proactive against a recurring infection, particularly in households with children. If your child has it, ensure that they are washing their hands, take them to the restroom often, limit their swimming in public pools, and watch their interaction with other children closely (or try to reduce their time in childcare, if possible).