Supermodel Heidi Klum’s plan to rid her body of “worms and parasites” with a months-long, social media-inspired herbal cleanse has drawn sharp warnings from infectious disease experts who say that such unproven detox regimens can do more harm than good.

Klum told the Wall Street Journal that she and her husband began the cleanse after viewing a surge of Instagram posts on the topic. She described taking pills containing herbs such as clove and papaya seeds and using supplements marketed to remove metals from the body. The “Project Runway” star did not indicate that a healthcare professional recommended or supervised the cleanse.

While parasitic infections are real and can cause serious illness, they require proper medical testing and diagnosis and are typically treated with prescription antiparasitic medications — not over-the-counter herbs or supplements, experts said.

“Hearing that someone is advocating a ‘worm and parasite cleanse’ is alarming because it is a medically unfounded practice that could potentially be harmful,” Choukri Ben Mamoun, PhD, an infectious disease expert at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, told MedPage Today via email.

Anthony K. Leung, DO, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, explained that parasitic infections — or helminths — generally fall into three categories: nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms), and trematodes (flukes). These may cause a broad range of illnesses depending on the organ system they infect. While the gastrointestinal tract is a common site of infection, helminths also may affect the eyes and the central nervous, pulmonary, and lymphatic systems, Leung said.

Attempting to self-diagnose and self-treat with a cleanse like the one Klum described can lead to health risks, including vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, low energy levels, dehydration from diarrhea, and other GI issues, experts said.

“To properly diagnose a helminth infection, a healthcare provider needs to take a detailed medical history,” Leung said. “This includes exploring a person’s eating habits, potential exposures, travel history, and other risk factors. Without a definitive diagnosis and proper medical treatment, pursuing unproven ‘cleanses’ can lead to potential harm without effectively addressing the underlying medical condition.”

While Klum claimed that “we all have parasites and worms,” Ben Mamoun said there is “no credible medical evidence that the average person harbors hidden parasites that require cleansing.” He noted that many organisms in the gut are essential — not harmful — to human health.

“Yes, our guts are full of living organisms — that’s our microbiome — but most are either harmless or actually good for us,” said Shelli Farhadian, MD, PhD, also an infectious disease expert at Yale. “Trying to wipe them out without a reason is like spraying pesticides all over a healthy garden.”

MedPage Today reached out to Klum’s publicist, Milan Blagojevic, but did not immediately receive a response.

If a parasitic infection is suspected, patients should speak with their primary care physician and undergo appropriate testing — typically a stool exam — Abhay Satoskar, MD, PhD, a professor of pathology and microbiology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, told MedPage Today.

“That will tell you whether you have it or not,” Satoskar said. “If there is an infection in your gut, then your poop should tell you. They will find the eggs or they may find parts of parasites — sometimes, they find the parasites or worms. … You don’t need any fancy stuff.”

Physicians may face questions about such cleanses from patients exposed to online content. Those conversations should be approached with care, said David Purow, MD, a gastroenterologist with Northwell Health in Huntington, New York.

“It is important to have an honest discussion with patients about the lack of scientific data supporting the use of most herbal products,” Purow said. “However, I feel it is also crucial for patients to feel that you are taking their concerns and suggestions seriously in order to build a more productive relationship.”

Heidi Klum’s Worm Cleanse: ‘Medically Unfounded, Potentially Harmful’