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Heidi Klum revealed that her husband, Tom Kaulitz, is joining her on a monthslong cleanse to “deworm and de-parasite” their bodies.
“Everything I’m getting on my Instagram feed at the moment is about worms and parasites,” Klum, 52, told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Monday, August 4. “So, I’m doing a worm cleanse and parasite cleanse with my husband.”
The Project Runway host confirmed this would be “the first time” she’d undergone any such cleanse and expected the process to take “months.” The Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic have advised that there are no scientifically proven benefits of the various parasite cleanses promoted via social media.
For her part, Klum — who once memorably dressed as a giant worm for Halloween — admitted she wasn’t sure “what the heck is going to come out” from her cleanse but suggested that “apparently we all have parasites and worms.”
“If you are someone who eats raw things every now and then, like, for example, sushi, you can get [parasites],” she claimed.
Klum recommended pills that purportedly “have all of these herbs” that she said could help remove tapeworms and parasites from the body.
“There’s a lot of clove in there. The parasite hates clove. They also hate the seeds from a papaya,” she insisted.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, supporters of these cleanses blame parasites and worms for physical symptoms such as gas, bloating and diarrhea. These cleanses often involve incorporating the licorice-like herb anise, clove, grapeseed, wormwood and goldenseal into a diet, as well as ingesting products like apple cider vinegar and turmeric on a sustained basis.

Heidi Klum dressed as a worm in October 2022. Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
However, the Cleveland Clinic clarified that there is no scientific evidence of parasites widely infecting the U.S. population, nor is there proof that cleanses are beneficial to one’s health.
“I really hope these cleanses don’t become popular,” registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, told the Cleveland Clinic. “There’s just no credible evidence to show that they work, and they can bring big health risks.”
The Clinic warned that some potential health risks that can be associated with parasite cleanses include vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, decrease in energy and GI tract complications.
“Plus, supplements aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration so there’s no precise way to know what you’re getting or even what dosage you’re taking,” Czerwony pointed out.
Parasites have become a hot topic among celebrities and influencers of late, with former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville seemingly giving herself chemical burns earlier this month while trying to fight an apparent parasite. Glanville previously revealed in December 2024 that she’d been diagnosed with a facial parasite after numerous doctor visits.
“Honestly, I have so many doctors and I’ve had so many tests … I did lab work for $10,000,” she told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “I ran every test under the sun. … They’re like, ‘It could be a parasite.’ That’s, you know, new.”
Glanville, 52, later wrote via X, “What happened? I wish I knew I’ve been in &out of the hospital this passed year 1/2 spent almost every dollar I have trying to figure it out. Some Dr.’s say I have a parasite that jumps around my face. Some say it’s stress induced edema. I personally say it’s Bravo.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County OG Vicki Gunvalson revealed on SiriusXM’s Jeff Lewis Live in July that she hasn’t been “the same” since traveling with Glanville to film The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco in 2023. Gunvalson, 63, speculated that her gut is “loaded with parasites” and that she has undergone colonic treatment “three times a week” without much relief.