Quick Take

A social media post suggests that drinking clove water for 2 weeks will kill/remove stomach worms. We fact checked and found the claim to be false. 

The Claim

A social media post claims that soaking cloves in water and drinking it helps remove intestinal worms. They say it destroys the worms and flushes them out of the body.

Fact Check

What exactly are stomach worms?

Stomach worms, also called intestinal worms, are parasites that live in the digestive system. They enter the body through contaminated food, unclean water, or poor hygiene. Common types include roundworms, tapeworms, and pinworms.

These worms feed on the nutrients from your food, causing tiredness, stomach pain, bloating, or weight loss. In children, they can lead to anaemia and poor growth. The World Health Organization says that over a billion people around the world are affected by these infections, especially in areas with poor sanitation.

Doctors diagnose them by checking stool samples or using special tape tests for pinworms. If left untreated, the worms can move to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or liver, and cause serious illness. This is why professional diagnosis and proper treatment are important.

Do cloves have any power against parasites?

Yes, cloves contain a compound called eugenol, which has shown some ability to fight some specific worms in laboratory studies. In test tubes and animal experiments, eugenol can damage the outer layer of worms, stop them from using energy, and even kill their eggs. Traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and Chinese medicine have also used cloves for stomach problems for centuries.

However, most of these studies were done in labs or on animals, not on humans. When humans drink clove water, the body quickly breaks down eugenol in the liver, meaning very little of it reaches the intestines where worms live. So while cloves may help in theory, drinking clove water is too weak to have a real medical effect.

We spoke with Dr Sharad Malhotra, Senior Consultant and Head of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Therapeutic Endoscopy at Aakash Healthcare, New Delhi, to get his expert view on using clove water to treat stomach worms. He firmly cautioned against this approach, stating that such remedies are not medically effective and anyone attempting them does so entirely at their own risk.

Can drinking clove water remove intestinal worms?

No, there is no scientific proof that clove water removes worms from the human body. While it might soothe your stomach or make you feel better temporarily, it does not kill the worms or their eggs.

Health experts say that home remedies like clove water or “parasite cleanses” are not effective and could even be risky. High doses of clove oil or eugenol can cause mouth irritation, allergic reactions, or bleeding in people taking blood-thinning medicines.

In short, clove water might be a comforting drink, but it’s not a cure. Using it instead of proper medicine can let the infection worsen and cause complications.

There is currently no scientific proof that drinking clove water alone can eliminate intestinal worms in humans. While clove contains natural compounds such as eugenol with antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties, studies show that their effects are limited and inconsistent, making clove an unreliable treatment option. If you suspect a worm infection, it’s important to consult a doctor and use clinically approved antiparasitic medicines like albendazole or mebendazole instead of depending on home remedies. Clove should not be considered a cure for intestinal worms, explains Dr Almas Fatma, a general practitioner from Navi Mumbai.

What is the best and safest treatment for intestinal worms?

The safest and most effective way to get rid of worms is to take proper anti-parasitic medicines prescribed by a doctor.

Dr Anusha Dewan, General Physician at Jeevan Anmol Hospital in Mayur Vihar, New Delhi, explains that the best way to treat intestinal worm infections is with doctor-prescribed antiparasitic medicines like albendazole or mebendazole. These drugs effectively kill the worms and help the body get rid of them. She adds that maintaining proper hygiene is equally essential to avoid getting re-infected.

For threadworms, doctors may advise repeating the dose after two weeks to kill any newly hatched worms. In more serious infections, like those caused by strongyloides or tapeworms, medicines such as ivermectin or praziquantel may be used.

It’s also important to treat the whole family, wash hands regularly, cook food properly, and keep nails short to prevent reinfection. The World Health Organization supports deworming programmes in areas where these infections are common, especially for children.

By following these medical and hygiene steps, you can safely and effectively clear worms from your system, without depending on unproven home remedies like clove water.

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