Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From the Radiolab podcast: A whole other can of worms.
For most of human history, people went about their daily lives with a worm or two (or fifty) in their guts. Only in the past century, with pharmaceuticals and sanitation practices, have we made significant strides towards deworming the whole of humanity. And that’s typically been thought of as a good thing, because having too many worms in your body can—quite literally—suck the life out of you.
But is it possible to have … too few worms? Science wonders if deworming ourselves has actually led to an increase in certain chronic diseases. On this episode, we dive into Necator americanus, aka the American Hookworm, and its mysterious relationship with each of us.
We trace the hookworm’s 118-year journey from a demonized economic depressant, to its use as a desperate DIY immunosuppressant, to its potential as a medical treatment for a number of chronic diseases, everything from asthma to MS.
We’re bringing back two stories from our 2009 episode "Parasites," plus new research on hookworms and autoimmune diseases, reported by Molly Webster.
Special thanks to Ethan Hein for the use of his remix of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21. Plus, Doris Pierce, and Dan and Alice Hadley.
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Pat Walters and Molly Webster
Produced by Matt Kielty
with help from Rebecca Rand
Fact-checking by Diane A. Kelly
and Edited by Arianne Wack
EPISODE CITATIONS:
Articles -
Effect of experimental hookworm infection on insulin resistance in people at risk of type 2 diabetes (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37495576/) by Giacomin PR et al. Nat Commun. 2023 Jul 26
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Photo illustration by Jared Bartman
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
From the Radiolab podcast: A whole other can of worms.
For most of human history, people went about their daily lives with a worm or two (or fifty) in their guts. Only in the past century, with pharmaceuticals and sanitation practices, have we made significant strides towards deworming the whole of humanity. And that’s typically been thought of as a good thing, because having too many worms in your body can—quite literally—suck the life out of you.
But is it possible to have … too few worms? Science wonders if deworming ourselves has actually led to an increase in certain chronic diseases. On this episode, we dive into Necator americanus, aka the American Hookworm, and its mysterious relationship with each of us.
We trace the hookworm’s 118-year journey from a demonized economic depressant, to its use as a desperate DIY immunosuppressant, to its potential as a medical treatment for a number of chronic diseases, everything from asthma to MS.
We’re bringing back two stories from our 2009 episode "Parasites," plus new research on hookworms and autoimmune diseases, reported by Molly Webster.
Special thanks to Ethan Hein for the use of his remix of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21. Plus, Doris Pierce, and Dan and Alice Hadley.
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Pat Walters and Molly Webster
Produced by Matt Kielty
with help from Rebecca Rand
Fact-checking by Diane A. Kelly
and Edited by Arianne Wack
EPISODE CITATIONS:
Articles -
Effect of experimental hookworm infection on insulin resistance in people at risk of type 2 diabetes (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37495576/) by Giacomin PR et al. Nat Commun. 2023 Jul 26
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab wherever you listen to podcasts: lnk.to/radiolab!youtube
🔎 Subscribe to Radiolab on YouTube: bit.ly/3I9KI53
🖋 Subscribe to Radiolab’s Newsletter: radiolab.org/newsletter
🌱 Check out Radiolab's Starter Kit Playlist: bit.ly/3sX8f4P
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Follow Radiolab:
Instagram — instagram.com/radiolab
X — https://x.com/Radiolab
Facebook — facebook.com/Radiolab
Threads — threads.net/@radiolab
TikTok — tiktok.com/@radiolab
Our newsletter includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up here: radiolab.org/newsletter
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Jared Bartman
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
