Intestinal Parasites: Symptoms, Causes, and Practical Ways to Protect Your Health

Intestinal parasites are a common health topic worldwide, and their symptoms can range from mild to significant. You might notice abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, bloating and gas, nausea, or unintentional weight loss. Some infections cause itching around the anus, especially at night with pinworms, while others may be asymptomatic. Because signs can mimic other digestive issues, persistent changes in your gut health deserve attention and, if needed, a medical test to identify any parasite exposure. Causes and risk factors include contaminated water and food, poor sanitation, and consuming undercooked or raw seafood and meat. Travel to regions with higher parasite prevalence increases risk, as does swimming in untreated or unsafe water, or handling soil and sand that may be contaminated. Close contact in daycare settings or household exposure to infected individuals can also spread parasites, and pets may carry parasites that can occasionally affect people. Understanding these risks helps you apply practical steps to reduce exposure. Practical, evidence-based prevention tips you can use today include: wash hands regularly with soap, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing or eating food; thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables; avoid unpasteurized dairy products; cook meats to safe internal temperatures and avoid raw or undercooked seafood; drink safe water (boiled or bottled where water quality is uncertain); use clean utensils and separate cutting boards for raw meat; keep nails short and avoid nail-biting to reduce ingestion of parasite eggs. If you notice persistent digestive changes, seek medical testing and advice—stool tests and other evaluations can confirm the presence of parasites and guide treatment. Supporting a healthy gut microbiome can be beneficial for overall resilience, though it’s not a substitute for safe practices and medical care when needed. Beyond practical steps, InnerBuddies offers a modular, white-label Gut Health Operating System that can support understanding and improving gut health in consumer products. Its Gut Microbiome Health Index provides a 0–100 score of your gut health based on an exclusive collaboration with EAFIT University in Colombia, alongside insights from a top 40 bacteria panel and labeled bacterial functions to show how you compare with a healthy cohort. Target group analysis and personalized nutrition and probiotic/prebiotic recommendations further tailor guidance to your unique gut profile. If you’re exploring how gut health data can power your products, you can learn more about InnerBuddies’ microbiome test at the product page, and for ongoing access, consider the Gut Health Membership at the subscription page. For companies interested in a partner program, visit the B2B page to see how InnerBuddies can power your gut-health offerings. All of the consumer-facing options are available directly to individuals as well as to B2B partners.