The key facts
- A woman with coxarthrosis swallowed 930 live beetles over two months while continuing to take the medications prescribed by her doctor
- Online communities exist where people exchange beetle consumption schemes — up to 30 per day
- Doctors warn: there is no scientific evidence of effectiveness, and allergic and other adverse reactions are possible
An unusual method of treating joints
Russians have begun eating live healer beetles by the hundreds in the hope of getting rid of arthrosis, gout and other diseases, SHOT reports. One follower of this method swallowed 930 insects over two months.
The story of a woman with coxarthrosis
The young woman decided to try the experiment after doctors diagnosed her with coxarthrosis — a disease of the hip joint. She started a colony of beetles at home and began regularly swallowing them alive. She did not give up the medications prescribed by her doctor, deciding to supplement the treatment with a folk remedy.
Communities of 'therapy' enthusiasts
Entire communities of fans of this kind of 'therapy' exist online: users exchange advice on breeding the insects and schemes for consuming them. The number of beetles eaten is gradually increased to 30 per day, after which they begin to reduce it. Originally, these insects are bred not for treating people but as feed for ant farms.
Warnings from doctors
There is no scientific evidence of the method's effectiveness. Doctors warn that eating live insects can provoke allergic and other adverse reactions. Specialists do not recommend replacing doctor-prescribed therapy with such experiments.
Gout is getting younger
According to the publication, gout is increasingly diagnosed in Russians under 30, although 15–20 years ago people over 45–50 predominantly sought treatment for this disease. Among the risk factors, specialists cite excessive consumption of beer and sweet drinks, strict high-protein diets and excessive physical exertion. Excess uric acid leads to the formation of crystals in the joints, causing inflammation and severe pain.
