250m Americans Infected – The American Parasite

Here’s a new batch of web ads warning you about something called “the American Parasite.”

What are these ads all about? And what is the American Parasite?

Candida is “the American Parasite,” according to Whole Body Research, and its products can protect you from this horrible danger you didn’t know about until just now. These web ads link to a long, long video explaining the dangers of candida, the American diet, sugary foods, artificial sweeteners, Donald Rumsfeld, large sodas, Dr. Oz, and so on.

What’s candida? According to the National Institutes of Health,

Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.

Out of control candida cause yeast infections. The ads link high-sugar diets with candida, but we have doubts that 250 million Americans currently have yeast infections.

So these ads are really pitches for Keybiotics, a line of probiotic supplements from Whole Body Research priced at $39.99 a bottle, that it claims will help you with all the problems associated with a high-sugar diet.

But we saw a few problems with Keybiotics’ pitch. One is that Whole Body Research claimed to have an A rating from the BBB, but as of January 2014 the company had no rating from the BBB.

The fine print on the site also warns consumers not to take Keybiotics “if you are at risk of or are being treated for high blood pressure, kidney, liver, thyroid, or psychiatric disease, anxiety, depression, seizure disorder, herpes, or stroke.” But the above video ad mentions depression as an effect of the American Parasite.

A third problem is that yeast is not really a “parasite” in the way parasite is commonly understood, and ads that show tapeworm-looking creatures may be misleading.

Consider carefully before buying this product. Whole Body Research presents Keybiotics as a cure-all for the woes of a high-sugar diet. And while certain probiotics may help with those health issues, changes in diet and exercise may be enough too. Maybe ask your doctor.

For more on probiotics, click here.

UPDATE 1/15/2014 and 3/25/2014: Whole Body Research has corrected its website and has removed the claim that it has an “A” rating from the BBB. The company now has an updated rating from the BBB.