THE UPSIDE OF PARASITES: Radical Trial Shows Hookworms May Protect People From Type 2 Diabetes. “Parasitic worms, like hookworms, have been living inside humans through much of our species’ history, and while some infections can put our health at risk, others barely make their presence known. They might even bring some good. In recent decades, scientists have noticed that in places where parasitic worms are endemic, people report fewer metabolic and inflammatory diseases. What’s more, recent studies have found that when people are ‘dewormed’, their insulin resistance suddenly increases.”