WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Type 2 diabetes is caused by a parasite that blocks the pancreas and prevents insulin production.
OUR VERDICT
False. Experts said there is no evidence type 2 diabetes is caused by parasites.
AAP FACTCHECK - Type 2 diabetes is not caused by a parasite that can be eliminated by a "Japanese compound", despite online claims spruiking this as a cure.
Experts say there's no evidence parasites cause type 2 diabetes and Diabetes Australia has urged the public to be vigilant about dodgy diabetes claims as it battles an uptick in misinformation about the disease.
The claim was made in a Facebook video showing a person who says: "The true cause of type 2 diabetes isn't sugar or carbohydrates, but a corrosive parasite that blocks the pancreas and prevents insulin production.
"This parasite causes sugar to accumulate in the blood and leads to severe inflammation."
The video goes on to claim there is a simple solution in a "Japanese compound that eliminates this parasite, cleanses the pancreas and normalises blood sugar levels".
The formula is so effective, it says, "that in just a few days you start eliminating excess sugar through your urine and feel lighter and healthier."
However, experts told AAP FactCheck the claim is false.
Diabetes is a condition characterised by too much blood sugar and an inability to make and use the insulin needed to manage it. Type 2 diabetes has genetic and lifestyle risk factors and occurs when the body gradually loses the capacity to produce enough insulin.
But Merlin Thomas, a diabetes expert at Monash University, said type 2 diabetes is not caused by a parasite.
"The notion that type 2 diabetes is caused by a 'corrosive parasite that blocks the pancreas and prevents insulin production' does not pass the fact check on any level," Professor Thomas said.
He says type 2 diabetes is caused by "the toxic effects of ectopic fat".
In an article for the Conversation, Prof Thomas explains that ectopic fat accumulates in the body in people who can't safely store excess energy from their diet as healthy fat.
The fat damages the specialised cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, leading to insulin resistance.
"There is no corrosive parasite that blocks the pancreas and prevents insulin production," Prof Thomas told AAP FactCheck.
Prof Thomas said there's a "strong body of evidence" showing people with diabetes have more infections, including by parasites in countries where they are prevalent.
Parasitic infections can lead to inflammation that can make some people more susceptible to type 2 diabetes, he said.
However, he explained that diabetes is also common in many countries where parasites are rare, and parasites do not cause diabetes.
A 2023 review looked at 22 studies on intestinal parasites in diabetes patients. It found those with diabetes had a higher rate of parasites than control groups.
Prof Thomas said studies had found some people infected with hydatids, which can be present in dog poo, are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes.
Some research has also suggested the parasite toxoplasma gondii, which causes the illness toxoplasmosis, can potentially damage cells in the pancreas and reduce insulin production, he said.
But there was no evidence toxoplasma caused diabetes, only that toxoplasma infections might be more common in people with diabetes.
The destruction of insulin-producing cells caused type 1, not type 2 diabetes, Prof Thomas added.
Parasites could cause chronic inflammation of the pancreas in rare cases, he said, which could cause type 3c diabetes - a form of diabetes caused by damage to the pancreas.
"You would know if you have chronic pancreatitis as it's awfully painful, unlike type 2 diabetes, which is insidious and often missed."
The best way to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes is "dietary moderation" and increased exercise, Prof Thomas said, as well as medication to lower glucose levels where appropriate.
Grant Brinkworth, director of research at Diabetes Australia and health professor at the University of South Australia, told AAP FactCheck there's "no known evidence" parasites cause type 2 diabetes.
"Spreading misinformation about so-called 'causes' not only misleads the public but can also distract individuals living with diabetes from pursuing effective management of their condition," Prof Brinkworth said.
"Unfortunately, videos like this are becoming more common. Diabetes Australia recently issued our own warning urging people to remain vigilant and verify claims about diabetes through trusted sources."
Similar claims about parasites causing diabetes have been debunked by AFP and Logically Facts.
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