Dr. Sabine Hazan, a physician and researcher, discovered that ivermectin—a fermented product of the bacteria streptomyces—unexpectedly increased bifidobacteria levels in the gut within 24 hours.
This finding surprised her, as one might assume an antiparasitic drug would wipe out bacteria, not boost beneficial strains.
Notably, streptomyces belongs to the same phylum as bifidobacteria, hinting at a possible connection.
During the pandemic, while conducting an FDA-monitored, placebo-controlled trial with hydroxychloroquine, Z-pack, vitamin C, D, and zinc, Dr. Hazan faced a crisis when a patient with chronic renal failure, diabetes, and severe comorbidities crashed, with oxygen levels dropping into the 60s and 70s.
Blinded to the trial, she shifted the patient to an open-label treatment, prescribing 36mg of ivermectin with doxycycline and zinc.
She instructed him to take it with fatty food—French fries—en route to the hospital, a bold move inspired by encouragement from Dr. Tom Borody, a pioneer in fecal transplants. Remarkably, upon arrival, the patient’s oxygen saturation had risen to 92%. Dr. Hazan documented this in real-time, sharing updates on Twitter (now X), including photos of the patient’s oximeter readings, ruling out claims of a fluke.
She credits ivermectin’s enhanced absorption with fat, a detail supported by early Merck studies but overlooked in later trials, like one by Dr. Boulware at the University of Minnesota, which administered it on an empty stomach.
Dr. Hazan tested ivermectin on herself, confirming the bifidobacteria boost, though she notes it doesn’t sustain long-term without repeated doses—a practice with unknown long-term effects.
Her sister, Dr. Liddy Hazan, had previously brought ivermectin to market for scabies and lice, proving its safety even in babies when patented. Yet, as a cheap generic, it faced resistance for COVID use.
Dr. Hazan published an abstract at ACG linking ivermectin to microbiome benefits, but its controversy and lack of profit potential have hindered broader acceptance. She calls for more research into this drug’s potential.
