People’s Pharmacy | Meat tenderizer rescued toddler from fire ants
Q. Years ago when my younger sister was two, she stepped on a fire ant mound. My mother rushed her to the hospital. The doctor there told my mother to get meat tenderizer and make a paste and cover her stings. It was among the best advice I have ever heard a doctor give.
A. We’re so glad this remedy worked well. We have been writing about this approach to treat stings for over 50 years. That’s because we found this idea in the pages of JAMA, April 24, 1972.
Some meat tenderizers contain papaya extract (papain). This enzyme appears to break down the proteins that are injected when an insect such as a bee, wasp or fire ant stings someone.
We recently heard from a first responder: “Make sure the meat tenderizer is not the seasoned type. We carried this in our drug boxes (Fire-Rescue) for man-o-war stings at the beach. Works great!”
Q. My former endocrinologist had me taking a high dose of Synthroid because lower doses were not making a difference. Then I experienced what felt like a heart attack. I immediately saw my primary care doctor who ran lab work showing toxicity from the high dose of thyroid hormone.
She referred me to a cardiologist, and I stopped the medication for a week. When the cardiac workup turned out normal, I fired my endocrinologist.
My primary care doctor has been treating my Hashimoto hypothyroidism with desiccated thyroid medication. I have been feeling great ever since, and it has been many years.
I will never go back to synthetic thyroid hormone even if the FDA decides to pull it from the market, but I am worried that they are planning to do so.
A. The FDA has indeed pointed out that desiccated thyroid products derived from animal thyroid glands are not approved by the agency. The manufacturers of such products will have to seek FDA approval to ensure that they are safe and effective enough for clinical use.
Initially the agency had planned to remove all unapproved products from the market this summer. That would have left more than 1.5 million patients who rely on desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) without their customary medication. Recently, the deadline has been extended while manufacturers pursue approval for their DTE products.
You can learn more about both synthetic and natural thyroid treatments in our eGuide to Thyroid Hormones. This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. Some time ago, I mentioned to a friend that I was bothered with joint pain. He admitted that he’d had some joint pain too. His doctor recommended that he try a glucosamine tablet after every meal. It helped him, and so far I am getting relief also. Why haven’t you written more about it?
A. At one time, we received many testimonials like yours and wrote about glucosamine more frequently. In recent years, though, interest in this dietary supplement has seemingly waned.
There is, however, a fair amount of research suggesting that some people do get relief. A review in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (Nov. 13, 2025) found that “Supplements like curcumin, glucosamine, and Boswellia showed modest benefits with favorable safety.”
Some scientists characterize glucosamine as a slow-acting anti-inflammatory agent. It can take months to begin to see results (ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, Nov. 18, 2025).
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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them (Crown)
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 1:00 AM with the headline "People’s Pharmacy | Meat tenderizer rescued toddler from fire ants."