Podcast star Joe Rogan says he was treated with controversial drug ivermectin after testing positive for Covid

Joe Rogan, the popular podcast host, has tested positive for Covid-19 and has found himself in the middle of controversy once more after revealing his treatment.

The comedian said he fell ill after performing a stand-up set in Florida - a Covid hotspot - and felt “very weary” and “run down”.

Rogan then updated his 13.1 million Instagram followers, adding that he had quarantined himself from his family and tested positive for Covid.

“So we immediately threw the kitchen sink at it,” Rogan explained, saying he used “all kinds of meds,” including monoclonal antibodies and the steroid prednisone.

Rogan also said he was treated with a “vitamin drip” and ivermectin, which is primarily a veterinary de-worming agent and has not been approved for use against Covid by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to the FDA, if someone overdoses on ivermectin, the side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, low blood pressure, allergic reactions, seizures, coma and “even death”.

The government organization even has a dedicated page on their website detailing the reasons why people should not use ivermectin to treat Covid.

It says: “FDA has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing Covid-19 in humans.

“Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Ivermectin is not an anti-viral (a drug for treating viruses).

“Taking large doses of this drug is dangerous and can cause serious harm.”

The drug has become popular among Covid sceptics in the US. But health experts have warned against self-treating with the medication.

The 54-year-old is not one to shy away from controversy after he previously suggested the young and healthy should not get vaccinated.

It remains unclear if Rogan himself is vaccinated, but due to the outrage over his vaccine comments, he later clarified: “I’m not an anti-vax person.”

On an episode of his podcast in June, he interviewed Dr Pierre Kory, who testified to US senators in December about ivermectin and called it a “miracle drug”.

The comic had been travelling with his show Joe Rogan: The Sacred Clown Tour and was scheduled to perform alongside fellow comedian Dave Chappelle in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, but said that was postponed to October.

Rogan is one of the world’s most popular and best-known podcasters. His The Joe Rogan Experience was acquired by Spotify in 2020, reportedly for more than 100 million dollars (£77m).