Tim Friede is trying to build antibodies, he is risking his life

Oct 7, 2013 12:59 GMT  ·  By

A man from the United States has incurred 100 snake bites, all voluntary. Tim Friede feeds and cares for snakes which he then allows to bite into his flesh.

Tim Friede calls the process gaining "immunotherapy," and he has proven that it works in building the body's immunity to venom.

"What I do is called venom immunotherapy. I take diluted injections of venom protein over time to build up my immune system.

"What that does is build up good antibodies through time that bind to the venom and neutralize it so I don't die. This is the same way they make anti-venom in horses, I just cut the horse out of the picture. I've become the horse," Friede describes.

He has been bitten by a water cobra, and he has provided a photo to prove it, which you can see attached to this piece of news.

According to the Mirror, he also claims to have survived the bite of a black mamba, one of the most dangerous serpents in the world.

He explains that getting bitten and surviving is difficult even for him, as it requires a lot of mental strength.

"Letting yourself get bitten requires a very high level of mental pressure, albeit a necessary one to beat snakebite.

"Doing a pure venom injection is one thing, but a bite is a whole new level - and a necessary one," he notes.

If the venom doesn't kill him, anaphylaxis can. The allergic reaction to the poison can manifest itself by extreme swelling and clogging of his breathing path. He can choke to death in instants.

He believes that he can help researchers in creating anti-venoms, by forming anti-bodies.

"I hope through developing my own resistance to poison some solid groundwork can be laid to build a vaccine for the 125,000 people that die from snake bites every year," Friede adds.