Wheatgrass - Health Claims

Health Claims

Proponents of wheatgrass make many claims for its health properties, ranging from promotion of general well-being to cancer prevention and heavy metal detoxification. These claims have not been satisfactorily substantiated in the scientific literature. There is some limited evidence of beneficial pharmacological effects from chlorophyll, though this does not necessarily apply to dietary chlorophyll.

There are a number of other small studies and pilots on the possible benefits of wheatgrass juice. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, there may be a need for further study of wheatgrass therapy for ulcerative collitis; they cite a small pilot study which showed regular wheatgrass juice therapy significantly reduced rectal bleeding and overall disease activity.

It has been claimed that wheatgrass helps blood flow, digestion and general detoxification of the body. These claims have not been reliably substantiated. However, in one pilot study of children with thalassemia (a hereditary form of anemia which often requires blood transfusions), of the patients who were given 100 ml of wheatgrass juice daily, half showed reduced need for transfusions. No adverse effects were observed. Another small study of transfusion-dependent patients suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome responded similarly to wheatgrass therapy; that is, the intervals between needed transfusions were increased. In addition, the chelation effect (removal of heavy metals from the blood) was studied for the same patients; the wheatgrass therapy showed a significant iron chelation effect.

In another pilot, which was not placebo controlled, breast cancer patients who drank wheatgrass juice daily showed a decreased need for blood- and bone marrow-building medications during chemotherapy, without diminishing the effects of the therapy.

The food has demonstrated in vitro cytotoxicity to HL-60 (Human promyelocytic leukemia cells).