As dietary supplements rise in popularity, it is important to investigate the merit of these so-called natural wonder drugs. Are these novel compounds actually effective dietary additions or are they company ploys to exploit consumers? One notable supplement, chlorophyll, has attracted the health community’s attention due to its advertised health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity effects; however, does chlorophyll actually work?
Chlorophyll supplements are sold over the counter in pill, powder, and liquid forms. Liquid chloroform is the most popular and can be easily recognized by its dark green appearance. As these chlorophyll products are supplements rather than drugs, they are not regulated by the FDA. Consumers should pay attention to the ingredients in any supplements they choose to take and speak to a healthcare provider before using them.
Chlorophyll supplements can come in a variety of different forms.
Image Source: Aniko Hobel
A limited amount of research has been conducted examining the effectiveness of chlorophyll: A 2019 study on the effects of the addition of chlorophyll to mice’s diets found that the supplement decreased high-fat obesity rates in mice. The scientists hypothesized that the added chlorophyll supplement aided the mice’s gut microbiota—the diverse, commensal community of bacteria and other microbes that live inside one’s gut— in repair by encouraging the growth of helpful bacteria and thus decreasing the room available for harmful bacteria to multiply and infect individuals.
Additional studies have found links between the gut microbiota and human glucose metabolism, suggesting one’s diet can disrupt the balance of one’s gut microbiota, which leads to metabolic changes and higher chances of developing obesity. Therefore, chlorophyll supplements may aid the gut microbiota and likewise decrease obesity rates, but more research needs to be done before these claims can be solidified.
Another 2019 study found that diets high in chlorophyll may decrease an individual’s risk of developing red meat-induced colonic DNA damage and colon cancer. Rather than take supplements in a pill form, the participants increased their weekly intake of leafy green vegetables, as they are naturally high in chlorophyll. The methods of this study raised two questions: Was chlorophyll really the ingredient causing these changes, and are pill supplements really necessary if individuals can equally benefit by eating more leafy green vegetables? Other active components, such as folate and fiber, are present in leafy green vegetables and may be partially or entirely responsible for the changes seen in these patients. More studies must be conducted in which chlorophyll alone is tested to determine its true effectiveness at decreasing cancer rates.
Ultimately, it seems that the supplement industry is expanding at a rate that does not match that of the research being conducted to determine the effectiveness of its products. This means the overall effect of dietary additions like chlorophyll remains unclear. Moreover, diets high in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach—which naturally have high levels of chlorophyll—may prove to give consumers the same benefits as chlorophyll supplements at a much-reduced cost; however, if leafy green vegetables are inaccessible to individuals in their respective environments, chlorophyll supplements could prove a useful tool to increase one’s intake of essential compounds for one’s gut microbiota.
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