Chlorophyll has been used as a dietary supplement for over half a century. However, its popularity has surged recently, transcending the realm of sports nutrition to become a trendy superfood. Restaurant menus are now featuring dishes infused with chlorophyll, pharmacies are offering pharmaceutical products containing it, and cosmetics and fragrance manufacturers are exploring this innovative ingredient to carve out new niches in the crowded skincare market. So, what role does chlorophyll play, and is it truly necessary for humans?
What Chlorophyll Does
We’ve learned in school that this green pigment is responsible for the color of plants and plays a crucial role in photosynthesis—a vital chemical process that converts inorganic substances into organic ones using light. The energy stored in these organic compounds from sunlight is utilized by plants for their own life processes: nutrient transport, growth, and reproduction. In human use, chlorophyll is valued for its molecular similarity to the structure of hemoglobin, the essential component of blood that transports oxygen to tissues and removes carbon dioxide.
Experts are divided on whether to acknowledge or dismiss the biological power of chlorophyll. While manufacturers of related dietary supplements credit the green pigment with oxygenating the blood, stimulating blood production, increasing hemoglobin levels, activating nitrogen metabolism, and detoxifying cells, nutritionists highlight the high fiber content in this phytochemical, which is beneficial for the immune system, digestion, bones, teeth, and nails. Dietitians remind us that there’s no need to seek chlorophyll in pills or capsules; all green fruits and leafy vegetables can serve as sources.
Where to Find Chlorophyll
We consume chlorophyll in green apples, kiwis, grapes, dill, parsley, asparagus, lettuce, and celery. Foods rich in chlorophyll include leafy greens, herbs, green cabbage varieties, spinach, beans, and peas. The highest concentrations of chlorophyll can be found in algae like chlorella and spirulina, barley and wheat grass, cilantro, and alfalfa, as well as spinach and broccoli. However, it’s impractical for a person to eat enough of these foods daily to obtain the health benefits associated with chlorophyll. Moreover, the chlorophyll content in these foods decreases by 15–50% during cooking, freezing, and even prolonged storage. For instance, frozen spinach loses a third of its initial chlorophyll content, while cooked spinach can lose half.
Therefore, it makes sense to consume chlorophyll in the form of a dietary supplement, with the water-soluble active ingredient derived from alfalfa. While chlorophyll is a natural fat-soluble pigment, the supplement known as chlorophyllin is a semi-synthetic mixture of water-soluble copper and sodium salts derived from chlorophyll. During the extraction process, the magnesium ion at the core of the chlorophyll molecule is replaced with sodium-copper chlorophyllin or tri-sodium-copper chlorophyllin, resulting in a substance that is more stable and easier to absorb compared to natural chlorophyll.
Benefits and Risks of Chlorophyll
Sodium and copper chlorophyllin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Retaining all the beneficial trace elements of alfalfa, including magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, cryptoxanthin, betaine, fatty acids, carotene, and vitamins A, E, K, and B groups, the extract helps prevent the absorption of harmful chemicals that increase the risk of cancer. However, before taking chlorophyll, it’s important to understand that while it protects the body from carcinogens, the sodium-copper chlorophyllin salt, marketed as an anti-cancer agent, may itself become a carcinogen if consumed in high doses, according to some studies.
The maximum duration for taking chlorophyll is not specified in supplement instructions, but medical recommendations suggest a 12-week break after a three-month course. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under 14, need a doctor’s approval before taking chlorophyll supplements. It’s also advisable not to take chlorophyll simultaneously with photosensitizing medications, as this combination can lead to allergic reactions and sunburns. Side effects from chlorophyll can occur with prolonged overdosing, resulting in diarrhea, changes in tongue color (to yellow, green, or black), and darkened stools. If stool turns black, the supplement should be discontinued for three days, and a test for hidden blood should be conducted.
Why Drink Chlorophyll?
For most people, chlorophyllin poses no danger, as it is not a toxic compound. The green pigment helps eliminate or reduce unpleasant odors associated with certain conditions, such as feces, urine, sweat, menstrual discharge, and breath. Chlorophyll normalizes gastrointestinal function: it blocks fermentation and putrefaction processes, enhances enzyme production in the pancreas, reduces inflammation, and protects the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, supporting healthy microflora. It also helps prevent the development of colon, liver, and pancreatic cancers, positively affecting liver and kidney function, alleviating hangover symptoms, and binding and eliminating toxins and allergens.
Thanks to its antibacterial effects, chlorophyll accelerates tissue healing, stimulates collagen synthesis, and improves skin condition. It has been proven that the green pigment blocks the absorption of carcinogenic hydrocarbons from tobacco smoke, slows oxidative damage caused by chemical carcinogens, free radicals, and radioactive or radiation exposure. Chlorophyll activates red blood cell synthesis, reduces bad cholesterol levels, and lowers blood pH, improving its composition. Additionally, it stimulates phagocytosis, enhancing resistance to viral infections.
Weight Loss and Sports
In physical activities, the benefits of chlorophyll lie in improving tissue respiration, which enhances performance, boosts endurance, and accelerates recovery after workouts. By tightly binding to uric acid molecules, chlorophyllin helps eliminate them from the body, mitigating the effects of muscle soreness. Muscles recover quickly from micro-injuries sustained during exercise, thanks to components of chlorophyllin such as leucine, isoleucine, lysine, threonine, and valine (these are natural proteins or amino acids). The normalization of pH balance by chlorophyll and the stimulation of collagen production contribute to strengthening tendons and improving the condition of joint cartilage.
Moreover, regular intake of chlorophyll eliminates body odor and reduces sweating during physical exertion. Specific recommendations are provided for taking chlorophyll in bodybuilding. Consuming the supplement a week before competitions helps achieve an even application of skin makeup. Practically, drinking liquid chlorophyll at least once a day aids bodybuilders in more effectively losing weight during the cutting phase (a period when an individual reduces body fat percentage while striving to maintain muscle mass and strength) and is beneficial for anyone following a training or weight loss diet.
How to Take Chlorophyll
Unless otherwise prescribed by a doctor or trainer, chlorophyll in gel capsules (60 mg) should be taken, according to the recommendations of Oregon State University, 15-20 minutes before meals in the following amounts: for health benefits – 1 capsule in the morning; for weight loss during cutting – 2-3 capsules in the morning and afternoon; for “deodorizing” sweat and reducing perspiration – 2 capsules three times a day; for enhancing performance, collagen synthesis, liver protection, and cancer prevention – 5 capsules three times a day; for preventing iron deficiency during heavy menstrual bleeding, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause – 1 capsule three times a day.
Due to its effective stimulation of blood production, women are advised to start taking the chlorophyll supplement before menstruation begins and continue until it ends. The course of the supplement can alleviate symptoms of PMS and menopause, thanks to the quercetin and isoflavones contained in chlorophyll. Additionally, a supplement called “chlorella,” which contains chlorophyllin, minerals, and vitamins, also includes iodine and pepsin, which are components of the namesake microalgae. Iodine is essential for the thyroid gland, while pepsin enhances the healing effects of chlorophyll on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and the intestinal microbiome.
Commercial Justification
Well-known perfume brands incorporate chlorophyll into aromatic liquids, deodorants, creams, and cleansing products. However, this ingredient is not exactly a “new word” in the production of hygiene products and fragrances. It could have been considered an innovative element as far back as the last century. The pioneer of liquid soap, perfumes, colognes, and toilet waters with chlorophyll lived during the time of Coco Chanel: the Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli was the first to add chlorophyll-based skin-regenerating products to washing water.
The rationale for using chlorophyll in cosmetic products is based on reducing acidity. Normal collagen production in our skin is believed to be hindered by blood oxidation (which can be caused by stress, physical exertion, inflammatory processes, poor nutrition, smoking, and alcohol consumption). What chlorophyll is responsible for is the elasticity of soft tissues: a specific protein in its composition contributes to their elasticity. Thus, marketers concluded that the green pigment works to improve skin health.
Arguments Against
On jars and tubes of cream, consumers are told that chlorophyll improves skin condition, eliminates acne, tightens pores, and prevents aging. However, scientists have a valid point regarding this: it is not chlorophyll that fights acne, but chlorophyllin, and this occurs due to the copper in its composition. In other words, according to scientists, it is the metal known for its antibacterial properties that improves skin quality. “The antioxidant power of chlorophyll, rich in vitamins A, E, C, and K, does indeed combat free radicals that damage the skin, but liquid chlorophyll can only address inflammatory breakouts, not deep cystic acne,” clarifies Dr. Purvisha Patel, a certified dermatologist from Texas and founder of the American brand Visha Skincare.
Even more radical is the assessment of chlorophyll’s significance by Dr. Tiina Orasmäe-Meder, founder of the Swiss brand Meder Beauty Science, who refers to homeostasis (the maintenance of a stable acid-base balance in biological fluids by living organisms). The renowned expert on cosmetic safety notes that “nature will not allow blood to become acidic, so there is no point in consuming chlorophyll.” Beauty blogger Michelle Wong, a proponent of a scientific approach to beauty, reminds us of the differences between human and plant organisms. “Why drink chlorophyll if it’s not involved in our body’s process of photosynthesis?” she questions, labeling the purchase of trendy products as “wasting money on expensive urine.”