Wheatgrass juice's therapeutic uses
Wheatgrass juice, derived from the young shoots of the wheat plant, is often promoted for its therapeutic benefits, which are primarily attributed to its rich nutrient profile, including amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Advocates claim that it may support general health improvement through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it has been suggested as a potential aid for conditions such as ulcerative colitis, detoxification, immune system support, and blood sugar control. Historically, wheatgrass gained popularity in the 1960s through the work of Ann Wigmore, who credited it with her recovery from ulcerative colitis.
Despite its supposed benefits, scientific evidence remains mixed. Some studies indicate that wheatgrass juice might improve ulcerative colitis symptoms, yet these studies often face limitations, such as small sample sizes and issues with blinding. Other proposed uses include alleviating plantar fasciitis, though evidence for this application is lacking. While some animal studies hint at possible cholesterol-lowering effects, more rigorous research is needed to substantiate these claims. Overall, while wheatgrass juice is generally considered safe, comprehensive safety assessments have not been conducted, particularly for vulnerable populations like pregnant or nursing women. As interest in natural health products grows, further investigation into the therapeutic potential of wheatgrass juice is warranted.
Wheatgrass juice's therapeutic uses
DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: General health improvement due to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, ulcerative colitis, detoxification, immune system support, blood sugar control, energy
OTHER PROPOSED USE: Plantar fasciitis
Overview
Grains such as wheat and barley are ordinarily consumed in their mature state once their seeds have fully matured. However, these plants' deep green, immature forms have been advocated for health promotion. Wheatgrass juice is one of these “green foods.” It was popularized in the 1960s by Ann Wigmore, who claimed that wheatgrass juice had cured her of ulcerative colitis; furthermore, when she gave it to her neighbors, their health improved, too. She went on to become a significant figure in the natural health movement.
Since the introduction of wheatgrass, a succession of “green drinks” have become popular for cleansing the body and improving overall health. Barley magma and blue-green algae both fall within this tradition.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical dosage of wheatgrass juice is 100 to 300 milliliters daily.
Therapeutic Uses
Wheatgrass juice is undoubtedly a nutritive food containing numerous amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, in addition to known human nutrients, wheatgrass also contains a number of other substances that proponents claim provide benefits.
For example, wheatgrass, like all leafy plant products, contains chlorophyll, the substance used by plants to create glucose from carbon dioxide and light energy. Chemically purified chlorophyll became a popular health food supplement in the 1960s, when it was promoted as a cure for many diseases. Chlorophyll’s central role in the metabolism of plants was somehow supposed to suggest benefits for people. However, animals do not have an obvious use for chlorophyll, just as plants have no use for hemoglobin (the vital substance in red blood cells). It is certainly possible that chlorophyll could, by chemical accident, offer benefit for animals, but there is no meaningful evidence to indicate that it actually does.
Wheatgrass also contains superoxide dismutase (SOD), a substance used by the body as part of its natural antioxidant defense system. SOD is very poorly absorbed by mouth, and it is unlikely that people who consume wheatgrass juice receive a meaningful quantity of this substance. Furthermore, the benefit of antioxidants per se has been cast in doubt by the failure of such supplements as vitamin E and beta-carotene to prove effective when tested in enormous double-blind studies.
Proponents of wheatgrass also point to a constituent called P4D1 as another source of benefit. However, while P4D1 has shown interesting properties in test-tube studies, there is no real evidence that it offers any benefit.
The only scientifically reliable way to determine whether a medical treatment truly offers medical benefits is to test it in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. Such studies have reported both benefits and a lack of benefits for wheatgrass.
One double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled twenty-four people with ulcerative colitis and examined the effects of wheatgrass juice taken at a dose of 100 cubic centimeters daily for one month. According to various measures of disease severity, participants given wheatgrass juice improved to a greater extent than those given a placebo. This study tests the initial use of wheatgrass popularized by Wigmore. However, the study suffers from two major limitations. One is that it was quite small, limiting the statistical validity of the results. The other is that wheatgrass juice is extremely bitter, and therefore it seems unlikely on the face of it that participants and doctors did not know who was getting the wheatgrass juice and who was getting the placebo. Indeed, when researchers polled the participants, a majority of those given wheatgrass juice were aware of it. Such “unblinding” substantially invalidates a study.
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the potential benefits of a topical wheatgrass cream for treating plantar fasciitis, a chronic painful condition of the feet. However, no greater benefit was seen in the treatment group than in the placebo group. One study conducted on animals reported wheatgrass may have the potential to lower bad cholesterol, but further research is necessary.
In promotional literature, wheatgrass juice is additionally advocated for numerous other conditions, including cancer, arthritis, allergies, fatigue, and diabetes. It has been touted as both a reliever of constipation and diarrhea. Wheatgrass may help the body detoxify by removing heavy metals. Some studies suggest wheatgrass may benefit diabetes management by helping to regulate blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. Finally, the nutrients and antioxidants in wheatgrass may boost energy. Additional scientific evidence is necessary to support these uses and expand the research on wheatgrass.
Safety Issues
Wheatgrass juice is believed to be safe. However, comprehensive safety studies have not been performed. Maximum safe doses in pregnant or nursing women, young children, and people with severe liver or kidney disease have not been reported.
Bibliography
Bar-Sela, Gil, et al. "The Medical Use of Wheatgrass: Review of the Gap Between Basic and Clinical Applications." Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 15, no. 12, 2015, pp. 1002-1010, doi:10.2174/138955751512150731112836.
Ben-Arye, E., et al. "Wheat Grass Juice in the Treatment of Active Distal Ulcerative Colitis." Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 37, 2002, pp. 444-449.
Chin, Kim. "Wheatgrass Benefits: 10 Reasons to Enjoy." Healthline, 31 May 2023, www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/wheatgrass-benefits#:~:text=It%20may%20help%20boost%20your,from%20the%20Triticum%20aestivum%20plant. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.
"Is Wheatgrass Worth the Hype? 7 Benefits." Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, 22 Feb. 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/is-wheatgrass-good-for-you. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.
Young, M. A., J. L. Cook, and K. E. Webster. "The Effect of Topical Wheat Grass Cream on Chronic Plantar Fasciitis." Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 14, 2006, pp. 3-9.