Chlorophyll is said to promote detoxification, act as an antioxidant and have many other positive effects. What is the truth behind this? In this article, you will learn what chlorophyll is exactly and how it can help you.
What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives plants their green color. It is essential for photosynthesis, which produces starch and oxygen from carbon dioxide (CO2) and UV light.
The term chlorophyll comes from the Greek: “chloros” means green and “phyllon” means leaf. So green leaf.
Chlorophyll is said to be one of the reasons why green vegetables are so healthy.
What does chlorophyll do?
The following effects of chlorophyll are currently being scientifically investigated:
Protection against mold toxins
Chlorophyll can bind aflatoxins and thus presumably inhibit their absorption. Aflatoxins are mold toxins that are suspected of causing liver cancer. In one study, taking chlorophyll seemed to reduce aflatoxin exposure by 55%. [1]
Chlorophyll and the skin
Chlorophyll is said to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying effects. These properties could have a positive effect on the skin.
In one study, chlorophyll appeared to improve acne and reduce large pores on the face. [2]
Another study suggests that chlorophyll may counteract skin aging caused by UV light. [3]
Chlorophyll for bad body odor
Chlorophyll has long been used to combat bad breath and other unpleasant body odors. It is therefore also known as “deodorant from within.”
In a study of older people, chlorophyll appeared to regulate digestion while improving stool odor. [4]
Chlorophyll for detoxification
Chlorophyll appears to be able to bind not only aflatoxins, but also heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, and heterocyclic aromatic amines. It is assumed that chlorophyll can therefore reduce the harmfulness of these substances.
Chlorophyll for blood formation
Chlorophyll is very similar to the red blood pigment heme. The difference between chlorophyll and heme is that chlorophyll contains magnesium instead of iron.
Studies suggest that chlorophyll may have a positive effect on ferritin levels in cases of anemia. [5] Ferritin is the iron storage value. This is somewhat surprising since chlorophyll does not contain iron.
Conversely, it is often difficult to increase ferritin levels with iron supplements. The solution to the puzzle probably lies in the fact that the body needs more than just iron to form hemoglobin - and that is exactly what chlorophyll provides.
Risks and side effects of chlorophyll
Taking chlorophyll appears to increase photosensitivity in some people. Therefore, it is important to be particularly careful about sun protection when taking chlorophyll.
When first taken, chlorophyll can also cause digestive problems such as nausea and diarrhea.
Chlorophyll can also discolor stool and urine, although this is harmless.
Buying chlorophyll: What you should pay attention to
When it comes to chlorophyll, you should definitely pay attention to quality. The absence of unnecessary additives and production in a German laboratory are important quality features.
You should also make sure that the chlorophyll contains natural chlorophyllin (the extracted form of chlorophyll) and not synthetic chlorophyllin with copper instead of magnesium.
The chlorophyll drops from Viktilabs contain natural chlorophyllin from alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) - a crop from Asia that belongs to the legume family. They are free from binding agents, separating agents, sweeteners, colorants and other unnecessary additives. The chlorophyll drops are developed in Germany.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11724948/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6011872/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25844615/
[4] https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1980.tb00124.x
[5] https://www.phcogj.com/sites/default/files/10.5530pj.2016.4.10.pdf
