Effectiveness of wheatgrass Best answer on the web

Are there any clinical studies of the effects of wheatgrass juice (or
powder)in the context of curing disease (of any sort)? If so, does it
help? Have any of the effects most commonly claimed - blood
cleansing, liver detoxification, etc., been measured quantitatively,
either in a formal study or informally?

thanks.

It would be great to know the references for the studies on chlorophyl, and if there are any studies specifically including wheatgrass. Thanks.
-pcello

There may be a million healers world wide. While fantastic claims are made, double blind studies are very rare. Likely a very small percentage, provide an important service with rare horriable side effects. Needless to say the increadibly rich pharmasuitical industry would like to see alternative medicine go away, and is using subtile methods to debunk alternative medicine. I have been blessed with good health for 60 years, so I have rarely used medicine or alternative medicine, so I can't give you a personel healing testimony. I suspect both are mostly bull, but I have neither proof nor evidence. I suggest you proceed cautiously with common sence, and without emotion. Often low cost treatments are more effective than costly ones. Avoid excessess of most everything. Think positive, even if that is not very logical, it occassionly produces amazing health improvements. Drink a half glass of water (occassionly fruit or vegetable juice) each hour instead of other beverages. Get daily exersize, enough sleep, stop worring, eat less animal products, less processed food, more fruit and vegetables. Avoid substance abuse, worry, alcohol, gambling, aspertain (artifical sweetner) caffeen, and most of the stuff in health food stores that has been processed. I am dependent on frequent enemas (water only) but I can't say they will help anyone else. I have not eaten significant amounts of grass, but I suspect it is harmless in small quantities, and a quart per day of juice extracted from grass won't hurt you, unless you try to drink it all the same hour. Neil

Cereal Grass for People -Fifty Years of Research
http://www.wheatgrass.com/book/chapter2.html

Chlorophyll and Blood Regeneration
http://www.wheatgrass.com/book/chapter3.html

Chlorophyll as Therapy
http://www.wheatgrass.com/book/chapter4.html

Green Foods for the Prevention of Diseases
http://www.wheatgrass.com/book/chapter7.html

THE UNIDENTIFIED VITAMINS OF GRASS AND ALFALFA
http://www.wheatgrass.com/introtowg/research/kohlerarticle.html

"Cereal Grass Nature's Greatest Health Gift" by Ronald Siebold
This breakthrough book brings together, for the first time, much of the cereal grass research published over the past 60 years into one well written, easy to read volume. There is a complete index and listing of over 150 scientific references. http://www.wheatgrass.com/introtowg/cgbook.html

Wheatgrass is a powerful cleanser and is very high in enzymes and chlorophyll. It contains up to 70% chlorophyll, which is an important body builder. - Scientific research has shown that Wheatgrass has ANTIBIOTIC properties. It has been proven that chlorophyll will arrest growth and development of unfriendly bacteria. It acts to produce an unfavorable environment for bacterial growth, rather than by any direct action upon the bacteria themselves. Rapp and Gurney at Loyola University established that water-soluble chlorophyll inhibits the action of proteolitic bacteria (which break down protein into simpler substances) and enzymes. Hence when taken internally, via mouth or rectum, it inhibits the putrefaction of proteins by some of bacteria that are commonly found in the digestive tract of meat-eaters. - Wheatgrass has been shown to balance red blood cells in anemic animals. Chlorophyll (wheatgrass) aids in the rebuilding the blood stream. Studies on various animals have shown chlorophyll to be free of any toxic reaction. The red cell count has returned to normal within 4 to 5 days of the administration of chlorophyll, even in those animals which were known to be extremely anemic or low in red blood cell count. - Dr. F. Howard Westcott reported that when chlorophyll is taken internally in adequate quantity, it reduces or eliminates offensive body and breath odors. His studies showed it's effective in neutralizing obnoxious odors in the mouth from food, beverages, tobacco, and metabolic changes (halitosis). It effectively neutralized obnoxious odors from perspiration due to physical exercise, nervousness, menstrual odors, etc. - The bland soothing effect of chlorophyll (wheatgrass) ointments are very beneficial to the treatment of various skin diseases involving the outer and underlying layers of the skin, including: itching and burning of the rectum, ivy poisoning, weeping and dry exzema, and even in conditions caused by insect bites or infection. - For first and second degree burns, the use of chlorophyll has been established as an outstanding aid. Sunburn can also be alleviated by the use of chlorophyll ointment at the time of exposure. This can reduce discomfort, and possibly infection, to a minimum. Applied after severe sunburn, it has the same gratifying results as on regular burns. The same can be said of X-ray burns. Chlorophyll can also reduce or eliminate foul odor associated with burns. - Dr. Theodore M. Rudolph says that daily use of chlorophyll is the most beneficial, at least to a certain degree, and in combination with other accepted methods of treatment in hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), high blood pressure (hypertension), and even arthritis. It seems that the ability of chlorophyll to combine with oxygen and its cleansing ability contributes much to the removal of foreign matter from the walls of the blood vessels thus bringing the desired relief. - Doctors R. Redpath and J. C. Davis found chlorophyll packs inserted into the sinuses had a drying effect, clearing up congestion, and gave immediate relief. Congested head colds were cleared up within 24 hours. Sources:
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/wheatgrassbenefits.html
http://www.perfecthealthnow.com/herbs.html
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The National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), a private nonprofit, voluntary health agency that focuses upon health misinformation, fraud, and quackery as public health problems, takes about "Ann Wigmore" (1909-94) who first conceived that serious disease sufferers could benefit from Wheatgrass. Wigmore believed in astrology, and described herself (a Pisces) as a dreamer who saw life from the spiritual viewpoint to the neglect of the physical. Wigmore's theory on the healing power of grasses was predicated upon the Biblical story of Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar who spent seven years, insane, living like a wild animal eating the grass of the fields. Because he recovered, Wigmore theorized that the grasses had cured his insanity*. The common observation that dogs and cats nibble on grass, presumably when they feel ill, also strengthened Wigmore's belief in the healing power of grasses.
Wigmore theorized that rotting food in the intestine forms toxins that circulate in the bloodstream (aka, the intestinal toxicity theory) and cause cancer. She taught that the life span of the wheatgrass juice was less than three hours so it had to be cut from growing plants, juiced and consumed fresh. She speculated that the enzymes found in raw wheatgrass were alive** and could "detoxify" the body by oral ingestion and by enemas.
It was the chlorophyll in wheatgrass that enthused Wigmore. She called chlorophyll "the life blood of the planet." Wigmore believed that cooking foods "killed" them because this deactivates enzymes. She held that the moment the "sacred" 7.4 acid-alkaline balance (the same as human blood**) is "killed" that its effectiveness would be reduced. The fact that grass-eating animals are not spared from cancer, despite their large intake of fresh chlorophyll, seems to have been lost on Wigmore. In fact, chlorophyll cannot "detoxify the body" since it is not absorbed. Although it is conceivable that enzymes present in rectally-administered wheatgrass juice could have chemical activity, there is no evidence that this is beneficial. In fact, when challenged legally, Wigmore backed away from healing claims stating that she merely had an "educational program" to teach people how to "cleanse" their bodies and make vegetable juices (she also offered for sale a variety of juicers and other "health" paraphernalia).
In 1988, the Massachusetts Attorney General sued Wigmore for claiming that her "energy enzyme soup" could cure AIDS. Suffolk County Judge Robert A. Mulligan ruled that Wigmore's views on how to combat AIDS were protected by the First Amendment, but ordered her to stop representing herself as a physician or as a person licensed in any way to treat disease. This was not the first time Wigmore had run afoul of the law. In 1982 the Attorney General of Massachusetts sued Wigmore for claiming that her program could reduce or eliminate the need for insulin in diabetics, and could obviate the need for routine immunization in children. She abandoned those claims after losing in court.
Wigmore wrote at least 15 books, established the Hippocrates Health Institute (c.1963) which later was renamed the Ann Wigmore Institute (AWI). Wigmore claimed to have a Doctor of Divinity (DD) from the College of Divine Metaphysics in Indianapolis. She also listed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and a Doctor of Naturopathy (ND) degree at different times. None of her credentials appear to have been from accredited schools. Among other things, Wigmore also promoted "natural hygiene," spiritual healing, zone therapy, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, color therapy, and spot therapy. A number of "Living Foods" groups around the world espouse Wigmore's teachings.
*The Bible says that a prescribed seven years of insanity was visited upon the King as Divine punishment for his arrogance. (Dan 4:31-7). **For information on exaggerations about the similarities between hemoglobin and chlorophyll see "Amazing claims for chlorophyll' (Lowell) Nutrition Forum, 7/87. Source:
http://www.hcrc.org/ncahf/newslett/nl17-5.html#therapy
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"Wheat Grass, Natures Finest Medicine", Authored by Steve Meyerowitz (known as "The Sproutman") is the first new book on the benefits of Wheat Grass to come along in a long time. This book contains everything you need to know about wheat grass. Including why it works, where to get it & where to go for help. How to grow it, juice it, take it. Includes nutrition research, healing retreats, detoxification, history, chlorophyll, cancer, and real stories by real people. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0895292343/

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