In the segment on Chlorophyll on The Checkout on ABC1, Thursday 6th
March, The Checkout directed the audience to the website for The Checkout
to see a statement from Pharmacare, the makers of Bioglan, regarding
Chlorophyll and a response from The Checkout to that statement.
The statement and the response follow.
PHARMACARE’S STATEMENT TO THE CHECKOUT
From: Lisa Owen
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 9:40:02 AM
To: Kirsten Drysdale
Subject: Chlorophyll
Auto forwarded by a Rule
Good Morning Kirsten
As requested please find below some information on Chlorophyll including two
references, should you require any additional information please just let me
know.
CHLOROPHYLL
Chlorophyll is alkalising and promotes detoxification in the body by increasing
the activity of phase II enzyme quinone reductase. Phase II detoxification
enzymes promote the elimination of potentially harmful toxins from the body.
Chlorophyll has also been shown to have internal deodorizing effects, by
cleansing the faeces and bowel. By promoting detoxification, alkalising and
cleansing the bowel, Chlorophyll helps to cleanse and balance the body.
Chlorophyll stimulates haemoglobin and red blood cell production, to improve
oxygen circulation in the body. Detoxification and improved oxygen
transportation can help to improve general health and vitality
Mason, P. 2012, Dietary Supplements, 4th Ed. Pharmaceutical Press
http://www.pharmpress.com/product/9780853698838/dietary-supplements
Murray & Pizzorno, 2005. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Atria books
http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Healing-Foods-MichaelMurray/dp/074348052X
Kindest regards
Lisa
Lisa Owen
Manager, PR & Media Relations
THE CHECKOUT’S RESPONSE TO PHARMACARE’S STATEMENT
1. Phase II detoxification enzymes promote the elimination of potentially
harmful toxins from the body.
This is true. It says nothing about Bioglan's chlorophyll product, but is simply a
statement about biochemistry.
2. Chlorophyll promotes detoxification in the body by increasing the
activity of phase II enzyme quinone reductase.
There is no convincing evidence for this. What *has* been demonstrated is
that if you take some cells in a culture dish, and you put chlorophyll on them,
phase II enzymes are produced by the cells. That does not mean an oral dose
of chlorophyll has the same effect. Getting chlorophyll across the gut lining
into the bloodstream or liver (which would be essential for the claimed activity)
is an issue. But even if orally administered chrolophyll does get into
bloodstream of humans, that does not mean it “promotes detoxification”.
Conclusion: this is a semi-true statement about chlorophyll increasing enzyme
activity (true in cells) combined with an unproven one about humans (the first
half of the sentence).
3. Chlorophyll is alkalising.
Eating chlorophyll (or any other food for that matter) is very unlikely to
measurably change the pH (level of acidity) in your body.
4. Chlorophyll has also been shown to have internal deodorizing effects,
by cleansing the faeces and bowel.
This study concludes
otherwise: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2675439
"The effect of chlorophyll did not differ from that of a placebo."
5. By promoting detoxification, alkalising and cleansing the bowel,
Chlorophyll helps to cleanse and balance the body.
This is no convincing proof of this (see above). There is no evidence that
chlorophyll helps “cleanse and balance the body”. The statement itself is
unhelpfully vague: what does “balance your body” actually even mean?
6. Chlorophyll stimulates haemoglobin and red blood cell production, to
improve oxygen circulation in the body.
A paper in 1933 (in a relatively obscure journal) showed that if you gave rats a
(very crude) chlorophyll extract, red blood cell production was increased. As
far as we are aware, there haven't been any human trials or other relevant
follow-up work.
7. Detoxification and improved oxygen transportation can help to
improve general health and vitality
This is a vague statement that doesn't really say anything about chlorophyll.