Small clinical studies have linked wheatgrass juice to reduced ulcerative colitis symptoms and changes in inflammatory markers, but researchers say the evidence remains preliminary and is insufficient to establish the product as a treatment for any medical condition.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Wheatgrass juice has been promoted for decades as a concentrated source of plant nutrients, but the strongest available clinical evidence remains limited to a small number of studies examining conditions such as ulcerative colitis, cancer-treatment side effects and inflammation.
Researchers have reported potentially beneficial effects in some of those settings, but the studies have generally involved small groups of participants and have not been replicated on the scale needed to establish wheatgrass juice as an effective medical treatment.
Wheatgrass is produced from the young shoots of the wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, and contains chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and various plant compounds.
It is commonly consumed as fresh juice or processed into powder and other supplement forms.
Although wheatgrass has a long history of traditional use, including reports tracing its use to ancient Egypt, modern research into its therapeutic effects remains comparatively sparse.
Among the most notable findings is a small randomized clinical trial involving people with active distal ulcerative colitis.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause inflammation and sores in the intestinal tract, along with symptoms such as abdominal pain and rectal bleeding.
In the trial, participants who consumed wheatgrass juice daily experienced reductions in disease activity and rectal bleeding.
The study included only 23 participants, however, and its findings have not been confirmed in larger clinical trials.
A 2019 report discussing the research emphasized that ulcerative colitis “remains without a cure” and that effective management depends on appropriate and timely medical treatment.
The limited size of the wheatgrass trial means its results are best viewed as preliminary rather than evidence that wheatgrass juice can replace standard ulcerative colitis therapy.
Separate research has examined whether wheatgrass may influence inflammatory pathways.
A controlled study involving 100 colorectal cancer patients evaluated the effects of consuming 60 milliliters of wheatgrass juice per day.
Researchers reported that wheatgrass consumption was associated with increased levels of IL-10, a cytokine involved in anti-inflammatory immune responses.
That finding provides a possible biological mechanism through which wheatgrass could influence inflammation.
The researchers did not, however, establish that wheatgrass produces a broad systemic anti-inflammatory effect in healthy people or in the general population.
Another small study examined wheatgrass juice in 60 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Researchers reported reduced myelotoxicity among participants consuming wheatgrass.
Myelotoxicity refers to damage to the bone marrow that can reduce the body’s production of blood cells and is a recognized complication of some chemotherapy treatments.
The finding has attracted interest because it suggests wheatgrass could potentially play a supportive role in certain medical settings.
It does not establish that wheatgrass boosts immune function in healthy people, and available evidence is insufficient to generalize the chemotherapy findings beyond the specific population that was studied.
Claims that wheatgrass increases energy are supported even less clearly.
Some earlier research has explored whether wheatgrass might influence hemoglobin levels among people with anemia.
That does not demonstrate that the juice acts as a stimulant or reduces fatigue in people without anemia, and clinical evidence supporting such claims in healthy adults has not been established.
Evidence surrounding wheatgrass and blood sugar is similarly uncertain.
Much of the research cited in discussions of wheat and metabolic health involves whole wheat grains rather than juice made from young wheatgrass.
That distinction is important because the two foods have substantially different nutritional compositions.
Whole grains contain significant amounts of fiber, which can slow digestion and glucose absorption.
Juicing wheatgrass removes most of its fiber.
Reports comparing wheatgrass forms have estimated that powder can contain approximately 30 grams of fiber per 100 grams, compared with roughly 0.1 gram in an equivalent amount of juice.
For people consuming wheatgrass specifically to support bowel regularity or gastrointestinal motility, that difference is significant.
Wheatgrass juice does not provide the same bulk and fiber content as whole-plant or powdered products.
The fiber difference also complicates claims that wheatgrass juice improves glucose control because many metabolic benefits associated with whole grains are linked to their intact fiber matrix.
More direct research would be needed to determine whether wheatgrass juice itself has a meaningful effect on blood sugar regulation.
The composition of wheatgrass can also vary substantially from one product to another.
A 2023 review reported that nutrient and chemical profiles can differ based on wheat variety, soil and growing conditions, harvesting practices and processing techniques.
Fresh juice, freeze-dried powder and tinctures therefore cannot necessarily be treated as equivalent products.
Those differences also make it difficult for researchers to compare doses across studies or establish a standardized amount associated with a particular health effect.
Product quality presents another consideration.
Wheatgrass is typically grown under moist conditions that can encourage mold growth if cultivation and storage are poorly controlled.
Improper handling can also increase the potential for contamination with unwanted microorganisms.
Reports have therefore emphasized careful sourcing and handling, particularly for wheatgrass consumed raw.
A 2019 report also cited independent testing that found measurable glyphosate contamination in some samples marketed as certified organic.
Such findings do not establish that all organic wheatgrass contains glyphosate, but they illustrate why third-party testing and product quality controls may matter for consumers choosing concentrated supplements or juices.
Nausea is among the more frequently reported adverse effects associated with wheatgrass consumption.
Manufacturers commonly recommend beginning with relatively small servings, often approximately 1 to 2 ounces, or 30 to 60 milliliters, and diluting the juice with water or another beverage.
The broader scientific picture remains mixed.
Wheatgrass contains a variety of nutrients and plant compounds, and preliminary human research has identified potentially meaningful effects in a handful of specific settings.
The ulcerative colitis study is among the most clinically interesting because it reported reductions in measurable disease activity and rectal bleeding.
The colorectal cancer research offers a possible anti-inflammatory mechanism through changes in IL-10, while the breast cancer study suggests a potential supportive role in reducing chemotherapy-related myelotoxicity.
None of those findings, however, is sufficient to establish wheatgrass juice as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, metabolic disorders or immune dysfunction.
The studies remain relatively small, and larger randomized controlled trials would be necessary to determine whether the reported effects can be reproduced and whether they are clinically meaningful.
For consumers, the distinction between promising preliminary evidence and established treatment is particularly important.
Wheatgrass juice may be consumed as part of a broader diet, but current research does not support replacing prescribed medication or established medical care with the product.
Its low fiber content compared with powder, variability between products, potential contamination risks and possibility of nausea should also be considered alongside its nutritional content.
Further research will be needed to determine which compounds in wheatgrass are responsible for the effects observed in early studies, whether those effects can be reliably reproduced and what doses and formulations, if any, provide measurable clinical benefit.
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