Opinion: Is chlorophyll water really effective?

Throughout social media, you may have encountered numerous people adding chlorophyll drops to their water. Such drops of the green liquid are “known” to have benefits such as aiding weight loss, clearing skin and eliminating body odor.

However, can we trust what we see in the media?

There are conflicting opinions among the doctors of TikTok; drdrayzday, a dermatologist in TikTok, expresses her concerns about the risks of taking chlorophyllin. She includes that it may cause pseudoporphyria, suggesting people add more greens to their diet, rather than carrying on with the trend.

On the other hand, myriad TikTok creators have been posting their before and after results of consuming chlorophyll added water, convincing the public that it is effective. Influenced by the positive outcomes of taking chlorophyll, I myself visited my local Sprouts to check them out.

However, an employee informed me that they were, unfortunately, all sold out for the first time.    

Before going further in, chlorophyll is a green pigment responsible for the green color in plants and algae. For plants, it aids in the absorption of light energy — the process of photosynthesis. Also, Chlorophyllin is a natural “mixture of water-soluble sodium copper salts derived from chlorophyll” — thus the actual substance used in the “chlorophyll drops.”

For humans, chlorophyllin’s most known benefit is skin healing and improvement as well as neutralizing body odor, according to Healthline.

Research published in the National Library of Medicine in 2015 found that a formula including chlorophyllin for their 10 test subjects was shown to be “clinically effective and well-tolerated for the treatment of mild-moderate acne and large, visible pores when used for 3 weeks.”

Moreover, a study conducted on seven Japanese individuals suffering Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) a metabolic disorder which causes an unpleasant, fishy smell), concludes that Copper chlorophyllin reduced free urinary TMA concentration and increased TMAO in normal individuals with concentrations of it present. In other words, the intake of chlorophyllin aided in reducing their odor.

While there is multiple research proving chlorophyllin’s efficiency for skin improvement and acting as a natural deodorant, there is only limited research done that proves its effectiveness for aiding in weight loss. In fact, there are rather more confirmed possible side effects from taking chlorophyllin. Such health risks include Gastrointestinal cramping, Diarrhea and green poop.

The ongoing trend of chlorophyllin drops may be useful for those who are willing to experiment with a new supplement, or those who are curious whether the Internet myth is true or not.

However, a confirmed fact is that the Internet exaggerates only the bright side and that social media’s influence on the public is immense enough to easily sell out a product.