The effects of chlorophyll are complex and poorly understood. In vitro studies suggest that chlorophyll can act as an antioxidant directly by acting as an electron donor to stabilize reactive species, and can also activate the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), leading to an increased production of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.[1][2] Accordingly, in animals chlorophyll has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and prevent oxidative damage following exposure to pro-oxidant compounds.[3][2] Chlorophyll could have cancer-preventative effects by tightly binding (chelating) to carcinogenic compounds, preventing their absorption and interactions with the body, and has been found in animals to protect against DNA damage and mutations induced by certain compounds.[2] However, how chlorophyll works in the human body is largely unexplored.
While it was previously thought that chlorophyll was not absorbed by the human body, research now suggests that upon ingestion, chlorophyll is rapidly degraded into different derivative compounds that may be subsequently absorbed into the bloodstream with varying degrees of bioavailability.[4][5] Natural chlorophyll consists of a ring structure with a magnesium atom in the center and a hydrophobic (i.e., insoluble in water) side chain. Through exposure to different temperatures, pH, or food processing techniques, chlorophyll can be converted into many possible derivatives; these can involve replacing the central magnesium atom with another metal (e.g., zinc, iron, copper), removing it altogether, or removing the side chain.[2] All of these potential changes alter the properties of chlorophyll. It has been suggested that chlorophyll’s potential positive effects are likely due to its derivatives, not the unaltered compound.[2][6] Ultimately, a lot more research is needed to understand the complexities of chlorophyll and its derivative compounds.