Barley Grass

Barley grass is the grass (leaves) harvested from the barley plant before the nutrients in the shoots are "spent" in forming the barley grain.

Many of the therapeutic benefits of barley grass are attributable to its high content of chlorophyll.  It is also one of the few natural sources of the important antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Barley grass is used for the treatment of these conditons:

Cholesterol:

Japanese researchers have demonstrated the ability of barley grass to lower total serum cholesterol levels (in rats).

Colitis:

Some naturopaths claim that barley grass accelerates the healing of the damaged colon tissue that is present in colitis patients and that it reduces the inflammation that occurs during colitis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

Barley grass inhibits the production of a body chemical (named tumor necrosis factor (TNF)) that is responsible for the inflammation and cartilage damage that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Barley grass also contains a substance that counteracts the hydroxyl free radicals and superoxide free radicals that are implicated in rheumatoid arthritis.

Dosage:

3,000 - 4,500 mg per day.

References

Cholesterol

Ronzio, R. A.  Grateful for greens.  Mother Nature’s Health Journal Biweekly Newsletter.  2(6), 1999.

Colitis

Carstens, J.  Barley grass:  always greener.  Nature & Health.  21(6):80-81, 2000.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cremer, L., et al.  A purified green barley extract with modulatory properties upon TNF alpha and ROS released by human specialized cells isolated from RA patients.  Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol.  57(3-4):231-242, 1998.

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