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Brg2.5

Barley Grass Research

Mostly mechanism / observationalModerate safety

4 peer-reviewed studies

What the evidence says

Mostly mechanism / observational

Most Barley Grass studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.

Most evidence is from mixed-quality studies published 2002–2019 with a typical study size of 36 participants.

Based on 4 studies · 36 total participants

Confidence

Very low

By outcome

Glucose & metabolicOne small T2DM trial showed reduced LDL oxidation; animal data show improved lipid profile — but human metabolic outcomes are unproven · Unknown
Too few graded studies1 study

Older research base

Newest study from 2019

200220102019

1Open-Labeln=36 · small study2002

Supplementation with young barley leaf extract helped scavenge oxygen free radicals and inhibit LDL oxidation, with the effect on small dense LDL strongest when combined with vitamins C and E.

Yu YM, Chang WC, Chang CT, Hsieh CL, Tsai CE. · Diabetes Metab (2002)

36 type 2 diabetic patients received 15g barley leaf extract, vitamins C+E, or both daily for 4 weeks (three active arms, no placebo, not randomized)
Blood chemiluminescence (free-radical) levels fell in all groups; barley leaf preserved LDL vitamin E and increased oxidation lag time
Combined barley leaf + vitamins C/E most effectively inhibited small dense LDL oxidation; small, short, single trial

2Animal2019

In high-fat-diet rats, barley grass juice reduced body weight and BMI and improved lipid profile and liver markers, with histology showing reduced atherosclerosis.

Thatiparthi J, Dodoala S, Koganti B, Kvsrg P. · J Ethnopharmacol (2019)

Barley grass juice (200 and 400 mg/kg for 60 days) reduced bodyweight, BMI and improved lipid profile and AST/ALT/ALP in high-fat-diet rats
Associated with decreased hepatic PPAR-gamma and caspase 3 expression and reduced carotid atherosclerosis; GC-MS identified 12 phytochemicals
Animal model; demonstrates plausibility, not a human effect

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3In Vitro2017

Barley grass extract inhibited breast and prostate cancer cell viability and induced apoptosis by raising intracellular reactive oxygen species in vitro.

Woo SM, Kwon SC, Ko SG, Cho SG. · Biomed Rep (2017)

Barley grass extract reduced viability of breast and prostate cancer cell lines (MTT assay)
Induced apoptosis via increased intracellular ROS, blocked by the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine
In-vitro cell study only; no relevance established for whole-body human outcomes

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4In Vitro2011

Ground pork containing barley leaf powder showed lower peroxide values and conjugated dienes than control, indicating the powder retarded lipid oxidation.

Choe JH, Jang A, Lee ES, et al. · Meat Sci (2011)

Barley leaf powder added to cooked ground pork at 0.1% and 0.5% lowered peroxide values and conjugated dienes versus control
Demonstrates the powder's antioxidant capacity in a food matrix
Compositional / food-science model — not a measure of any human health benefit

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View in Research Library

Barley Grass Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

Effects of young barley leaf extract and antioxidative vitamins on LDL oxidation and free radical scavenging activities in type 2 diabetes.

Barley grass juice (Hordeum vulgare L.) inhibits obesity and improves lipid profile in high fat diet-induced rat model.

Barley grass extract causes apoptosis of cancer cells by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species production.

Oxidative and color stability of cooked ground pork containing lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) and barley leaf (Hordeum vulgare) powder during refrigerated storage.