Is it good to drink wheatgrass before bed?

Wheatgrass has become an increasingly popular health food in recent years. Some proponents claim that drinking wheatgrass before bed can provide a variety of benefits, from improving sleep quality to boosting your overall health. But is there any truth to these claims? Let’s take a closer look at the potential effects of drinking wheatgrass before bedtime.

What is Wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass refers to the young, freshly sprouted leaves of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It is sold as a juice, powder, tablet, or in its raw form. Wheatgrass differs from wheat malt, which is concocted from sprouted wheat berries.

Wheatgrass contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, including:

• Vitamins A, C, and E
• Iron
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Amino acids
• Chlorophyll
• Flavonoids
• Live enzymes

Some proponents claim that wheatgrass has exceptional health properties compared to other vegetables because it contains plant nutrients in their unoxidized, raw form.

Purported Health Benefits of Wheatgrass

Drinking wheatgrass – especially on an empty stomach – is touted to provide the following benefits:

• Providing nutrients: Wheatgrass contains a concentrated amount of nutrients, meaning you can get a nutritional boost in a small serving. It is especially high in vitamins A, C and E.
• Detoxifying the body: The nutrients and plant compounds in wheatgrass may help purge toxins and improve liver and kidney function.
• Improving immunity: Wheatgrass supporters believe its nutrients and antioxidants help protect cells, neutralize free radicals, and boost immunity against disease.
• Stimulating circulation: Some evidence suggests wheatgrass improves red blood cell count and reduces blood clotting, thereby improving circulation.
• Reducing inflammation: The anti-inflammatory effects of wheatgrass may help with arthritis, rheumatism, and swelling or redness.
• Stabilizing blood sugar: Nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and vitamin C in wheatgrass may help regulate blood sugar levels.
• Aiding in weight loss: The thylakoids in wheatgrass may suppress appetite and promote satiety.

However, it’s important to note that many of wheatgrass’ purported benefits are anecdotal or extrapolated from animal and cell studies. More extensive human research is needed.

Potential Benefits of Drinking Wheatgrass Before Bed

Specifically regarding bedtime consumption, some advocates of wheatgrass make the following claims about its potential effects:

• Inducing sleep: The magnesium and amino acids in wheatgrass may help relax the mind and body and prepare you for sleep.
• Preventing insomnia: Wheatgrass may lead to better sleep quality for those who have difficulties falling or staying asleep.
• Restoring the body: Human growth hormone (HGH) is secreted during deep sleep. The nutrients in wheatgrass may help induce restorative REM sleep when taken before bed.
• Reducing sleep apnea: Compounds that relax the throat muscles and improve breathing may also reduce sleep apnea episodes and daytime drowsiness.
• Decreasing stress: Wheatgrass may alleviate some forms of stress when consumed before bedtime, helping you fall asleep faster.

However, limited scientific research exists on how drinking wheatgrass specifically before bed affects sleep and overall health. More studies are warranted.

Potential Side Effects and Safety

When consumed in normal food amounts, wheatgrass is generally considered safe. However, drinking wheatgrass – especially in juice form on an empty stomach – may cause some initial side effects for some people, including:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Swollen throat
• Rash or hives
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Green-colored stools
• Change in body odor

These symptoms are often temporary and tend to subside once your body adjusts to wheatgrass. Drinking the juice diluted or consuming smaller doses may help.

Wheatgrass and wheatgrass supplements may also interact with certain medications, including:

• Anticoagulants like warfarin
• Medications changed by the liver
• Diabetes medications
• Thyroid hormones

Speak to your healthcare provider before taking wheatgrass if you take any of these medications.

Some additional precautions to consider with wheatgrass include:

• Start with a small dose and gradually increase.
• Avoid drinking wheatgrass juice in large amounts on an empty stomach.
• Introduce wheatgrass into your diet slowly to allow your body to adjust.
• Be wary of wheatgrass supplements, which are not regulated by the FDA.
• Only purchase high-quality wheatgrass from a trusted supplier.
• Watch for signs of an allergic reaction or intolerance.

Pregnant women should also exercise caution with wheatgrass, as its safety has not been established during pregnancy.

Scientific Evidence on Wheatgrass

Despite the many health claims surrounding wheatgrass, there is limited direct evidence from human research trials to support most benefits. Here is a summary of the science on wheatgrass:

• Improving immunity: An 8-week study in 60 adults found wheatgrass juice significantly reduced inflammation levels and improved immune function markers. More robust research is needed.
• Lowering cholesterol: A 2011 study showed wheatgrass juice reduced total cholesterol by 7% and LDL “bad” cholesterol by 12% in obese patients. Larger scale studies are warranted.
• Reducing oxidative stress: Multiple animal and test-tube studies reveal wheatgrass contains highly active antioxidants. This helps neutralize harmful free radicals and may reduce oxidative damage.
• Detoxification support: Test-tube and rodent studies show wheatgrass may improve glutathione levels and support phase 2 detoxification. However, human studies are lacking.
• Anti-cancer potential: Wheatgrass extracts have slowed cancer growth and induced cancer cell death in some test-tube studies. Nonetheless, no clinical trials have been conducted.
• Blood sugar benefits: Human research on wheatgrass’ effects on blood sugar is limited to one small study. While wheatgrass appeared to reduce markers of diabetes, high-quality studies are still needed.

Overall, many of the touted health benefits of wheatgrass stem from anecdotal evidence. High-quality human studies verifying these effects are generally lacking.

What Does the Evidence Say on Wheatgrass and Sleep?

Very little peer-reviewed research specifically focuses on how drinking wheatgrass affects sleep:

• One small study in 2015 found wheatgrass juice reduced stress and improved sleep in 60 adults within 2 weeks. Larger placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
• Some proponents believe compounds like magnesium, antioxidants, and amino acids in wheatgrass promote better sleep. However, these claims are theoretical. Human studies examining wheatgrass’ direct effects on sleep are non-existent.
• Studies show wheatgrass may fight inflammation and improve immunity. These effects could indirectly enhance sleep by warding off pain, congestion, and other sleep barriers. Although plausible, more research is required.
• Anecdotal evidence says wheatgrass before bed helps some people fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up more refreshed. But these reports are not scientifically validated.

Overall, there is currently no concrete human evidence that wheatgrass – when consumed before bedtime – improves sleep quantity or quality. At best, studies hint at potential indirect or theoretical benefits.

Possible Risks and Considerations

Before drinking wheatgrass as an evening sleep aid, weigh the following risks and considerations:

• Human studies directly tying wheatgrass to improved sleep are non-existent. Evidence for its benefits remains theoretical and anecdotal.
• For some individuals, wheatgrass may cause initial side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea – which could obviously disturb sleep.
• Wheatgrass is high in sugar. Consuming sugary drinks before bed may disrupt sleep quality.
• If you have a wheat allergy or sensitivity, wheatgrass could trigger adverse reactions or anaphylaxis. Use extreme caution.
• The best timing, dosage, and forms of wheatgrass (juice, powder, tablets, etc) for sleep benefits remain unclear.
• Supplements are largely unregulated. Verify you purchase high-quality wheatgrass from a reputable company.
• Wheatgrass may interact with certain medications, health conditions like celiac disease, or pregnancy. Speak with your healthcare provider first.

While generally considered safe for most healthy individuals, wheatgrass doesn’t appear to have strong evidence supporting its use as a sleep aid. Discuss it with your doctor first.

Tips for Trying Wheatgrass Before Bed

If you want to experiment with wheatgrass as a nighttime sleep assistant, some recommendations include:

• Start with a very small dose (1 ounce or less) and gradually increase to assess tolerance.
• Only purchase fresh, high-quality wheatgrass and wheatgrass supplements from reputable suppliers.
• Talk to your healthcare provider first, especially if you take medications or have health conditions like celiac disease or a wheat allergy.
• Be extra cautious if pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Drink wheatgrass diluted or with other juices to improve palatability.
• Consume wheatgrass at least 90 minutes before bedtime to assess effects.
• Introduce wheatgrass into your diet slowly and watch for any adverse effects.
• Keep a sleep diary to evaluate if wheatgrass helps you fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel more rested.
• Consider stacking wheatgrass with other evidence-based sleep aids like magnesium, valerian root, chamomile tea, or tart cherry juice.

Wheatgrass is generally safe when used appropriately. However, the hype surrounding its health effects tends to outweigh the scientific evidence currently available.

Other Potential Natural Sleep Aids

If you’re looking for alternative sleep remedies, some other options may include:

• Magnesium: Supplements improve sleep biomarkers in people deficient in magnesium.
• Valerian root: Studies demonstrate valerian reduces insomnia symptoms and improves sleep quality.
• Chamomile tea: The calming properties of chamomile may induce sleepiness and help initiate sleep.
• Tart cherry juice: Drinking tart cherry juice appears to moderately improve sleep duration and quality.
• Passionflower: Some evidence suggests passionflower tea has mild sedating effects that may improve insomnia symptoms.
• Glycine: Preliminary studies indicate the amino acid glycine may shorten time to fall asleep and improve cognitive performance.

Speak with your healthcare provider before trying any new herbs or supplements, especially with any underlying health conditions or medications.

The Bottom Line

At this time, there is limited scientific evidence directly linking drinking wheatgrass before bedtime with improved sleep. The potential sleep-promoting mechanisms of wheatgrass remain theoretical and anecdotal.

While generally considered safe, wheatgrass may cause initial side effects or allergic reactions in some people. It may also interact with certain medications and health conditions.

Due to lack of strong human research, wheatgrass cannot be recommended over other science-backed sleep aids. Speak with your doctor about the safest sleep-enhancing strategies for your needs.

In the future, more robust clinical trials examining wheatgrass and sleep would help shed light on its potential efficacy and safety as a nighttime supplement.

Example Wheatgrass Nutrition Facts

Here is the nutritional profile of 1 ounce (30 ml) of wheatgrass juice, according to USDA data:

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	8
Protein	0.3 g
Carbohydrates	1.7 g
Sugar	0.2 g
Fiber	0.1 g
Fat	0.1 g
Vitamin A	18% DV
Vitamin C	4% DV
Calcium	1% DV
Iron	0.5% DV

DV = Daily Value. Data from SELF NutritionData for generic wheatgrass juice.