Chlorophyll Drops for Body Odor: What the "Internal Deodorant" Research Covers

A few drops of liquid chlorophyll turn a glass of water bright green, and social media posts credit it with fresher breath, fewer body odor worries and clearer skin. Bottles and capsules are cheap enough to try on a whim. Here is what the research on chlorophyll as an “internal deodorant” looked at, and what it didn’t.

What’s in the bottle

Many liquid “chlorophyll” supplements contain sodium copper chlorophyllin, a water-soluble form made from chlorophyll. It’s sold as a dietary supplement, and also as an over-the-counter drug used to reduce odor from colostomies and ileostomies, or fecal odor from incontinence.¹

What the research tested

The Linus Pauling Institute¹ summarizes the evidence:¹

• Ostomy odor. Early case reports suggested chlorophyllin reduced fecal odor in people with ostomies. A placebo-controlled trial found it worked no better than placebo.
• Incontinence odor. Case reports described less urine and fecal odor in people with incontinence.
• Trimethylaminuria. In a small study of people with this rare inherited condition, which causes a fishy odor, chlorophyllin lowered levels of the odor-causing compound in urine.

These studies mostly concern odor from the bowel or bladder, or a rare metabolic condition. They don’t show that chlorophyll drops reduce everyday underarm or body odor, and we found no good-quality trials testing that.

Side effects to expect

The Linus Pauling Institute¹ notes that oral chlorophyll or chlorophyllin can turn urine or stool green, and the tongue yellow or black, and that diarrhea has occasionally been reported.¹ Green stool can be alarming if you don’t expect it. Mention the supplement if you see a clinician about bowel changes.

What helps body odor

Body odor comes from sweat meeting the bacteria on your skin, according to Cleveland Clinic². Its everyday list includes washing the areas that smell regularly, antibacterial soap, antiperspirant applied to dry skin, and loose cotton clothing.²

When a new odor needs a doctor

Cleveland Clinic² advises contacting a healthcare provider about a sudden change in body odor, or a fruity or bleach-like smell, which can point to conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis or kidney or liver disease.²

Try: “My body odor has changed recently and I’ve been trying chlorophyll drops. Could something medical be causing the change?”

Arms Up includes a Fresh Log and a zone-by-zone match. Use them to track what you’ve tried and when odor shows up before your visit. See the book.