Learn what Sulforaphane is and its effects on mortality, diseases, and cancer
Calvin has been a writer in the nutrition space for over 10 years. His works are composed of health topics that talk about fasting and the various types of diets such as keto, plant-based, and paleo. His interest covers how various diets can prevent diabetes and other common chronic diseases in the US.
Calvin has been a writer in the nutrition space for over 10 years. His works are composed of health topics that talk about fasting and the various types of diets such as keto, plant-based, and paleo.
As we all know, a healthy diet should contain balanced portions of proteins, carbs, and fiber. Any dietician or dermatologist would advise you to increase the number of cruciferous vegetables in your diet, and scientists got their backs on this too.
For those who have heard of Sulforaphane’s wonderful properties and are still wondering where you can find reliable information about it, we've got you covered. Let’s take a look first at all the myths and facts about this compound.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, and bok choy or watercress have one thing in common. When you chew these vegetables, you activate a type of enzyme calledmyrosinase, which transforms glucosinolates into Sulforaphane, a type ofisothiocyanates.1.
Sulforaphane is proven to have many significant effects on your body, particularly on both physical and mental well-being. Studies have shown that the compound aids the development of speech skill on people with autism, alleviates anxiety, reduces the severity of osteoarthritis and arthritis, and lowers blood sugar levels during fasting.
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Sulforaphane comes from an enzyme calledmyrosinasethat is activated from consuming green leafy vegetables. It is proven to be effective in improving both physical and mental well-being.
A prominent problem in food nutrient preservation is that a large portion of the original content would be lost due to freshness, storage method, and most importantly, heat. During the cooking process, heat enatures the myrosinase enzymes, hence why nutritionists always recommend steaming your vegetables instead of boiling them.2
Also, bioavailability by definition is the fraction of an administered compound that reaches the systemic circulation.3 In terms of nutritional value, it can be interpreted as the amount of nutrients that actually gets absorbed into the body system. Many factors affect this percentage for Sulforaphane, such as the source (vegetables or supplement), storage, and shelf life (the longer it’s stored, the less bioavailability is left).
Realistically speaking, eating raw vegetables would be one of the only ways for your body to uptake 100% of the Sulforaphane available. The bioavailability of sulforaphane is relatively low if the cooking process includes heat.
Factors such as food source, storage, and cooking method affect the amount of nutrients that you get from sulforaphane. However, you can only get 100% sulforaphane when you eat vegetables raw, that's why it is suggested not to overcook vegetables.
A study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 regarding the connection between Sulforaphane and all-cause mortality.4 By definition, all-cause mortality refers to natural deaths due to age and diseases, unrelated to accidents.
This research confirmed that those who met the daily recommended amount of Sulforaphane have a lower risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality by 22% compared to those who did not. This simply confirms that the consumption of more vegetables, in general, can help reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.Based on studies, consuming sulforaphane daily significantly reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes.
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Based on studies, meeting the sulforaphane requirement daily can help reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes.
Sulforaphane possesses many illness-preventing properties such as anti-inflammation, anti-aging, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic. It works by lowering DNA damages by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the cells, which is important to prevent cancer, revise aging, and fight neurodegenerative diseases. Along with these are the essential micronutrients coming from it such as fiber, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K.
Sulforaphane can also be used to treat autism symptoms such as difficulties with communication. The Harvard Medical School conducted a research on more than 30 men with autism. Throughout the trial, each of them was given Sulforaphane supplements daily for 4 months. After the trial was over, they did not receive any supplement for a week. Based on the collected data, over a third of the 30 individuals showed substantial improvement in behavior and communication.5
Another beneficial impact of sulforaphane is reducing blood sugar levels when at fast by more than 6%, as demonstrated by both human and animal studies. It was found out that it can suppress glucose production and reduce glycated hemoglobin.6
Moreover, Sulforaphane has been seen to reduce the severity of osteoarthritis and arthritis in animals. Several studies also suggest that it can also bring the same effect to humans. An animal research by the University of Oxford concluded that Sulforaphane can lessen the degradation of cartilage, thus improving osteoarthritis and blocking inflammation of the joints in mice.7 While it shows promising results on animals, it still needs more clinical studies to prove its effectiveness to humans.
Sulforaphane is an excellent source of micronutrients. Not only it is used against cancer, aging, and diseases, but it can also help treat autism symptoms and reduce blood sugar levels, as well as improve osteoarthritis and arthritis symptoms in animals.
Any nutritionist would tell you that the best way to obtain high levels of Sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables is by growing and eating your own broccoli sprouts. They have an extremely high Sulforaphane content compared to matured broccoli or other vegetables.
“How can I increase the bioavailability of sulforaphane in cooked vegetables,” you might ask. Simply, add some raw ground mustard seeds to the cooked vegetables. It helps quadruples the bioavailability of sulforaphane.
Mustard seeds are also a part of the cruciferous family, hence they also contain the myrosinase enzyme to transform the vegetable’s glucosinolates into Sulforaphane. However, if this is impractical for your lifestyle or environment, then a Sulforaphane supplement might be the golden option for you. It is easier to store without the risk of degrading Sulforaphane content.
There is currently no consensus among nutritionists about the maximum amount for daily intake due to various factors of each research. However, you can still safely combine supplementation with eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, bok choy, and many others as part of a healthier diet.
If you choose to take Sulforaphane supplements, we recommend that you start with a dose of 20-30mg a day for 3 - 6 months and then gradually to 50mg a day. The dosage largely depends on your weight, ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 mg per kilogram of bodyweight.
According to Johns Hopkins University’s Chemoprotection Center, the bioavailability of Sulforaphane in certain compounds is as follows:8
Therefore, if supplementation is a better option for your adequate dietary Sulforaphane consumption, we recommend looking for supplements that either contain pure sulforaphane or both glucoraphanin and myrosinase.
More research is still needed for to better understand the properties of Sulforaphane and how it can be beneficial to your health. However, with the current research findings about it, you can still be rest assured that it is a great addition to your diet to improve your quality of life.
