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Sulforaphane can increase immunity by strengthening immune cells and it is known for its excellent results in treatments cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. It also acts as an indirect antioxidant in the body, strengthens detoxification, immunity and stimulates cytoprotective enzymes that protect cells. Helps to fight with overall body inflammation and thus helps in a number of problems associated with it, including depression. Can also reduce blood sugar and levels of glycated hemoglobin. Sulforaphane is good candidate for the prevention but also for the treatment of various types of cancer.
It can reverse liver damage in diabetes and lower excessive glucose production, glucose intolerance, fasting blood glucose and also glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Sulforaphane increases BDNF (brain neurotropic factor) and its TrkB signaling pathways. This factor affects overall cognitive processes such as memory, learning and mood. It also protects the heart from oxidative stress and cell death caused by reduced blood flow.
The Science Behind Sulforaphane
How Sulforaphane Works
Sulforaphane provides a wide range of protective mechanisms for our health. These are mainly achieved by activating NRF2 signaling path that regulates more than 200 genes.
It acts as an indirect antioxidant in the body, strengthens detoxification, immunity and strongly stimulates cytoprotective enzymes that protect cells. It is known for its strong preventive effects against different kinds of cancer, slows the growth of existing tumors, and it can even kill cancerous cells. Furthermore, it helps reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Decreases high blood pressure and overall risk of cardiovascular diseases
Helps to fight with overall body inflammation and thus helps in a number of problems associated with it, including depression. It can also reduce blood sugar and levels of glycated hemoglobin. Furthermore, sulforaphane has interesting effect for brain, where it increases the expression of the brain neurotropic factor. It works as prevention against neurodegenerative diseases as well as natural nootropic. Last but not least, it has antibiotic, antivirus effects and is also effective against certain strains of bacteria resistant to classical antibiotics.
The Benefits of Sulforaphane
As we said before, one of the main reasons for the wide range of effects is the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. It is responsible for the expression of more than 200 genes, including detoxification, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant genes, which protect cells from oxidative damage. One of them is glutathione, one of the strongest antioxidants which has strong suppressive effects against the formation of free radicals. The Nrf2 pathway also activates genes that inactivate potentially harmful substances to which we are exposed every day.
In addition, sulforaphane is one of the strongest natural activators of the Nrf2 pathway. Its regular consumption leads to long-term cell protection through following effects:
- Antioxidant and detoxifying effects – The high bioavailability of sulforaphane and its strong activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway plays a key role in: antioxidation, detoxification and redox mechanisms – where one is the high increase in glutathione. Regular use leads to a long-term increase in antioxidants in the cells and thus to permanent protection of cells from oxidative damage.
- Anti-inflammatory effect – Reducing overall body inflammation is another positive factor that has many additional effects, from cognitive performance to longevity. The neurovascular protection against systemic inflammation is achieved by number of factors, but mainly through activation of the Nrf2 pathway.
- Immunity support – Sulforaphan strengthens the body’s immunity thus its adaptive defenses. One of the mechanisms is an increase in the activity of immune NK cells, which are called “natural killers”. It also supports it by restoring or delaying the loss of cellular immunity that is caused by aging.
- Antibiotic effect – Sulforaphane has been shown to have very promising anti-microbial activity against a wide range of microorganisms, including some strains resistant to classical antibiotics. It was able to inhibit 23 microbial species out of 28 tested
- Anticancer effect – Recently, the strong anticancer activities of sulforaphane in various cancers have been studied in many studies with different models. Its effects range from protecting cells from DNA damage to modulating the cell cycle. This suggests that sulforaphane is good candidate for the prevention but also for the treatment of various types of cancer.
- Antidiabetic effect – Diabetes usually goes hand in hand with obesity. Sulforaphane promotes fat breakdown from fat cells by activating the hormone sensitive lipase. Moreover, it has a direct effect against diabetes II. type. It can reverse liver damage in diabetes and lower excessive glucose production, glucose intolerance, fasting blood glucose and also glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Sulforaphane supplementation for 3 weeks can improve the overall metabolic profile – reduce weight gain, insulin and leptin levels, insulin resistance and cholesterol.
- Cardiovascular disease – Increased oxidative stress plays a major role in the incidence of cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure. Sulforaphane can turn on antioxidant genes and is therefore effective against these diseases. Significantly improves blood pressure in hypertension. The inclusion of broccoli in the diet has a direct effect on lowering LDL cholesterol. At the same time, sulforaphan increase HDL cholesterol and improve oxidative stress indicators. It also protects the heart from oxidative stress and cell death caused by reduced blood flow and low oxygen content.
- Neurocognitive effects – The effects that Sulforaphane has on the brain are really interesting. It epigenetically increases BDNF (brain neurotropic factor) and its TrkB signaling pathways. This factor affects overall cognitive processes such as memory, learning and mood. Sulforaphane can therefore be considered a natural nootropic. By increasing brain cell growth, it has the potential to prevent various neurodegenerative processes, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and traumatic brain injury.
- Skin protection – Sulforaphanr has direct protective effects against skin damage caused by excessive ultraviolet radiation. This also reduces the skin’s sensitivity to redness.
Unlocking Sulforaphane's Potential
By itself, sulforaphane is not found in vegetables, instead, there is a precursor – glucoraphanin and enzyme – myrosinase. Sulforaphane produces chemical reactions for these two compounds when vegetables are cut, chewed or somewhat physically disturbed. Unfortunately, the myrosinase enzyme is very sensitive to heat and it begins to disappear from about 60 ° C. So if you are used to consume these types of vegetables cooked, you will most likely to burn the enzyme present in the vegetable and loose most of the beneficial effects.
But there is a life-hack which allows you to consume cooked broccoli while increasing sulforaphane bioavailability several times. It’s actually quite simple; just add myrosinase enzyme to the cooked vegetables again. A great way to do this is to add freshly grounded mustard seeds. It should be bitter, pungent taste, which is sign that they contain active myrosinase. This way, the bioavailability of sulforaphane from the cooked broccoli increases more than 4 times. Of course, this also applies to all other vegetables that contain glucoraphanin precursor.
Who Should Consider Sulforaphane?
- You want to increase your antioxidant, detoxification capacity and strengthen immunity.
- You have cancer in your family and you want to prevent it.
- You observe or want to prevent symptoms of any cardiovascular disease.
- You have high blood sugar and are prone to diabetes II. type.
- You want to improve body composition and decrease body fat.
- Are you looking for a natural nootropic or you want to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
- You need to reduce inflammation and thus support the functioning of the whole body. It is also associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms.
- You have a weaker immunity or feeling often sick, so you want to try natural way how to get rid of bacteria and viruses.
Proper Dosage of Sulforaphane
Sulforaphane has significantly higher bioavailability compared to the vast majority of supplements when we get it naturally from whole food. It is probably due to the missing myrosinase enzyme, which is destroyed during supplement production.
As we said in the introduction, unrivaled top content and effect have broccoli sprouts that you can grow at home.
1 g of fresh broccoli sprouts can be recalculated to 0.4 mg sulforaphan.
But this is not the only way to get sulforaphane. You can also combine various kinds of cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts or cabbage. Just remember that the contained myrosinase is destroyed from 60 ° C and after cooking it is necessary to add it in the form of freshly grounded mustard seeds.
The effective dose is around 40-60 mg of sulforaphan (100-150 g broccoli sprouts), but keep in mind, that any amount of sulforapahan have potential benefits for your health.
Minimal Side Effects
Sulphorafan consumption of natural resources is considered very safe with almost no side effects.
When taking some supplements occasionally occur mild side effects such as gas, constipation or diarrhea, during consumption of cruciferous vegetables should be taken into account that it is not appropriate to exaggerate its quantity (which is not good for anything). Very high amounts of cruciferous vegetables can then lead to a weaking of thyroid gland due to the goitrogen.