Sulforaphane Augments Glutathione and Influences Brain Metabolites in Human Subjects: A Clinical Pilot Study” published in Molecular Neuropsychiatry Prior to the introduction of BROQ, the best alternative to Prostaphane was a product by Nutramax Laboratories called Avmacol. It contains glucoraphanin (sulforaphane glucosinolate) extracted from broccoli seeds, alongside the activation enzyme myrocinase.

Now, this may be due to several factors, including that those who eat well are more likely to engage in other health-promoting behaviors. Sulforaphane may also inhibit cancer cells and protect against carcinogens by activating the NRF2 pathway and improving detoxification. A benefit of using supplements over home grown sprouts is for situations where risk of infection must be minimized – including pregnant mothers and those with compromised immune systems. Home grown sprouts run the risk of bacterial contamination, if they’re not kept completely sterile, whereas sprouts processed into supplements do not carry this risk. Zhang Z, Atwell LL, Farris PE, Ho E, Shannon J. Associations between cruciferous vegetable intake and selected biomarkers among women scheduled for breast biopsies. Public Health Nutr. 2016;19(7):1288-1295. doi:10.1017/S136898001500244X

Product

To optimize your intake of sulforaphane, eat vegetables raw or cooked at temperatures below 284˚F (140˚C) ( 4).

Another potential mechanism for sulforaphane’s protection against COVID-19 is TMPRSS2. Here we go with the acronyms again. [It’s] a protein on the cell membrane that activates viral spike proteins. So this is relevant to SARS-CoV-2 because it uses the ACE2 receptor for entry into the cell, and its spike protein is primed by TMPRSS2. Sulforaphane has been shown to decrease the expression of TMPRSS2, which then results in less surface protein to activate the binding of the virus to the human cell. So, while more research definitely needs to be done to confirm that these proposed mechanisms actually translate into real clinical benefit, sulforaphane is a promising potential intervention for COVID-19, and I look forward to seeing the results of the studies that are already underway. Another option that’s a supplement but gives you whole food nutrition is to invest in a quality greens powder. How Should I Store Sulforaphane Supplements? Eating just 10 grams of broccoli sprout powder per day may improve insulin resistance. Insulin is the pancreatic hormone that pushes sugar from your bloodstream into your cells. The more responsive your cells are to insulin, the better your blood sugar levels. In that last episode, we talked about why glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup are one of the most dangerous toxins that we’re exposed to, and what the most recent scientific research tells us about glyphosate’s effects on human health. I reviewed the overwhelming evidence suggesting that glyphosate is associated with increased risk of cancer, particularly non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and many other effects, including gut dysbiosis, which in turn drives many chronic diseases, hormone imbalance, impaired fertility, reduced detox capacity, nutrient deficiency, and oxidative stress to name a few. I shared some steps you can take to reduce exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides, like eating organic food as much as possible.

Jiang X, Liu Y, Ma L, et al. Chemopreventive activity of sulforaphane. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2018;12:2905-2913. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S100534 If you don’t want to supplement, young broccoli sprouts are the most bioavailable source of sulforaphane.

Rhonda notes that for someone people, even taking 1 tablet (10 mg) with a meal can result in stomach discomfort. Therefore, as an alternative, she mentions Avmacol may be kinder on the stomach. We discuss Avmacol more below. Rhonda suggests that the best data we have on dosage comes from the clinical trials done. She references these 3 in her sulforaphane video: It’s on the pricier side. But this is a top-tier sulforaphane supplement. Plus, you can save by going for the subscription option.For those elsewhere, a UK company called Vitality Pro now ships Prostaphane internationally ( product link). Prostaphane is 10 mg per capsule also. Despite their growing popularity, more research is needed to determine the ideal dose, safety, and effectiveness of sulforaphane supplements in humans ( 14). Summary