Supplement
Sulforaphane is a compound released from broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables when they are chopped or chewed, and it switches on Nrf2, a pathway that boosts the body's own antioxidant defenses. Research found moderate evidence that it activated that pathway and raised antioxidant enzymes, and in autism studies behavior scores improved by about a third. Those autism studies were small, and the evidence for cancer-related markers such as PSA and cell growth is limited.
- Updated
- How we grade
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 4
- Outcomes
- 7
- Graded outcomes
- 0340
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Symptoms (ABC) 34% improvement in Aberrant Behavior Checklist scores | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 150 people | |||
| Social Responsiveness (SRS) 17% improvement in Social Responsiveness Scale | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 120 people | |||
| Cognitive Function Small Improvement in cognitive measures | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 90 people |
Oxidative Stress
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nrf2 Activation Potent Nrf2 pathway activation and antioxidant enzyme induction | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 200 people |
Prostate Cancer
- PSA Levels: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA Levels Modest effect in early-stage prostate cancer | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 80 people |
Breast Cancer
- Cell Proliferation Markers: improves
- HDAC Activity: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cell Proliferation Markers Reduced Ki-67 expression and cell proliferation in early-stage | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 60 people | |||
| HDAC Activity Decreased histone deacetylase activity | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 40 people |
Key findings
- Behavioral Symptoms (ABC)Improves (the measure goes down)
- Social Responsiveness (SRS)Improves (the measure goes up)
- Nrf2 ActivationImproves (the measure goes up)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Sulforaphane products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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