Sulforaphane

sulforaphane · broccoli sprout extract · glucoraphanin

A broccoli-sprout compound that switches on the body's own antioxidant defences.

TipoSupplement / dietary

Il voto risponde a: What does the human evidence support for: Antioxidant defence / detoxification?

Grado

Limitata

Il voto misura la qualità dell'evidenza, non è un consiglio ad assumere o acquistare.

Classe: Nrf2 activator
Uso principale: Antioxidant defence / detoxification
Forza evidenza: low
Ultima revisione: 2026-07-01

In sintesi

A genuinely interesting Nrf2 activator with small human trials on specific outcomes — but longevity claims are extrapolation, and supplement potency is notoriously inconsistent.

Cosa dice l'evidenza

Sulforaphane activates Nrf2, the master switch for the cell's endogenous antioxidant and detoxification genes — a more sophisticated idea than simply swallowing an antioxidant. Small human trials suggest effects on specific outcomes (for example airway inflammation, some metabolic and autism-spectrum measures), but these are early and heterogeneous, and there are no aging-outcome trials. A practical snag: sulforaphane is generated from glucoraphanin by the enzyme myrosinase, and supplement bioavailability/potency varies enormously between products. Grade C: elegant mechanism, immature and inconsistent human evidence.

Studi chiave

[1]
Sulforaphane / broccoli sprout extract clinical trials · RCT
Small trials on specific outcomes; not longevity.
Apri su PubMed ↗
[2]
Sulforaphane and Nrf2 signalling (review) · review
Explains the endogenous-defence mechanism.
Apri su PubMed ↗
[3]
Sulforaphane bioavailability from supplements · pharmacokinetic
Product potency varies dramatically.
Apri su PubMed ↗

Vedi tutti gli studi su PubMed ↗

Meccanismo

Activates the Nrf2/ARE pathway, upregulating endogenous antioxidant and phase-II detoxification enzymes; formed from glucoraphanin via myrosinase (from raw sprouts or added to extracts).

Sicurezza

Well tolerated as a food and in trials; high-dose extracts can cause GI upset. Cruciferous intake is broadly healthy; concentrated products are less characterised long-term.

Contesto dosaggio

Broccoli-sprout preparations vary widely in actual sulforaphane yield; 'active myrosinase' and standardised sulforaphane content matter more than the headline glucoraphanin number.

Esempi di applicazione

Obtained from broccoli sprouts or a myrosinase-active extract.
Product potency varies a lot — the actual yield matters.
An Nrf2 activator idea; human trials are small and specific.

Nota dal campo

Sulforaphane is a smarter kind of antioxidant idea — turning on your own defences rather than dosing a molecule. We grade it C: promising mechanism, small trials, and a supplement market where the label rarely matches the dose.

Molecole correlate

QuercetinC CurcuminC

Come assegniamo i gradi → Metodo