November 30, 2020

Q&A with Dr. Jed Fahey on Sulforaphane, Moringa, and Chemoprotection | Found My Fitness with Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Key Takeaways

Bacterial myrosinases found in the human gut convert unhydrolyzed glucoraphanin to sulforaphane
Clinical studies have linked the benefits of sulforaphane to a variety of chronic diseases such as autism, aflatoxin toxicity, cancer, air pollution toxicity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes – and much more
Supplementing with sulforaphane helps restore glutathione (body’s potent, endogenous detoxifier) levels in the brain
All cruciferous vegetables are isothiocyanates but not all contain sulforaphane
Broccoli sprouts are the most efficient way to consume sulforaphane
Moringa leaf powder is a great alternative to broccoli sprouts – use in smoothies, iced tea, hot tea

Introduction

Dr. Jed Fahey (@jedosan) is former director of the Cullman Chemoprotection Center at Johns Hopkins University (retired June 2020). His research focuses on discovering and testing plant nutrition-based approaches to prevent chronic disease.

In this episode of Found My Fitness, Dr. Rhonda Patrick hosts a Q&A with Dr. Jed Fahey take a deep dive into the mechanism, benefits, and uses of sulforaphane as well as proper sourcing and dosing.

Host: Dr. Rhonda Patrick (@foundmyfitness)

What is Sulforaphane?

Sulforaphane is an anticarcinogenic isothiocyanate associated with cruciferous vegetables
Sulforaphane is a chemical end-product of myrosinases and glucoraphanin
Bacterial myrosinases found in the human gut convert unhydrolyzed glucoraphanin to sulforaphane
There are two ways of hydrolyzing glucoraphanin: (1) chew cruciferous vegetable/sprout/seed, (2) microbiome
Clinical studies have linked the benefits of sulforaphane to a variety of chronic diseases such as autism, aflatoxin toxicity, cancer, air pollution toxicity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes – and much more

Recommended Brands of Sulforaphane Supplements & Broccoli Sprouts

Glutathione & Sulforaphane

Glutathione declines naturally with age, starting in the 20s
Glutathione is the body’s most prevalent endogenous detoxification system
Sulforaphane cranks up enzymes responsible for synthesizing glutathione, making more glutathione available
Supplementing with sulforaphane helps restore glutathione levels in the brain

Sources and Dosing of Sulforaphane

There’s no way to know whether you are a good converter of sulforaphane
There’s no way to test how much sulforaphane or glucoraphanin is in broccoli or broccoli sprouts
Clinical studies point to 50-100 μmol sulforaphane per day
Sources of sulforaphane: broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts, cauliflower
Interestingly, broccoli rabe does not have a significant amount of glucoraphanin or sulforaphane
All cruciferous vegetables are isothiocyanates but not all contain sulforaphane
100g of broccoli would yield about 0.5mg -18mg of sulforaphane
100g of broccoli sprouts would yield about 5-16mg of sulforaphane
Studies show about 60g of broccoli sprouts give you as much glucoraphanin as ¼ – ½ pound of broccoli
You get the highest levels of glucoraphanin from broccoli seeds – but they don’t taste very good so it’s more palatable to eat the sprouts
Gut microbiome variations in individuals lead to varying yields of sulforaphane per serving
Not all broccoli is treated equally from sourcing to the sale so some will have higher yields of sulforaphane than others
Cooking destroys myrosinase – if you are cooking broccoli or broccoli sprouts, you are solely counting on myrosinase in the gut
If you need to cook broccoli, microwaving until it’s just tender is the best method to reduce bioavailability loss
Ground mustard & exogenous sources of myrosinase increase the bioavailability of sulforaphane in cooked broccoli
Good sources of myrosinase: ground mustard, mustard seed, horseradish, wasabi
Quality broccoli seed vendors: Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Prophylactic Use of Sulforaphane for Toxin Exposure & Neuronal Injury

Taking a supplement or regularly consuming broccoli sprouts is a good idea if you are regularly exposed to toxins such as air pollution, wildfires
You can prime the system to get geared up for exposure to toxins
Based on China on air pollution and the effects of sulforaphane – you don’t fatigue biochemical response system
Research has shown a pronounced effect of sulforaphane in neuronal injuries, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury
It’s best to have the system prepared prophylactically but possible to take at the time of exposure or injury
Regular consumption cranks up lasting protective enzymes (proteins)
If taking supplements, take daily
If consuming through food, consumption every 2-3 days should be sufficient

Sulforaphane for Alzheimer’s and Chronic Disease

Ongoing clinical studies in rats suggest there may be therapeutic effects of sulforaphane in cancer prevention
It appears sulforaphane accumulates more in the breast, bladder, lungs, prostate
Sulforaphane may have therapeutic uses in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s
Early research has shown the utility of sulforaphane in Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition, enhancement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, reduction in amyloid-beta, and more
Recent review articles show sulforaphane protects against advanced glycation end products which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease

Moringa: Alternative to Broccoli Sprouts

Moringa leaf powder is a great alternative to broccoli sprouts
In many assays, the isothiocyanate is better than sulforaphane
Moringa has not been as heavily researched in clinical research but has been used safely in areas of tropical climate
Blood glucose control is the biggest medical indication for moringa powder

Carnivore Myth of Sulforaphanes and Isothiocyanates as Goitrogenic Foods

The reality is that everything is toxic at extreme levels
When eaten in moderation, broccoli sprouts & sulforaphane supplements have no negative consequences on thyroid function
If mishandled, some mature market stage broccoli can have harmful glucosinolates – but it’s highly uncommon and has not shown true in many studies
When myrosinase acts on toxic market mature broccoli glucosinolates they can form unstable, toxic intermediates
There’s an abundance of research supporting omnivorous lifestyle versus carnivorous in humans

alzheimer's disease, chemoprotection, chronic disease, disease prevention, glutathione, isothiocyanates, moringa, nutrition, plant-based, Sulforaphane
Notes By Maryann