Sulforaphane
What is Sulforaphane?
Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in the cruciferous family of vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. [1]
Glucoraphanin is the precursor to sulforaphane and is found in the plant tissues of cruciferous vegetables. [2] It must be activated to be used in the human body.
Glucoraphanin is converted to sulforaphane and made active by the enzyme, myrosinase. [3]
Activation of sulforaphane
Myrosinase, an enzyme, is needed to convert glucoraphanin to sulforaphane in order for it to be active and used in the human body (see image above for a visual).
Note: Myrosinase becomes deactivated when exposed to heat during cooking. [3,7]
Myrosinase is released from within the plant tissues when cruciferous vegetables are cut, sliced or chewed. [3]
Our gut microbiota contains some myrosinase. The conversion to sulforaphane involving myrosinase from our gut microbiota is not as efficient in comparison to myrosinase found in plant tissues. [2,3,7]
PRO TIP! Mustard seed powder is an active form of myrosinase [8]. One research showed that the availability of sulforaphane was four times greater in cooked broccoli with brown mustard powder compared to consuming cooked broccoli alone. [8]
Sulforaphane helps with detoxification processes in the body. [5,6]
Sulforaphane targets pro-inflammatory pathways and helps to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. [1-3]
It enhances the activity of the NrF2 pathway.[4] This pathway can activate over 500 genes in our body which has a role in detoxification and antioxidant defenses . [4,5]
Sources of Sulforaphane
Cruciferous vegetables are an excellent source of sulforaphane. Example include: [9]
Broccoli (especially broccoli sprouts!)
Brussels sprouts
Bok choy
Greens (like collard and mustard)
Watercress
Other sources include broccoli sprout extract, broccoli seed extract, and broccoli powder. [9]
Supplementation
There are a different types of sulforaphane supplements. Some contain only glucoraphanin, the precursor to sulforaphane, while others contain glucoraphanin and myrosinase. [10]
One study examined fresh broccoli sprouts, glucosinolate rich broccoli powder with no myrosinase and a combination of both. The powder with no myrosinase produced the least amount of sulforaphane due to the lack of available myrosinase and the reliance of gut microbiota for myrosinase. [9]
Examples of Common Sulforaphane Supplements Include:
Capsule: (can be broken and mixed into juice or applesauce)
Capsules
Designs for Health BroccoProtect (contains both sulforaphane + myrosinase)
Liquid
Chewables
Note: All supplements are linked to Amazon for convenience, however, buying supplements on Amazon does not guarantee quality, as there are many “unverified resellers” selling nutrition supplements. To buy supplements that are verified to be sent directly to the consumer, you can create an account on the Autism Dietitian FullScript and search for the respective supplement under “Catalog”.
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any supplement or medication, always consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it is a good fit for your child. Dosage can vary based on age, weight, gender, and current diet.
Sulforaphane & Autism in the Research
Use of Sulforaphane in Autism
In a double blind Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) conducted by Singh et al.(2014) , males with moderate to severe autism were given a daily dose of sulforaphane in the form of broccoli sprout extract (BSE) or a placebo for 18 weeks and this was followed by 4 weeks of no treatment (11). Results from this study showed:
There was a 34% decrease in the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC) score and a 17% decrease in Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores. There was an improvement in irritability, lethargy, stereotypy, hyperactivity as well as improvement in awareness, communication, motivation and mannerism. [11]
Once treatment with sulforaphane stopped, improvements returned to baseline. For those receiving sulforaphane, there was also an improvement in social interaction, aberrant behaviour and verbal communication. [11]
It’s important to note that some side effects were experienced in 12-19% of those receiving sulforaphane including insomnia, nausea/vomiting, constipation/diarrhea, increased aggression and seasonal allergies. [11]
Weight gain of approximately 4.3 pounds was reported in those receiving sulforaphane while those receiving the placebo only gained 0.3 pounds. [11]
In two other separate clinical trials, children with ASD received sulforaphane either in the form of broccoli sprout extract or broccoli seed powder. The first trial showed a 64% improvements in Ohio Autism Global Impression Scale Improvement (OACIS-1). [2]
In another study, 15 children were given broccoli seed and broccoli sprout blend over 12 weeks and significant improvements were reported in ABC and SRS scores. [2]
A study conducted with 6 participants were given broccoli sprout extract for 28 weeks. This study examined the degree of severity in which attributes were affected by ASD. Ninety-two attributes were identified to be moderately severe or severely affected by ASD, 74 attributes (80%) saw positive changes and 36 attributes (39%) saw significant improvement. [2]
A study of 15 children with autism were given sulforaphane for 12 weeks and urinary metabolites and symptoms were collected. 77 urinary metabolites that were correlated with changes in symptoms, and they clustered into pathways of oxidative stress, gut microbiome, neurotransmitters, hormones, and sphingomyelin metabolism. [15]
Sulforaphane & Risperidone
In a double blind RCT study, children using risperidone were given either sulforaphane or a placebo daily for 10 weeks. The children receiving the treatment (sulforaphane and risperidone) showed an improvement in irritability and hyperactivity symptoms. [12]
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any supplement or medication, always consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it is a good fit for your child.
Sulforaphane & Oxidative Stress
Animal studies have shown that sulforaphane can increase glutathione levels which helps increase cellular defense and reducing oxidative stress. [1-2] Glutathione is an antioxidant that is needed for cellular defense against oxidative stress in order to limit the damage caused by free radicals. [1,14] It has been reported that children with ASD have lower levels of glutathione. [14] Read more in the glutathione note.
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[1] Klomparens EA, Ding Y. The neuroprotective mechanisms and effects of sulforaphane. Brain Circulation. 2019; 5: 74-83.
[2] McGuinness G, Kim Y. Sulforaphane treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. EXCLI Journal. 2020;19:892-903.
[3] Vanduchova A, Anzenbacher P, Anzenbacherova E. Isothiocyanate form Broccoli, Sulforaphane and its Properties. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2019; 22(2): 121-126.
[4] Sun Y, Yang T, Mao L, et al. Sulforaphane Protects against Brain Diseases: Roles of Cytoprotective Enzymes. Austin J Cerebrovasc Dis Stroke. 2017; 4(1).
[5] Houghton CA. Sulforaphane: Its’ “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2019.
[6] Houghton CA, Fassett RG, Coombes JS. Sulforaphane and Other Nutrigenomic NrF2 Activators: Can the Clinician’s Expectation Be Matched by the Reality? Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2016.
[7] Oliviero T, Verkerk R, Dekker M. Isothiocyanates from Brassica Vegetables - Effects of Processing, Cooking, Mastication and Digestion. Mol. Nut. and Food Res. 2018; 62.
[8] Okunade O, Niranjan K, Ghawi SK ,et al. Supplementation of the Diet by Exogenous Myrosinase via Mustard Seeds to Increase the Bioavailability of Sulforaphane in Healthy human Subjects after the Consumption of Cooked Broccoli. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018;62(18).
[9] Palliyaguru DL, Yan JM, Kensler TW, et al. Isothiocyanates: translating the power of plants to people. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018; 62(18).
[10] Lynch, R, Diggins EL, Connors SL, et al. Sulforaphane from Broccoli Reduces Symptoms of Autism: A Follow-up Case Series from a Randomized Double-blind Study. Global Advances in Health and Medicine. 2017;6.
[11] Singh K, Connors SL, Macklin EA, et al. Sulforaphane treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PNAS. 2014; 111(43).
[12] Momtazmanesh S, Amirimoghaddam-Yazdi Z, Moghaddam HS. Sulforaphane as an adjunctive treatment for irritability in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized, double-blind,placebo-controlled trial. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2020; 74(7):398-405.
[13] Ruhee RT, Suzuki K. The Integrative Role of Sulforaphane in Preventing Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Fatigue: A Review of a Potential Protective Phytochemical. Antioxidants. 2020;9(16).
[14] Liu H, Talalay P, Fahey JW. Biomarker-Guided Strategy for Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets. 2016; 15: 602-613.
[15] Bent, S., Lawton, B., Warren, T. et al. Identification of urinary metabolites that correlate with clinical improvements in children with autism treated with sulforaphane from broccoli. Molecular Autism 9, 35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-018-0218-4
