Month: June 2020

Microwave broccoli to increase flavonoid levels

gettingwell4 4-5 stars Advanced knowledge

This 2019 USDA study investigated representative broccoli cooking methods for their impact on kaempferol and quercetin levels:

“Understanding cooking effects on flavonoids is crucial to accurately estimate their daily intake and further investigate their health benefits. The purpose of this study was not to compare different conditions of each cooking methods, but to focus on retentions of individual flavonoids under common cooking conditions in the US:

  • For boiling, we chose to use 85 seconds.
  • A 5-minute steaming time was used.
  • Microwave treatment was carried out in a 1200W microwave at full power for 1 minute.

Seven kaempferol (Km) glycosides and one quercetin (Qn) glycoside were identified and quantified in raw and cooked broccoli by HPLC-MS:

Boiling resulted in significant loss of all flavonoids, while steaming and microwaving led to minor losses or even increases of flavonoids.

Microwaving without water or with small amount of water tended to retain or increase total phenolics and/or flavonoids. When a large amount of water was added during microwaving, to some extent resembling boiling, total phenolics and/or flavonoids decreased.

Different agriculture practices may affect flavonoids’ existence and their interactions with other compounds, which in turn alter their sensitivity to heat treatments.

Retention of nutrients in cooked foods can be calculated as apparent retention (AR) based on dry form, or true retention (TR) based on fresh/wet form. TR represents actual consumption forms and also takes weight change after cooking into consideration.

The possible explanation for TR over 100% is that thermal processing may increase extractability and/or release from binding to other compounds as a result of matrix softening.”

https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(19)30568-7 “Effects of domestic cooking on flavonoids in broccoli and calculation of retention factors”

The Material and methods section didn’t state that heated products’ temperatures were measured. So there wasn’t sufficient evidence for a solely thermal explanation of only microwaving achieving percentages over 100 per:

“The possible explanation for TR over 100% is that thermal processing..”

A more plausible explanation similar to Microwave broccoli to increase sulforaphane levels may account for microwaving’s increased percentages:

“Microwave treatment causes a sudden collapse of cell structure due to the increase in osmotic pressure difference over vacuole membrane.

We didn’t expect this result, and think microwave irradiation might help to release more conjugated forms of glucosinolates and then get hydrolyzed by released myrosinase.”

I immerse 3-day-old broccoli sprouts in 100 ml distilled water, then microwave them on 1000W full power for 35 seconds to ≤ 60°C (140°F). After microwaving I transfer broccoli sprouts to a strainer, and allow further myrosinase hydrolization of glucoraphanin and other glucosinolates into sulforaphane and other healthy compounds.

Myrosinase deactivation above 60°C wasn’t a consideration, since boiling, steaming, and a 1200W microwave on full power for one minute may have produced temperatures above 60°C. I’ll guess that an active enzyme wasn’t a requirement for flavonoid contents of broccoli purchased in a Beltsville, Maryland, grocery store.

The microwave tests used:

“Broccoli florets (150 g) were put in a microwave safe bowl with a 1 tablespoon [15 ml] of water.”

I use:

  • A lesser weight of 3-day-old broccoli sprouts;
  • A greater volume of distilled water;
  • A less powerful microwave operated on full power for a lesser duration.

Before microwaving, I would expect a estimated 134 mg total flavonoids from eating 3-day old broccoli sprouts every day. This study’s findings lead me to expect that current practices with microwaving would improve flavonoid levels.

Don’t overcook broccoli

gettingwell4 0-1 star Wasted resources, Stress

This 2020 US / Korea study set a low bar and jumped over it by finding:

“The abundance of GSL [glucosinolate] hydrolysis products in cooked samples was lower compared to the raw samples.

Regardless of different cooking methods and durations, the total GSL amount in MeJA [methyl jasmonate]-treated broccoli was still higher than in the non-treated broccoli. This suggests that the increased GSL concentration in broccoli samples was solely affected by MeJA treatment, and the effect of MeJA was not affected by cooking methods.

Effect of cooking and 250 µM MeJA treatment on (A) total aliphatic glucosinolates, (B) total indole glucosinolates, and (C) total glucosinolates in ‘Green Magic’ broccoli. * = detected significant different by Student’s T-test (p ≤ 0.05, n = 3) with a significant interaction between MeJA treatment and cooking treatment.”

https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/6/758/htm “Methyl Jasmonate Treatment of Broccoli Enhanced Glucosinolate Concentration, Which Was Retained after Boiling, Steaming, or Microwaving”

Did it advance science to only replicate mistakes in consumer broccoli cooking methods with:

“The abundance of GSL hydrolysis products in cooked samples was lower compared to the raw samples.”

No.

Did the study design have tests to provide cooking method guidance for:

“To date, methods of delivering cooked broccoli without losing its nutritional benefits are still lacking in the literature, although consuming cooked broccoli is the most common practice for consumers.”

No.

Were there cooking method and temperature recommendations to avoid:

“Cooking also inactivates myrosinase, the enzyme converting GSL into hydrolysis products, and then hinders the formation of hydrolysis products.”

No.

Were there cooking method tests to further enhance either control samples or:

“Exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment was known to increase the levels of neoglucobrassicin and their bioactive hydrolysis products in broccoli.”

No.

Why omit temperature measurements since:

“The major research questions of this study were to evaluate how MeJA application to broccoli plants will affect GSL concentration, myrosinase activity, GSL hydrolysis product amounts..”

Maybe Microwave broccoli to increase sulforaphane levels wasn’t yet published when this study’s design decisions were made. Still, why would a study:

  • Test microwave half power without also testing full power?
  • Select microwaving time as the sole measurement without also measuring temperature?

Table S1 and Figure 3 of the Chinese / USDA study showed a two-minute microwaving time at 50% power wouldn’t be expected to have any sulforaphane content significantly different from uncooked broccoli. Also, temperatures of a five-minute microwaving time at 50% power were guaranteed to completely deactivate myrosinase.

Supplementary material confirmed that this study’s microwaving parameters didn’t show anything of value for how to use your microwave to increase broccoli compound levels. Did the study’s findings provide much more than what not to do?

Poor design decisions created a large gap between what could have been studied and what was studied. Let’s hope there will be better use of resources next time.

One of these numbers is not like the others

gettingwell4 Just me

117622 / 330937295 = 0.000355

or 0.0355%

.133 x 330937295 = 44,014,660

So 44+ million people were thrown out of work in the US to justify and accompany a cover story of a disease that would have to triple its death rate to reach one-tenth of one percent?

Are we a nation of math illiterates? This makes sense only to those who are impelled to gain power over people’s lives for no reason other than to have power.

No wonder the narrative changed four weeks ago to race.

What topics have your conversations been obsessed with the past four weeks? Are you running with the herd? Take caution of the herd’s destination.

A compelling review of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance

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This 2020 review by coauthors of 2019’s A transgenerational view of the rise in obesity and Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance extends to the great-great-grand offspring summarized:

“The prevalence of obesity and associated diseases has reached pandemic levels.

Ancestral and direct exposures to environmental toxicants and altered nutrition have been shown to increase susceptibility for obesity and metabolic dysregulation. Environmental insults can reprogram the epigenome of the germline (sperm and eggs), which transmits the susceptibility for disease to future generations through epigenetic transgenerational inheritance.

During the 1950s, the entire North American population was exposed to high levels of the pesticide DDT, when the obesity rate was < 5% of the population. Three generations later, the obesity frequency in North America is now ~45% of the population.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043276020300515 “Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Obesity Susceptibility” (not freely available)

Do any of us have accurate and complete medical histories of our parents back to our great-great-grandparents? Did any of our ancestors record their exposures to environmental toxicants?

The research community has been conditioned to not trust research done primarily from one source. Dr. Michael Skinner’s labs at Washington State University are suspect by this preconception.

A researcher there addressed the situation when I asked. Their answer in A self-referencing study of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance ended with:

“We hope to see other labs contributing to this particular field and we will be delighted to cite them. In the meantime, our only option is to reference our previous work.”

It’s especially time for toxicologists to overcome their behavioral conditioning. If they don’t understand how epigenetic transgenerational inheritance impacts their field now, will they ever get a clue?

Our ancestors’ experiences have much to do with our physiologies. The biological evidence is compelling, yet it continues to be ignored and misconstrued.

Part 2 of Do broccoli sprouts treat migraines?

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To follow up Do broccoli sprouts treat migraines? which used a PubMed “sulforaphane migraine” search, a PubMed “diindolylmethane” search came across a 2020 Czech human cell study Antimigraine Drug Avitriptan Is a Ligand and Agonist of Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor that Induces CYP1A1 in Hepatic and Intestinal Cells that had this informative Introduction:

“The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transcriptionally controls a wide array of genes. AhR is a critical player in human physiology (e.g., hematopoiesis) and also in many pathophysiological processes such as diabetes, carcinogenesis, inflammation, infection or cardiovascular diseases.

Suitable candidates for off-targeting AhR could be the antimigraine drugs of triptan class, which have an indole core in their structure. Indole-based compounds were demonstrated as ligands of AhR, including dietary indoles (e.g., indole-3-carbinol and diindolylmethane).”

Adding AhR to the search showed:

Changing the PubMed search to “icz migraine” pulled up a 2013 review Biomedical Importance of Indoles that described sumatriptan as an indole, and:

“Since DIM accumulates in the cell nucleus, it likely contributes to cell nuclear events that have been ascribed to I3C.”

Widening the search to “i3c ahr” added:

Changing the search to “i3c migraine” picked up a 2011 UK human study Effect of diindolylmethane supplementation on low-grade cervical cytological abnormalities: double-blind, randomised, controlled trial:

“In the study reported here, there was no statistically significant difference in serious adverse events between groups; in fact a higher proportion of women in the placebo group reported a serious adverse event. Although this study did not have sufficient power to study migraines, we did find a non-significant increase in reported headaches (18% on DIM, 12% on placebo, P=0.12).”

Returning to the original PubMed “sulforaphane migraine” search, Bioavailability of Sulforaphane Following Ingestion of Glucoraphanin-Rich Broccoli Sprout and Seed Extracts with Active Myrosinase: A Pilot Study of the Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitor Administration included one subject who took migraine medication. They weren’t a study outlier, however.

Although indole chemistry indicates a broccoli sprouts – migraine connection, I haven’t found relevant research. Maybe the known properties and actions of broccoli sprout compounds provide enough to affect causes of migraines?

See Part 3 to follow up.

Eat broccoli sprouts for DIM

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This 2019 Spanish human study ran in parallel with Our model clinical trial for Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts. I’ll focus on the aspect of diindolylmethane (DIM) from eating broccoli sprouts:

“The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of gender or hormonal status (menopause) on the bioavailability of broccoli sprouts in different cohorts of overweight adult subjects: men, non-menopausal women and post-menopausal women.

3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) was detected and quantified in all volunteers. It increased significantly during broccoli [sprouts] ingestion in men. However, a steady decrease of its urinary concentration was observed in post-menopausal women that was significant at day 50. No significant changes were observed in premenopausal women. Albeit this different behaviour, no significant differences between the three groups were detected by the different statistical tests performed.

High increases observed in SFN-metabolites in the three cohorts confirm that the fresh product is a good source of bioactive compounds bioavailable in the organism. We detected high amounts of 3,3-DIM in urine samples, which can be related to the metabolism of glucobrassicin derivatives from our broccoli sprouts.

Post-menopausal women seem to metabolize isothiocyanates in a greater extension. Hormonal status and differences in gut microbiota may influence the bioavailability of isothiocyanates from broccoli sprouts but more studies are needed to support this statement.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464619303147 “Bioavailability of broccoli sprouts in different human overweight populations” (not freely available)

“Post-menopausal women seem to metabolize isothiocyanates in a greater extension. A steady decrease of its [DIM] urinary concentration was observed in post-menopausal women that was significant at day 50.”

Subjects ate 30 grams of broccoli super sprouts every day through Day 35, then stopped, and were measured again at Day 50. The only example of measurements where Day 35 was less than Day 0 was postmenopausal women metabolizing more DIM.

That Day 35 data point didn’t have an asterisk next to it to indicate a statistically significant decrease. But the overweight postmenopausal women group’s next Day 50 significant “steady decrease” finding supported an interpretation that eating broccoli sprouts supplied them with DIM that they especially needed.

Regarding the huge percentage changes above, our model clinical trial found in a longer time frame:

The decrease in IL-6 levels was significantly related to the increase in 24 h urine SFN [sulforaphane] levels. In case of C-reactive protein, the decrease was significantly related to the increases in 24 h urine SFN-NAC [SFN-N-acetylcysteine] and SFN-CYS [SFN-cysteine].

I’ll guess that these parallel trial subjects also experienced similar benefits from eating broccoli  sprouts every day for five weeks. See Day 70 results from Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts for another guess that even shorter time frames would be effective.

Broccoli super sprout indolic compounds were as follows:

indolic glucosinolates

Assuming that only glucobrassicin is a precursor to DIM, subjects’ DIM bioavailability can be calculated as μmol DIM / 21.61 μmol. For example, overweight postmenopausal women Day 35 average of 0.5544 μmol DIM that ranged from 0.1771 to 0.8034 μmol DIM represented an average 2.57% DIM bioavailability with a range of 0.82% to 3.72% DIM bioavailability.

See Part 2 for DIM follow-up.

Day 70 results from Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts

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Here are my Day 70 measurements* to follow up Our model clinical trial for Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts, which had these findings:


Keep in mind that I’m not in the population represented by the clinical trial sample:

  1. My chronological age is above their inclusion range;
  2. My BMI is below their inclusion range; and
  3. I take supplements and meet other exclusion criteria.

I also didn’t take Day 0 measurements.

June 2019 BMI: 24.8

June 2020 BMI: 22.4

2020 IL-6: 1.0 pg / ml. See Part 2 of Rejuvenation therapy and sulforaphane for comparisons.

2020 C-reactive protein: < 1 mg / l.

IL-6 2020

2019 and 2020 No biological age measurements. Why aren’t epigenetic clocks standard and affordable?

I’ve made four lifestyle “interventions” since last summer:

  1. In July 2019 I started to reduce my consumption of advanced glycation end products after reading Dr. Vlassara’s AGE-Less Diet: How a Chemical in the Foods We Eat Promotes Disease, Obesity, and Aging and the Steps We Can Take to Stop It.
  2. In September I started non-prescription daily treatments of Vitamin D, zinc, and DHEA per clinical trial Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends.
  3. Also in September, I started non-prescription intermittent quercetin treatments of Preliminary findings from a senolytics clinical trial.
  4. I started eating broccoli sprouts every day eleven weeks ago.

1. Broccoli sprouts oppose effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) provided examples of Items 1 and 4 interactions.

2. Two examples of Item 2 treatment interactions with Item 4 are in Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane:

  • “The effects of the combined treatment with BSE [broccoli sprout extract] and zinc were always greater than those of single treatments.” [Zinc and broccoli sprouts – a winning combination]
  • “Vitamin D administration decreased tumor incidence and size, and the co-administration with SFN [sulforaphane] magnified the effects. The addition of SFN decreased the activity of histone deacetylase and increased autophagy.”

3. How broccoli sprout compounds may complement three supplements I take was in a 2020 review Central and Peripheral Metabolic Defects Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease: Targeting Mitochondria for Diagnosis and Prevention:

“The nutrients benefit mitochondria in four ways, by:

  • Ameliorating oxidative stress, for example, lipoic acid;
  • Activating phase II enzymes that improve antioxidant defenses, for example, sulforaphane;
  • Enhancing mitochondrial remodeling, for example, acetyl-l-carnitine; and
  • Protecting mitochondrial enzymes and/or stimulating mitochondrial enzyme activities, for example, enzyme cofactors, such as B vitamins and coenzyme Q10 .

In addition to using mitochondrial nutrients individually, the combined use of mitochondrial nutrients may provide a better strategy for mitochondrial protection.”

The review provided a boatload of mitochondrial multifactorial analyses for Alzheimer’s. But these analyses didn’t include effective mitochondrial treatments of ultimate aging causes. I didn’t see evidence of why, after fifteen years of treating mitochondrial effects with supplements, treating one more effect could account for my Week 9 vastly different experiences.

I nod to An environmental signaling paradigm of aging explanations. Its Section 10 reviewed IL-6, C-reactive protein, senescence, and NF-κB in terms of feedback loops, beginning with:

“It is clear that the increasing number of senescent cells depends on the post-adult developmental stage rather than chronological age. The coincidence that these processes result in particular forms of impairment in old age does not seem to be random as it is present in all mammals, and may be causative of many aspects of aging.”

A derived hypothesis: After sufficient strength and duration, broccoli sprout compounds changed my signaling environment, with appreciable effects beginning in Week 9.

I offered weak supporting evidence in Upgrade your brain’s switchboard with broccoli sprouts where a study’s insufficient one week duration of an insufficient daily 17.3 mg sulforaphane dosage still managed to change a blood antioxidant that may have changed four thalamus-brain-area metabolites. For duration and weight comparisons, I doubled my daily amount of broccoli seeds from one to two tablespoons just before Week 6 (Day 35), and from that point onward consumed a estimated 52 mg sulforaphane with microwaving 3-day-old broccoli sprouts every day.

Maybe a promised “In a submitted study, we will report that peripheral GSH levels may be correlated with cognitive functions” will provide stronger evidence? I’m not holding my breath for relevant studies because:

  • There wouldn’t be potential payoffs for companies to study any broccoli sprout compound connections with research areas such as aging, migraines, etc. Daily clinically-relevant broccoli sprout dosages can be grown for < $500 a year.
  • Sponsors would have to change paradigms, a very-low-probability event. They’d have to explain why enormous resources dedicated to current frameworks haven’t produced effective long-term treatments.

What long-term benefits could be expected if I continue eating broccoli sprouts every day?

The longest relevant clinical trial I’ve seen – referenced in Part 2 of Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane – was twelve weeks. Part 2 also provided epigenetic clock examples of changes measured after 9 months, which accelerated from there to the 12-month end-of-trial point.

Reviewing clinical trials of broccoli sprouts and their compounds pointed out:

“Biomarkers of effect need more time than biomarkers of exposure to be influenced by dietary treatment.”

A contrary argument: Perhaps people don’t require long durations to effectively change their signaling environments?

I apparently didn’t start eating an effective-for-me daily broccoli sprouts dosage until Day 35, when I changed from one to two tablespoons of broccoli seeds a day. If so, Weeks 6 through 8 may account for my substantial responses during Week 9.

  • Could eating broccoli sprouts every day for four weeks dramatically change a person’s signaling environment?
  • Do you have four weeks and $38 to find out? Two tablespoons of broccoli seeds = 21.4 g x 30 days = .642 kg or 1.42 lbs.

This is what twice-a-day one-tablespoon starting amounts of broccoli seeds look like through three days:


Maintaining the sprouting process hasn’t been a big effort compared with the benefits.

In the absence of determinative evidence, I’ll continue eating broccoli sprouts every day. Several areas of my annual physical have room for improvements. Extending my four lifestyle “interventions” a few more months may also provide hints toward inadequately researched connections.

* Results may not be extrapolatable to other people, to any specific condition, etc.

Week 10 of Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts

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To follow up Week 9 of Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts:

1. I increased three of eight upper body exercises by 50% through adding another set. I did it because I didn’t feel muscle exhaustion after two sets like I’d previously felt. 🙂

Cognitively, see A claim of improved cognitive function and its follow on Upgrade your brain’s switchboard with broccoli sprouts.

2. It’s been inspirational at times, and at other times, dull, duller, dullest, to do what’s necessary and keep on track. But efforts paid off when Week 9 was unlike any previous week!

I expressed appreciation in Our model clinical trial for Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts because scientific evidence provides great bases for intentional behavior. It’s still up to me to voluntarily carry out my part.

And why wouldn’t I act when my healthspan and lifespan are consequences? Except…

What if I’d been:

  • Tired of the hassle, or bored with self-imposed discipline, or lazy, and quit?
  • Projecting personal problems onto others, such that improving my present and future became less important than present act-outs?
  • Distracted by, or believed propaganda, or participated in Madness of Crowds behavioral contagion, and missed day after day of required actions?

I may not have ever experienced Week 9’s intermediate-term benefits!

If I keep going past ten weeks, what long-term benefits could be expected?

Our model clinical trial didn’t say how researchers decided on a ten-week period for subjects to consume broccoli sprouts every day. I asked a study coauthor about trial duration, but no answer yet.

A few of the same coauthors answered generally in Reviewing clinical trials of broccoli sprouts and their compounds:

“Biomarkers of effect are early stage end-points, for instance modulation of phase 2 enzymes by glucosinolates. They need more time than biomarkers of exposure to be influenced by dietary treatment.

Hence, length or duration of the study must be defined according to the biomarker measured to be modified, that is, to define perfectly the time of exposure to observe changes in relevant parameters. Gene expression is one important target for glucosinolates, and it requires a sufficient period of exposure to (de)activate signaling pathways involved.

It is crucial to find appropriate biomarkers of effect that are linked to later disease outcomes, and more investigation is needed in this sense. Post-study follow-up can be of great value in assessing persistence of certain effects, or in discovering those that appear more long-term.”

3. I’ll go into a clinic on Sunday for Day 70 truth tests. Here they are: Day 70 results from Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts!

Living beings – thousands of years old – living together

Our model clinical trial for Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts

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The further I get into a daily regimen of eating broccoli sprouts for ten weeks, the more I appreciate “Effects of long-term consumption of broccoli sprouts on inflammatory markers in overweight subjects.”

“This study represents an advance in intervention studies as the broccoli sprouts were included in a daily dietary pattern in quantities that reflect a real consumption. The hypothesis of our research is that broccoli sprouts are able to reduce the inflammatory status in overweight subjects due to their content in phytochemicals, mainly glucosinolates.

Total concentration of aliphatic glucosinolates was 80.50 mg/30 gf.w. This concentration was two-fold higher than indolic glucosinolates. Volunteers consumed an average of 51 mg (117 μmol) and 20 mg (42 μmol) of glucoraphanin and neoglucobrassicin, respectively, on a daily basis, during the 70 days of the dietary intervention. Considering an amount of GRA [glucoraphanin] of 117 μmol by serving, a 4% on average was metabolized through mercapturic acid pathway.

No significant changes were observed in weight and BMI. By contrast, body fat mass slightly decreased significantly after 70 days of broccoli [sprout] consumption and returned to basal levels at day 90, a state that was maintained until day 160.

The decrease in IL-6 levels was significantly related to the increase in 24 h urine SFN [sulforaphane] levels. In case of C-reactive protein, the decrease was significantly related to the increases in 24 h urine SFN-NAC [SFN-N-acetylcysteine] and SFN-CYS [SFN-cysteine].

The possible synergistic interaction of both SFN and 3,30-DIM and the isothiocyanates erucin and sulforaphane are interconvertible, so that the anti-inflammatory effects observed with broccoli sprouts intake are likely due to the combined effects of all the hydrolysis products of glucosinolates.“

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561418301183 (Not freely available, better format) and https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4647168/ (freely available)

Modifications I’ve made to the clinical trial’s protocols include:

  1. I start new broccoli sprout batches twice a day with one tablespoon of seeds per A pair of broccoli sprout studies.
  2. I eat 131 grams daily as calculated in Estimating daily consumption of broccoli sprout compounds.
  3. Per 3-day-old broccoli sprouts have the optimal yields, I consume broccoli sprouts when they’re 3 days old. The clinical trial subjects ate broccoli sprouts that were at least a week old.
  4. I immerse 3-day-old broccoli sprouts in 100 ml distilled water, then microwave them on 1000W full power for 35 seconds to ≤ 60°C (140°F) per Microwave broccoli to increase sulforaphane levels.
  5. Per Enhancing sulforaphane content, after microwaving I transfer broccoli sprouts to a strainer, and allow further myrosinase hydrolization of glucoraphanin and other glucosinolates into sulforaphane and other healthy compounds.

I use the above studies as guides to create broccoli sprout hydrolysis compounds just before eating them. I don’t depend on my metabolism to create sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol, erucin, and other hydrolysis compounds as did the clinical trial. But then again, those subjects ate super sprouts:

“We used the elicitor methyl jasmonate (MeJA) by priming the seeds as well as by spraying daily over the cotyledons from day 4-7 of germination. We observed that MeJA at concentrations of 250 μmol act as stressor in the plant and enhances the biosynthesis of the phytochemicals glucosinolates.

Compared to control plants without MeJA treatment, the content of compounds as the aliphatic glucosinolate glucoraphanin was enhanced up to a 70% and similar increases were observed with glucoiberin or glucobrassicin. In this way, we improved the content of these health-promoting compounds.”

I’ve referenced our model clinical trial in 15 previous blog posts. They are, in date descending order:

  1. A pair of broccoli sprout studies
  2. Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane
  3. A hair color anecdote
  4. Week 7 of Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts
  5. Part 2 of Rejuvenation therapy and sulforaphane
  6. A rejuvenation therapy and sulforaphane
  7. Week 6 of Changing an inflammatory phenotype with broccoli sprouts
  8. Week 3 of Changing an inflammatory phenotype with broccoli sprouts
  9. Broccoli sprouts oppose effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
  10. Reviewing clinical trials of broccoli sprouts and their compounds
  11. Understanding a clinical trial’s broccoli sprout amount
  12. Week 2 of Changing an inflammatory phenotype with broccoli sprouts
  13. Changing an inflammatory phenotype with broccoli sprouts
  14. Growing a broccoli sprouts Victory Garden
  15. How much sulforaphane is suitable for healthy people?

Upgrade your brain’s switchboard with broccoli sprouts

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Further investigating A claim of improved cognitive function, Part 3 of Rejuvenation therapy and sulforaphane offered:

“Improving brain function does not depend on neurogenesis as much as it does on synapse formation and factors such as NMDA receptors which decline in density with age.”

A PubMed “sulforaphane NMDA receptors” search turned up a 2019 cell study The glutathione cycle shapes synaptic glutamate activity:

“Sulforaphane is a potent inducer of the Nrf2 transcription factor, has blood–brain barrier penetration, and might expand the size of the glutathione reservoir by our observation that it increases expression of GCL [glutamate cysteine ligase], the rate-limiting step in glutathione biogenesis. Our recent study in human subjects revealed that sulforaphane elevates peripheral glutathione levels and those of other brain metabolites.”

The referenced study was a 2017 Sulforaphane Augments Glutathione and Influences Brain Metabolites in Human Subjects: A Clinical Pilot Study:

“We found that the naturally occurring isothiocyanate sulforaphane increased blood GSH levels in healthy human subjects following 7 days of daily oral administration. In parallel, we explored the potential influence of sulforaphane on brain GSH levels in the anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus via 7-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

A significant positive correlation between blood and thalamic GSH post- and pre-sulforaphane treatment ratios was observed, in addition to a consistent increase in brain GSH levels in response to treatment. The sulforaphane response in brain GSH levels is not influenced by age, sex, or race.

The participants were given 100 µmol sulforaphane as standardized broccoli sprout extract in the form of 2 gel capsules, and instructed to ingest the extract each morning for 1 week.

Following sulforaphane administration, the increase in blood GSH was positively correlated with GABA, Gln [glutamine], Glu [glutamate], and GSH in the THAL [thalamus]. Although these correlations were not significant following multiple comparison, they remain suggestive. Power analysis calculations suggest that a sample size of n = 50 would yield a significant result, and this will be the focus of a future study.

As has been reported for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, longer treatment duration and/or higher dosages may be warranted. In a submitted study, we will report that peripheral GSH levels may be correlated with cognitive functions.”

One week of consuming sulforaphane wasn’t long enough to achieve much. Not enough subjects and “higher dosages may be warranted” were also thrown in to explain the lack of significant results.

Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease estimated the “100 µmol sulforaphane” dosage to be 17.3 mg. Worst-case estimates made in Estimating daily consumption of broccoli sprout compounds are that since doubling the starting amount of broccoli seeds from one to two tablespoons in Week 6, I’ve consumed 52 mg sulforaphane with microwaving 3-day-old broccoli sprouts every day.

Something happened where the promised “In a submitted study, we will report that peripheral GSH levels may be correlated with cognitive functions” either wasn’t performed or wasn’t published. The follow-on 2019 study became a cell study instead of a 50+ person study.

The study’s thalamus findings provided plausible explanations for why eating a clinically relevant amount of broccoli sprouts every day since at least Week 6, Week 9 was so much different from the others. Sulforaphane changed a blood antioxidant which may have changed four thalamus metabolites.

The thalamus part of our brain is analogous to a switchboard. Signals pass through it to and from other brain areas.

Signals can be routed better when we clean up and upgrade wiring, and lower circuit resistance. Connections within our brains become less inhibited, and external connections concordantly become more apparent.

A claim of improved cognitive function

gettingwell4 2-3 stars Required further work, Cerebrum, Hypothalamus, Limbic system, Lower brain, Memory ,

I’ll describe evidence for claiming improved cognitive function in Week 9 of Changing to a youthful phenotype with broccoli sprouts.

I read parts of over a hundred research papers last week. That required substantial concentration to understand them, and stay on topic while learning new items, which started new searches. This wasn’t a new development, it was just to a much greater extent. I also worked forty hours for my job.

The main chain of blog posts began when I relooked at the presentation in Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends after remembering it included before and after photos per A hair color anecdote. The presentation prompted last week’s most frequent self-question, Why didn’t I see this before?

One possible explanation is that people don’t usually see things outside their conditioned perceptions. (1) Reevaluate findings in another paradigm illustrated this with an example of how different frameworks viewed the same hypothalamus study differently.

I was interested to see what sulforaphane research had in common with the presentation topics, which produced (2) Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane. That required gaining a better understanding of PubMed search techniques, which led to (3) A pair of broccoli sprout studies.

Numerous presentation topics resulted in (4) Part 2 of Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane. I investigated one of its cited papers in (5) A review of sulforaphane and aging, which required further searches, some of which are still on tabs of my browser.

I was happy to oblige special requests with (6) Tailoring measurements for broccoli sprouts and (7) Uses of the lymphocytes to monocytes ratio.

Could I have done all of what I did last week without changing my internal environment? What exactly are the effects of eating a clinically relevant amount of broccoli sprouts every day for nine weeks?

A plausible explanation is in Upgrade your brain’s switchboard with broccoli sprouts.