This 2019 study deserved better coverage than a one sentence mention in Reversal of aging and immunosenescent trends with sulforaphane:

“Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is one of the most common breathing disorders in sleep, with a high prevalence of 3–7% and severe consequences. It is characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH) due to recurrent episodes of partial or complete collapse of the upper airway during sleep, leading to blood hypoxemia, hypercapnia, sleep fragmentation, augmented respiratory efforts, and increased sympathetic activity.

Our study is the first investigation of the combination of BSE [broccoli sprout extract] and Zn [zinc] – Nrf2 and MT [metallothionein] inducers – to protect against IH-induced cardiomyopathy. By effectively activating Nrf2, its downstream targets, and MT, this combination can ameliorate defects associated with IH-induced cardiomyopathy more effectively than monotherapies.

Mice were administered with BSE (equivalent to SFN [sulforaphane] 2 mg/kg) and/or Zn sulfate heptahydrate (5 mg/kg) by gavage from 8 weeks of age at a frequency of once every other day for 8 weeks. Doses used in this study are safe to convert to human doses. [2 mg x .081 x 70 kg = 11 mg sulforaphane; 5 mg x .081 x 70 kg = 28 mg zinc]

• Heart mass was significantly lower in the IH-BSE/Zn group than in IH and IH-BSE groups. Heart mass / tibia length ratio was significantly lower in the IH-BSE/Zn group than in IH and monotherapy groups.
• Treatment with BSE and/or Zn can ameliorate myocardial fibrosis associated with IH, to a certain extent, and combination therapy had the best antifibrotic effect among treatments.
• BSE or Zn can significantly ameliorate myocardial inflammation induced by IH, but the combination provided a better anti-inflammatory effect.
• We used 3-NT as an indicator of the severity of oxidative stress. 3-NT protein levels were significantly reduced in IH mice for all treatment groups, and reduction was greater in the combination treatment group.
• Combination was more effective than monotherapies to activate Nrf2-mediated antioxidant function.

• In Zn-treated and combination treatment groups, MT protein expression was significantly higher than in the IH group, and there was only a slight increase in the IH-BSE group.”

Combination of Broccoli Sprout Extract and Zinc Provides Better Protection Against Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Cardiomyopathy Than Monotherapy in Mice

One way to improve broccoli sprout compounds’ effects is to eat them with zinc. One way to improve zinc’s actions is to take it with broccoli sprouts.