The results of this study found that dosing twice a day may be important for increasing or prolonging certain chemopreventive benefits associated with sulforaphane consumption. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Absorption and chemopreventive targets of sulforaphane in humans following consumption of broccoli sprouts or a myrosinase-treated broccoli sprout extract.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2015 Mar ;59(3):424-33. Epub 2015 Jan 22. PMID: 25522265
Lauren L Atwell
SCOPE: Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from crucifers, has numerous health benefits. SFN bioavailability from dietary sources is a critical determinant of its efficacy in humans. A key factor in SFN absorption is the release of SFN from its glucosinolate precursor, glucoraphanin, by myrosinase. Dietary supplements are used in clinical trials to deliver consistent SFN doses, but myrosinase is often inactivated in available supplements. We evaluated SFN absorption from a myrosinase-treated broccoli sprout extract (BSE) and are the first to report effects of twice daily, oral dosing on SFN exposure in healthy adults.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Subjects consumed fresh broccoli sprouts or the BSE, each providing 200μmol SFN daily, as a single dose and as two 100-μmol doses taken 12 h apart. Using HPLC-MS/MS, we detected ∼3 x higher SFN metabolite levels in plasma and urine of sprout consumers, indicating enhanced SFN absorption from sprouts. Twelve-hour dosing retained higher plasma SFN metabolite levels at later time points than 24-hour dosing. No dose responses were observed for molecular targets of SFN (i.e. heme oxygenase-1, histone deacetylase activity, p21).
CONCLUSION: We conclude that the dietary form and dosing schedule of SFN may impact SFN absorption and efficacy in human trials.