Sulforaphane
Other ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Potent Nrf2 activator from broccoli sprouts for detoxification and cellular protection.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Sulforaphane is an other most often used for detoxification, cancer prevention, anti-inflammatory. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate. A typical adult dose is 30-60 mg daily (or broccoli sprout extract with myrosinase), commonly taken as broccoli sprout extract with myrosinase enzyme (avmacol, prostaphane). This profile indexes 21 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating moderate. Most-documented uses: detoxification, cancer prevention, anti-inflammatory. 21 sources indexed (2013–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Activates Nrf2 transcription factor, which upregulates >200 cytoprotective genes including glutathione synthesis, phase II detox enzymes, and antioxidant response elements.19,16
Dosing & protocol.
Take with food; myrosinase source needed for glucoraphanin conversion2,3
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Broccoli Sprout Extract with Myrosinase.
Assumes 30-60 mg/day or equivalent broccoli sprout extract. Vendor basis: Avmacol-style products, Life Extension, iHerb, and Amazon marketplace; active myrosinase formulas are premium. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Myrosinase activity and preparation strongly affect sulforaphane formation.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Gas
- Bloating
- Loose stools initially
Contraindications
- Thyroid conditions (goitrogens at high doses)
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
6- 1Sulforaphane and cancer prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological and interventional studies.PMIDVanduchova A, Anzenbacher P, Anzenbacherova E · Nutrition Reviews · 2024
Systematic review found high cruciferous vegetable intake (sulforaphane source) was associated with reduced risk of multiple cancer types, with interventional studies showing sulforaphane modulates carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes.
- 2Effect of sulforaphane supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PMIDKikuchi M, Kato H et al. · Clinical Nutrition · 2024
Meta-analysis of RCTs showed sulforaphane supplementation significantly increased antioxidant enzymes (GST, NQO1) and reduced markers of oxidative stress.
- 3Sulforaphane for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PMIDSingh K, Connors SL et al. · Molecular Autism · 2024
Meta-analysis of clinical trials found sulforaphane supplementation improved behavioral outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, supporting its role as an Nrf2 activator.
- 4Efficacy of sulforaphane in skin cancer animal models: A systematic reviewPMIDMasoom M, Khan MA · Polimery w medycynie · 2024
Masoom M, Khan MA. Efficacy of sulforaphane in skin cancer animal models: A systematic review. Polimery w medycynie. 2024
- 5Sulforaphane exhibits potent renoprotective effects in preclinical models of kidney diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDMonteiro EB, Ajackson M, Stockler-Pinto MB et al. · Life sciences · 2023
Monteiro EB, Ajackson M, Stockler-Pinto MB et al.. Sulforaphane exhibits potent renoprotective effects in preclinical models of kidney diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Life sciences. 2023
- 6Sulforaphane treatment for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic reviewPMIDMcGuinness G, Kim Y · EXCLI journal · 2020
McGuinness G, Kim Y. Sulforaphane treatment for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. EXCLI journal. 2020
Randomized controlled trials
7- 7Short-Term Effects of Broccoli-Derived Glucoraphanin on Recovery from Eccentric Muscle Damage: A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover StudyPMIDCesanelli L, Thomas R, Mickevičius M et al. · Nutrients · 2026
Cesanelli L, Thomas R, Mickevičius M et al.. Short-Term Effects of Broccoli-Derived Glucoraphanin on Recovery from Eccentric Muscle Damage: A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover Study. Nutrients. 2026
- 8Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial of Sulforaphane in Former Smokers at High Risk for Lung CancerPMIDYuan JM, Kensler TW, Dacic S et al. · Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2025
Yuan JM, Kensler TW, Dacic S et al.. Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial of Sulforaphane in Former Smokers at High Risk for Lung Cancer. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2025
- 9Efficacy and safety of sulforaphane for treatment of mild to moderate depression in patients with history of cardiac interventions: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trialSource linkedPMIDVarious authors · Phytotherapy Research · 2021
- 10Effects of long-term consumption of broccoli sprouts on inflammatory markers in overweight subjectsPMIDLopez-Chillon MT et al. · Clin Nutr · 2019
Long-term broccoli sprout consumption reduced inflammatory markers in overweight subjects.
- 11Broccoli sprout extract containing sulforaphane: effects on blood glucosePMIDAxelsson AS, Tubbs E, Mecber B et al. · Sci Transl Med · 2017
Fasting glucose reduced by 10% in obese dysregulated patients
- 12Sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract attenuates nasal allergic response to diesel exhaust particlesPMIDHeber D et al. · Food Funct · 2014
Standardized broccoli sprout extract suppressed nasal inflammatory response in human subjects challenged with diesel exhaust particles.
- 13Sulforaphane treatment of autism spectrum disorder: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trialPMIDSingh K, Connors SL, Macklin EA et al. · Proc Natl Acad Sci USA · 2014
34% improvement on Aberrant Behavior Checklist; effects reversed on discontinuation
Reviews & position papers
6- 14Sulforaphane as a potential therapeutic agent: a comprehensive analysis of clinical trials and mechanistic insightsPMIDMashayekh S et al. · Phytomedicine · 2025
Of 84 registered clinical trials, 39 published results suggest SFN's potential in regulating redox/inflammatory pathways, improving metabolic/cardiovascular outcomes, and exerting anti-cancer and neuroprotective effects.
- 15Efficacy and tolerability of sulforaphane in the therapeutic management of cancers: a systematic review of randomized controlled trialsSource linkedPMIDElKhalifa D, Al-Ziftawi N, Awaisu A et al. · Frontiers in Oncology · 2023
- 16The effect of dietary phytochemicals on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation: a systematic review of human intervention trialsPMIDClifford T et al. · Nutr Rev · 2021
About half of studies reported increases in Nrf2 activation with dietary phytochemicals; evidence is still limited though sulforaphane is the most studied Nrf2 activator.
- 17Frugal chemoprevention: targeting Nrf2 with foods rich in sulforaphanePMIDKensler TW et al. · Semin Oncol · 2016
Broccoli sprout preparations enhance detoxification of aflatoxins and air-borne toxins, which may attenuate cancer risk in exposed individuals.
- 18Sulforaphane and its effects on cancer, mortality, aging, brain and behavior, heart disease and moreSource linkedPMIDHoughton CA, Fassett RG, Coombes JS · Oxid Med Cell Longev · 2016
- 19Keap1-nrf2 signaling: a target for cancer prevention by sulforaphanePMIDKensler TW et al. · Top Curr Chem · 2013
Sulforaphane activates Nrf2 transcription factor, upregulating over 200 cytoprotective genes including glutathione synthesis and phase II detox enzymes.
Reference material
2- 20Zimmerman AW, Singh K, Connors SL et al.. Randomized controlled trial of sulforaphane and metabolite discovery in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Molecular autism. 2021Source linkedPMID
- 21Yan L, Yan Y. Therapeutic potential of sulforaphane in liver diseases: a review. Frontiers in pharmacology. 2023Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Sulforaphane, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Sulforaphane?
Potent Nrf2 activator from broccoli sprouts for detoxification and cellular protection.
What is Sulforaphane used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Sulforaphane include: Detoxification; Cancer prevention; Anti-inflammatory; Neuroprotection. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate.
What is a typical dose of Sulforaphane?
A typical adult dose of Sulforaphane is 30-60 mg daily (or broccoli sprout extract with myrosinase). The commonly recommended form is Broccoli sprout extract with myrosinase enzyme (Avmacol, Prostaphane). These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Sulforaphane?
Reported side effects include gas, bloating, loose stools initially. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Sulforaphane?
NutriStack rates this as Moderate, meaning several aligned RCTs or one large RCT plus supporting reviews. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Sulforaphane in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.