Sulforaphane & Boosting the Nrf2 Antioxidant Pathway
Hi there,
One of the most common questions I get is, "How do I fill in the blanks?"
Here's how it usually goes:
New members join and connect to their raw data files. They are excited to see how their genes affect diet, supplements, disease risk, etc. Often, they are blown away by figuring out the solution to some health problem that they've had for years. This genetics stuff is so cool!
But then, they start thinking...
If I can solve X problem with my genetic data, what else can I do?? I feel good now, but what if I could be smarter, leap tall buildings in a single bound, be more powerful than a locomotive? How do I optimize everything?
At this point, they notice that there are a lot of blanks in their topic summary reports -- SNPs that aren't in their genetic data. What else could they know if they could just fill in those blanks?
I'm not going to lie. I've been there, and this quest for optimization is what drives me to add more and more content to Genetic Lifehacks.
One solution to 'fill in the blanks' is to add a second genetic raw data file to your current data. If you have 23andMe data, adding AncestryDNA data will take you from seeing your genotype 72% of the time to seeing it almost 90% of the time. Similarly, if you have AncestryDNA, adding in 23andMe data will fill in a lot of blanks.
I'm bringing this up now because both AncestryDNA and 23andMe are on sale right now for Mother's Day. AncestryDNA dropped its test price to $39 this week, while 23andMe is $79. Once you get your second set of test data, here are instructions on how to combine the data files for use on Genetic Lifehacks.
(I am often asked if I have some sort of financial incentive or affiliation with 23andMe and AncestryDNA. I don't. They are just the easiest and least expensive options for most people.)
Is a whole genome test a better option? It depends. If you're looking for a rare mutation, then a whole genome test is the way to go. But for Genetic Lifehacks, using the data from a whole genome test doesn't work out of the box. The files are too large and not in the right format. However, there's a free software that can convert the whole genome file to work on Genetic Lifehacks. If you're tech-savvy, you shouldn't have any trouble doing the file conversion. Be sure to read the fine print with any of the whole genome testing companies. Some companies require a membership option along with the test to access your data in the future.
Switching subjects...
This week's new article is on sulforaphane, which is a component of cruciferous vegetables and is particularly high in broccoli sprouts. Sulforaphane upregulates some of the phase II detoxification genes, and there are some good randomized clinical trials on sulforaphane for neuroinflammation, mood, cancer prevention, arthritis, and asthma. I've also updated the Nrf2 pathway article (sulforaphane acts on this pathway).
I've also been working to improve the website's search functionality and make connections between articles and topics. While I still have a ways to go on these improvements, I wanted to let you know that changes are in progress with more functionality in the works.
Stay curious,
~ Debbie Moon
Sulforaphane: Studies, Genetic Connections
Key takeaways:
~ Sulforaphane is a compound derived from broccoli sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables.
~ By activating the Nrf2 pathway, sulforaphane has been shown in clinical trials to help with neuroinflammation, mental health, prostate cancer prevention, asthma, and inflammation.
~ Sulforaphane can be obtained from broccoli sprouts or from supplements containing broccoli extract plus myrosinase.
What is sulforaphane?
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli and broccoli sprouts. It was first isolated and written about in 1992 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.[ref] Since then, sulforaphane has been studied extensively for its potential health benefits, which stem from its antioxidant pathway stimulation.
When cruciferous vegetables are chopped, chewed, or digested, the enzyme myrosinase converts glucoraphanin in the vegetables to sulforaphane.
A bit of history: Broccoli is relatively new in terms of consumption as a vegetable. While historical sources note that it was brought to the UK and then America in the 1700s, it was actually rarely eaten in the US until the 1920s.[ref]
What does sulforaphane do?
Nrf2 pathway activation:
Sulforaphane is a potent activator of the Nrf2 pathway. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferases, SOD, and catalase. By activating the Nrf2 pathway, sulforaphane enhances the body’s natural defenses against oxidative stress, inflammation, and environmental toxins.[ref]
Antioxidant effects:
In addition to activating endogenous antioxidants via the Nrf2 pathway, sulforaphane also has direct antioxidant properties, as it can scavenge free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In fact, one paper explains that sulforaphane is a stronger antioxidant than ascorbic acid in cell studies. [ref]
Anti-inflammatory properties:
Sulforaphane has been shown to inhibit the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, a key regulator of inflammatory responses. By suppressing NF-κB signaling, sulforaphane can reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Additionally, sulforaphane decreases the release e of myeloperoxidase and suppresses TNF-α and IL-6.[ref]
Anti-cancer properties:
A number of studies show that sulforaphane inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. It can induce cell cycle arrest and cell death in cancer cells through modulating cell cycle regulators.[ref][ref][ref] (More on anti-cancer properties in the clinical trial and genotype sections below)
Read the rest of this article on Genetic Lifehacks…
New on Longevity Lifehacks:
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Looking at the biggest genetic impacts on healthspan based on genome-wide association studies.
What I've been reading:
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This is a 2019 review of studies on possible chemical and non-chemical causes of ADHD. The conclusion is that lead (Pb), phthalates, organic pollutants, and cigarette smoke are statistically linked to increased ADHD risk.
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