Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract)

Isothiocyanateoral · inferred

Isothiocyanate compound from cruciferous vegetables, primarily broccoli sprouts. Potent Nrf2 activator that upregulates hundreds of cytoprotective genes. Short half-life (~2.5h) but effects persist due to downstream gene activation lasting 24-72 hours.

Projected serum levels — 20 mg, once daily

Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract)
Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) modeled serum levels, 20 mg once daily over 15 days Population-based pharmacokinetic estimate. Steady state reached after approximately 1 days. 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 Day 0 Day 4 Day 8 Day 11 Day 15 Time on a regular schedule ≈ steady state · day 1

Maintenance schedule: 20 mg once daily (oral).

Modeled steady state after ~1 days: peak ≈ 8.2 mg, trough ≈ 0.026 mg body load. Population-based estimate over 15 days for a 20 mg dose at a 70 kg reference body mass — the interactive app scales curves to your doses, timing, and body mass.

Key facts

Category
Isothiocyanate
Route modeled
Oral
Model confidence
inferred
Half-life
2.5 h
Common dose
20 mg
Suggested maximum
60 mg/day
Reference dose range
10–60 mg (single dose)
Suggested cadence
once daily
Validated against
7 mg oral — Cmax 0.35 mg/L at 2 h

Documented interactions

  • caution
    N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Potentiation

    NAC is a potent antioxidant that may blunt the hormetic (mild oxidative stress) signal that sulforaphane uses to activate Nrf2 antioxidant pathways. This could reduce sulforaphane effectiveness.

  • watch
    Astaxanthin + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Stacked effects

    Astaxanthin and Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) both push the nrf2 in the same direction.

  • watch
    Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa / Thymoquinone) + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Stacked effects

    Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa / Thymoquinone) and Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) both push the nrf2 in the same direction.

  • watch
    Dimethyl Fumarate (Tecfidera) + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Stacked effects

    Dimethyl Fumarate (Tecfidera) and Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) both push the nrf2 in the same direction.

  • watch
    Glutathione (Injectable) + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Stacked effects

    Glutathione (Injectable) and Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) both push the nrf2 in the same direction.

  • watch
    Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) + Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) Stacked effects

    Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) and Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract) both push the nrf2 in the same direction.

Serum checks 9 modeled interaction pairings for sulforaphane (broccoli seed extract) across your whole stack — absorption conflicts, enzyme inhibition, and nutrient depletion included.

Research behind this entry

  1. Sulforaphane Bioavailability from Glucoraphanin-Rich Broccoli: Control by Active Endogenous Myrosinase Cramer JM, Jeffery EH · PLoS ONE, 2011 DOI

    Demonstrated that sulforaphane bioavailability depends on myrosinase activity, with rapid absorption (Tmax ~1-3h) and elimination half-life of ~2.5 hours.

  2. Broccoli Sprouts: An Exceptionally Rich Source of Inducers of Enzymes That Protect Against Chemical Carcinogens Fahey JW et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1997 DOI

    Landmark paper establishing broccoli sprouts as the richest source of sulforaphane and demonstrating potent phase 2 enzyme induction for cancer chemoprevention.

  3. Sulforaphane and Its Effects on Cancer, Mortality, Aging, Brain and Behavior, Heart Disease, and More Houghton CA · Nutrients, 2019 DOI

    Comprehensive review of sulforaphane health effects covering Nrf2 activation, epigenetic modulation, and clinical evidence across multiple disease states.

  4. Sulforaphane Bioavailability from Glucoraphanin-Rich Broccoli: Control by Active Endogenous Myrosinase. Fahey JW, Holtzclaw WD, Wehage SL, Wade KL, Stephenson KK, Talalay P · PloS one, 2015 DOI

    This citation reports a human primary study involving Sulforaphane (Broccoli Seed Extract). It does not by itself establish a qualified dose, safety profile, efficacy claim, or pharmacokinetic route for this record.

4 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.