Protective Effects of Sulforaphane Preventing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress to Enhance Metabolic Health: A Narrative Review

Authors: ALVES, INES - The University Of Porto; QUEIROZ ARAÚJO, EDILENE MARIA - Bahia State University; DALGAARD, LOUISE - Roskilde University; SINGH, SHARDA - Texas Tech University; BØRSHEIM, ELISABET - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); CARVALHO, EUGENIA - University Of Coimbra

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2025
Publication Date: 1/24/2025
Citation: Alves, I., Queiroz Araújo, E., Dalgaard, L.T., Singh, S., Børsheim, E., Carvalho, E. 2025. Protective Effects of Sulforaphane Preventing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress to Enhance Metabolic Health: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 17(3):428. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030428.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030428

Interpretive Summary: Problem: Obesity is becoming a major global health crisis, leading to a sharp rise in diabetes and heart disease, even among younger generations. As people age, staying healthy becomes even harder due to poor diets and less physical activity. Scientists are searching for ways to protect the body from harmful effects linked to these conditions. Accomplishment: One promising solution comes from a natural compound called sulforaphane (SFN), which is found in vegetables like broccoli. SFN acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect the body’s cells from damage and reducing stress-related inflammation. Research has shown that SFN may help fight diseases like cancer and brain disorders. However, its role in preventing diabetes and insulin resistance is less studied, especially in different age groups. Contribution to Solving the Problem: In this review,scientists explored the literature to determine how SFN can help protect the body from harmful inflammation and oxidative stress, two key factors in metabolic diseases like diabetes. By understanding how SFN works, researchers hope to develop better strategies for maintaining long-term health. Encouraging people to adopt healthier habits, including eating nutrient-rich foods like those containing SFN, could help prevent serious illnesses from an early age and as they age.

Technical Abstract: The worldwide obesity epidemic has led to a drastic increase in diabetes and cardiovascular disease in younger generations. Further, maintaining metabolic health during aging is frequently a challenge due to poor diets and decreased mobility. In this setting, bioactive nutrients that are naturally occurring antioxidants, such as sulforaphane (SFN), are of high nutritional interest. SFN, a bioactive compound that is present in cruciferous vegetables, is a molecule that protects cells from cytotoxic damage and mitigates oxidative stress, protecting against disease. It exerts its action through the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Many studies have been performed in animals and humans to evaluate its effects on cancer, brain health, and neurodegenerative disorders. However, fewer clinical studies have been performed to evaluate its effects on insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) across the lifespan. Given that, in some parts of the world, particularly in Europe, the population is growing older at a significant rate, it is crucial to promote healthy habits (healthy foods, dietary pattern, precision nutrition, and physical activity) from an early stage in life and across the lifespan to avoid debilitating health conditions occurring during adulthood and aging. Thus, in this narrative review, we discuss the protective effects of SFN supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways and relate them to metabolic disease.