Sulforaphane is an organosulfur compound, found in cruciferous vegetables, that has been associated with anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective effects. Cruciferous vegetables are high in a glucosinolate called glucoraphanin that is eventually broken down into sulforaphane by way of chopping, chewing and cooking (stir fry or steaming; boiling decreased availability), which releases myrosinase enzymes to perform catabolism. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, etc.

Although glucosinolates are found in all cruciferous vegetables, glucoraphanin is found in the highest quantities in broccoli, and especially broccoli sprouts. A study found that raw broccoli contained 1.08 umol/g of glucoraphanin, while broccoli sprouts boasted 16.6 umol/g, so consuming smaller amounts of sprouts may have more impact than consuming larger amounts of the mature vegetable.2

In addition to the health benefits provided, research has shown that sulforaphane can be a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms associated with autism. In fact, a systematic review found that people who continued to use sulforphane after clinical trials continued to see improvements in symptoms 3 years after the trial.3

Sulforaphane supports the systems in the body that combat mitochondrial damage due to oxidative stress from free radicals, and mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in ASD. The review also found that sulforaphane had positive outcomes in other neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and bi-polar disorder.3

It is this antioxidant supporting mechanism that is believed to be one of sulforaphane’s neuroprotective effects. Additionally, sulforaphane increases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is essential to healthy neurogenesis: growth, development, and differentiation ( “job assignment”).4

Human studies have mainly focused on the impact sulforaphane supplementation has on ASD symptoms. A study found that men with ASD, who took sulforaphane for 18 weeks, saw 34% improvement in aberrant behaviors and 17% improvement in social behaviors, such as social interaction and verbal communication.4 Another study found similar improvements in children when is came to social behaviors but less improvement in aberrant behaviors.4

Introducing new foods can be challenging with ASD, so getting sulforaphane into the diet may take some exploration. If broccoli is an enjoyable food, congratulations! If not, don’t worry because there are a number of options to try.

If foods are a challenge, sulforaphane can be purchased in the following forms:

- Capsule (must be able to swallow)

- Powder (can mix into juices/smoothies/etc.)

- Tincture (can mix into juices/smoothies/etc.)

- Liposomal spray (sprayed under the tongue but can also be mixed into other foods/drinks)

*For the best results, you may want to make sure that the product comes from sprouts.

If supplements are not feasible due to challenges with swallowing pills, taste, texture, or expenses, then sneaking in whole food sources of sulforaphane may be best. Broccoli can be steamed and pureed to be added to pasta sauces, breads, or frozen in a cube tray for smoothies. Riced broccoli can even be added to meatloaf, find the recipe below!

Explore other ways to sneak healthy foods into meals here.

“Veggie” Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey breast (or lean ground beef)

1 cup riced broccoli

1 large egg

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsp lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

1 onion, small and cut in ¼ pieces

1-2 cloves of garlic

Preheat to 350 degrees.

Rice your broccoli in a food processor/blender, or defrost frozen riced broccoli. In a bowl mix turkey, vegetables, egg, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In a blender combine ketchup, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth

Add the mixture to the turkey and mix until smooth. Then add to a lightly greased meatloaf pan or bread pan.

Bake for 40-50 minutes.

References

1. Baenas N, Marhuenda J, García-Viguera C, Zafrilla P, Moreno DA. Influence of Cooking Methods on Glucosinolates and Isothiocyanates Content in Novel Cruciferous Foods. Foods. 2019;8(7):257. Published 2019 Jul 12. doi:10.3390/foods8070257

2. Fahey JW, Zhang Y, Talalay P: Broccoli sprouts: An exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1997;94:10367–10372. Crossref, Medline

3. McGuinness G, Kim Y. Sulforaphane treatment for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. EXCLI J. 2020;19:892-903. Published 2020 Jun 26. doi:10.17179/excli2020-2487

4. Klomparens EA, Ding Y. The neuroprotective mechanisms and effects of sulforaphane. Brain Circ. 2019;5(2):74-83. doi:10.4103/bc.bc_7_19

Sulforaphane: The Natural Compound Being Studied For Autism