Even if you aren’t a big fan of the little green florets, you can still get the health benefits of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables through several of Thorne’s supplements, including Broccoli Seed Extract, Hormone Advantage, and MediClear-SGS. 

Here’s a quick overview of our upgraded Broccoli Seed Extract.

Each capsule of Broccoli Seed Extract contains 50 mg of sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) derived from broccoli and kale, along with myrosinase, an enzyme from mustard seed, to help optimize the bioavailability of SGS. Added vitamin C helps to activate myrosinase. 

This combination of ingredients helps activate the body’s own natural antioxidants, like glutathione, providing long-lasting cellular protection from oxidative stress.*

Explore the ingredients

Let’s take a deeper look at the ingredients and how they work in the body. 

Sulforaphane glucosinolate, also known as glucoraphanin, is a compound that comes from a variety of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, Bok choy, and arugula. SGS is the storage form found in these veggies and gets converted to active sulforaphane by the enzyme myrosinase. 

Myrosinase, naturally found in the plant cells of these cruciferous vegetables, requires processing of the food, such as by chopping or chewing, to break the cell walls and be released to enzymatically convert SGS to sulforaphane. In addition to the naturally occurring myrosinase found in the broccoli and kale of Broccoli Seed Extract, some bacteria in the gut microbiome also provides myrosinase-like activity to help convert SGS to active sulforaphane.

For even more enzyme activity, Broccoli Seed Extract contains myrosinase from mustard seeds to further support the conversion of SGS to sulforaphane.* Pairing it with vitamin C also helps to increase myrosinase activity, overall supporting this converstion.*

Key benefits

Antioxidant. Once activated, sulforaphane stays in the body for up to 72 hours providing indirect antioxidant support in hormone-sensitive tissues and cellular protection from oxidative species that can cause free radical damage.* 

As an indirect antioxidant, sulforaphane activates the body’s natural antioxidants, such as glutathione, to indirectly trigger broad-spectrum antioxidant activity with long-lasting effects.* 

Since oxidative stress can come from many different sources, including inflammation, immune assailants, environmental pollutants, and lifestyle factors such as smoking or poor diet, promoting antioxidant activity with diet choices and supplements is an impactful way you can support healthy aging. The phrase “eat the rainbow” not only helps to bring a variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables into your diet but also offers an array of protective compounds providing antioxidant support. Sulforaphane is believed to be the key factor associated with many of the health benefits attributed to cruciferous vegetables.

Liver support. The liver works hard to metabolize medications and alcohol, break down excess hormones, and eliminate harmful toxins the body encounters through the environment. It conjugates toxins and their intermediate compounds for removal via bile that travels through the digestive tract, binds to fiber from foods, and is excreted in stool. 

Boosting the body’s antioxidant capacity with Broccoli Seed Extract also helps to promote healthy liver detoxification.* The unique compounds of Broccoli Seed Extract provide support for the liver’s natural detoxification pathways, specifically enhancing the body’s phase II enzyme activity and increasing the presence of glutathione, commonly referred to as the body’s “master” antioxidant.* 

Each capsule of Thorne's Broccoli Seed Extract is equivalent to eating two pounds of cruciferous vegetables, so rather than loading up your plate, you can get similar detoxification support in a single capsule serving.

Hormone balance. Whether you’re a man or a woman, when hormones are out of balance, many aspects of your overall health can be affected, from mood and metabolism to libido and sleep. Although women are often attuned to hormone fluctuations and signs of imbalances due to menstrual symptoms, fertility challenges, and menopause, men often overlook signs of hormone imbalance. 

Understanding the influence of hormone imbalances on overall well-being and what nutrients can assist with healthy hormone levels can help optimize wellbeing.

Learn more about Thorne’s liver and detox support products here.