Broccoli Sprouts

Cruciferous vegetables have a compound called sulforaphane and it is in very high levels in broccoli sprouts.   There are so many health benefits to broccoli sprouts, as you will see below, but the reason it is in JNC is for helping with Osteoarthritis OA.  One of the ways it helps is by reducing an enzyme called MMP, which is an enzyme that destroys cartilage and becomes overactive in OA.   In one mouse study it was shown to decrease activation of this enzyme by 80% [1]

In a clinical trial in Britain people with OA ate broccoli soup 4 times a week for 12 weeks (which contained one cup serving of broccoli), had a 9 point drop in their WOMAC score which is about a 30% improvement.  [2]

It also decreases inflammation in joints and throughout the body by activation of the NRF2 Pathway which activates 500 genes that: control inflammation, increase anti-oxidants, elimination of toxins such as benzene, and increase cytoprotective enzymes. [3,4]

It increases Chondrocyte production of chondrocytes (up to 30% in the lab), and decreases chondrocyte cell death. [5,6]

Many other health benefits such reducing cancer rates, helping with cardiovascular disease, controlling diabetes and increasing antioxidant protection by increasing glutathione levels.   5+ servings/week of broccoli (about ½ cup of broccoli) (or other cruciferous vegetables) had decrease cancer rates by 40 to 60% depending on the type of cancer.  One serving is about ½ cup of broccoli.  Broccoli sprouts have 100x more of the active component called sulforaphane.  The amount of broccoli sprouts in JNC is about equivalent to 1 serving for Formula 2 and 2 servings for Formula 1.  [7,8]

References:

1.     Sulforaphane Represses Matrix-Degrading Proteases and Protects Cartilage From           Destruction In Vitro and In Vivo.             https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4240673/
2. AB1194 A PROOF OF PRINCIPLE DIETARY INTERVENTION TRIAL TO EXAMINE THE PROTECTIVE      EFFECT OF BROCCOLI BIOACTIVES, (SPECIFICALLY SULFORAPHANE), ON OSTEOARTHRITIS May                    2023 Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 82(Suppl 1):1827.1-1827DOI:10.1136/annrheumdis-            2023-eular.3650
3.        Sulforaphane inhibits IL-1β-induced proliferation of rheumatoid arthritis synovial           fibroblasts and the production of MMPs, COX-2, and PGE2 Inflammation. 2014 Oct;37(5):1496-      503. doi: 10.1007/s10753-014-9875-4.
4.        Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019; 2019: 2716870.Published online 2019 Oct 14.        doi:10.1155/2019/2716870, PMID: 31737167              https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6815645/

Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention           and Treatment of Chronic Disease  Christine A. Houghton corresponding author

5. Sulforaphane protects against oxidative stress induced apoptosis via activating SIRT1 in mouse   osteoarthritis Authors: Chen 1 ; Huang 2 ; Lv 2 ; Li 1 ; Dong 1 ; Source: Molecular Medicine     Reports, Volume 24, Number 2, 2021, pp. 1-10(10)
6. Materials Science and Engineering: C Volume 128, September 2021, 112345 Sulforaphane-          loaded hyaluronic acid-poloxamer hybrid hydrogel enhances cartilage protection in            osteoarthritis models.
7.   https://youtu.be/zz4YVJ4aRfg?list=PLSGUpeBAVCuavHTxklDM_EpHIO75bWWty
8.   https://wellnessmama.com/health/sulforaphane/