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Sulforaphane is a plant-based dietary compound derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli (especially broccoli sprouts), kale, and others. It exerts a wide range of beneficial health effects on the human body. A new study suggests that sulforaphane mitigates sarcopenia and cardiac dysfunction via activation of Nrf2.

Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle tissue that occurs during the aging process, and cardiac dysfunction are common features of aging. Key players in the pathophysiology of these conditions are mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage.

Nrf2 is a cellular protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant and stress response proteins. Nrf2 is an element of the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE biological pathway. It activates the transcription of cytoprotective proteins that protect against oxidative damage due to injury and inflammation. Sulforaphane is the most potent naturally occurring inducer of Nrf2.

The authors of the study fed young and old mice either regular mouse chow or a sulforaphane-supplemented chow for 12 weeks. At the end of the study period, they assessed the animals' Nrf2 activity, mitochondrial function, and skeletal and cardiac muscle function.

They found that the older mice that ate the regular chow showed marked reductions in Nrf2 activity, mitochondrial function, and skeletal and cardiac function, compared to young mice. But the older mice that ate sulforaphane-supplemented chow showed improvements in Nrf2 activity, mitochondrial function, cardiac function, exercise capacity, and measures of metabolic function.

These findings suggest that the declines in Nrf2 activity and mitochondrial function that commonly occur with aging drive the development of age‐related disease processes. Consequently, sulforaphane supplementation might be a safe and effective strategy to protect against these processes.

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