The Sulforaphane Secret: What Most People Don’t Know

Supplement brands have recently flooded the market with "broccoli sprout" supplements that claim to deliver the many benefits of sulforaphane. But do they?

A 2015 study from Johns Hopkins intended to look at the options to determine how much sulforaphane each one could provide to the body.

Currently, when you look to add sulforaphane to your diet, there are 3 options:

1. Broccoli sprouts or supplements with only glucoraphanin
   

2. Preparations (beverages or capsules) combining glucoraphanin + myrosinase
   

3. Stable sulforaphane supplements (like BrocElite®) that deliver the active compound directly
   
   

Below, we explain the landmark study behind these numbers, introduce Dr. Jed Fahey (the researcher), and show why many off-the-shelf products simply don’t measure up.

1. The Fahey et al. (2015) Study: What They Discovered

• - Who: Led by Dr. Jed W. Fahey, a professor of nutritional biochemistry at Johns Hopkins University and director of the Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory. Dr. Fahey is widely respected for his work on cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli) and cancer prevention pathways.
  
  

• - Design: A randomized, cross-over clinical trial in healthy volunteers. Participants consumed equivalent doses of broccoli-derived preparations under three conditions:
  
  

1. Glucoraphanin only (no added enzyme)
   
   

2. Glucoraphanin + myrosinase (broccoli sprout powder or beverage)
   
   

3. Pre-hydrolyzed ex vivo (converted to sulforaphane before ingestion)
   
   

• - Measurement: Researchers collected urine over 24 hours and measured dithiocarbamate metabolites, a direct proxy for sulforaphane absorption.
  
  

Why it matters: This head-to-head design let them isolate the impact of adding myrosinase (the conversion enzyme) and pre-forming sulforaphane—an approach unmatched in rigor until that point in history (2015).

2. Jed Fahey: Pioneer in Cruciferous Vegetable Research

• - Credentials: PhD in biological chemistry, 25+ years at Johns Hopkins, dozens of peer-reviewed publications on broccoli, glucosinolates, and cancer chemoprotection.
  
  

• - Reputation: His lab characterized how compounds in brassica vegetables trigger the NRF2 pathway—our cells’ master antioxidant switch. Other researchers routinely build on his findings.
  
  

• - Why trust it: The study is published in a peer-reviewed journal, uses gold-standard clinical methods, and Dr. Fahey’s team made all raw data available via PubMed Central.
  

3. Bioavailability: The Numbers Behind the Claims

(IMPORTANT NOTE: the percentages above were achievable in ideal and highly controlled lab environments, but are much lower in variables like shipping, storage, heat, individual gut conditions, etc.)

• - Glucoraphanin only relies on your gut bacteria for conversion - highly variable and often inefficient.
  
  

• - Adding myrosinase quadruples uptake by supplying the enzyme directly in your drink or pill.
  
  

• - Pre-formed sulforaphane mirrors that ex-vivo conversion, delivering a higher dose, but the process of pre-forming sulforaphane still results in an insatiable molecule.
  

4. Why Many Supplements Fall Short

1. No enzyme added
   

• - Many “broccoli” capsules contain only glucoraphanin powder. Without myrosinase, you get ~10% of the benefit - at best.
  

2. Unstable formulations
   

• - Myrosinase degrades quickly with heat, moisture, or age. If your supplement isn’t carefully freeze-dried and kept cool, enzyme activity plummets.
  

3. Late-stage conversion
   

• - Even when enzyme is present, most formulations release it in the large intestine, where absorption is slower and less complete than in the small intestine.
  

4. Marketing over science
   

• - Some brands tout “up to” numbers based on lab assays of glucoraphanin potential instead of in-body measurements, creating a gap between label claims and real benefits. Request third-party testing and proof that the product in question is capable of activating Nrf2 at the cellular level. If a brand cannot show this, it's a red flag.
  
  

5. Why Stable Sulforaphane (BrocElite®) Is Different

• - Small-intestinal release: BrocElite® uses an enteric coating so the active sulforaphane bypasses the stomach and dissolves in the small intestine - where nutrients absorb best.
  

• - Shelf stable: You don’t need to worry about enzyme loss over time or special storage.
  

• - Guaranteed content: Third-party testing confirms you’re getting the sulforaphane on the label - not just glucoraphanin potential.

6. Putting It All Together

If you value a ritual - juicing fresh sprouts or mixing powders - and accept some variability (~40% uptake), the glucoraphanin+myrosinase route can be rewarding. But it demands:

• - Daily prep and cold storage

• - Careful timing (enzyme is short-lived once exposed to moisture)

• - Acceptance of batch-to-batch swings
  
  

By contrast, stable sulforaphane like BrocElite® offers:

• - Maximal absorption (~90%) without enzyme worries

• - Consistent dosing, day after day

• - Convenience - no prep, no fridge, just two capsules

• - Proven Nrf2 activation

• - 3rd party testing showing stable sulforaphane content in every batch

• No chemicals used…ever!

For most people seeking reliable, high-impact detox support grounded in the gold-standard Fahey et al. science, stable sulforaphane is the clear choice.

Ready to see the difference for yourself?

Read the independent and peer-reviewed studies for yourself on PubMed.gov where sulforaphane has been studied for decades.

We didn't invent sulforaphane.

We just stabilized it so you can benefit from reliable delivery. 

Your cells (and your future self) will thank you.

Bonus: Recently, we chatted with these folks about the many ways stable sulforaphane impacts the body. Check out those conversations here:

 Dave Asprey

Dr. Lee Warren

Luke Storey