New longevity supplement leverages plant power of sulforaphane

Taking a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book could improve lifespan and healthspan.

Sulforaphane, a molecule found in broccoli, inhibits inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer and has been shown to extend lifespan and healthspan [1]. Now, a brand-new product launched today seeks to deliver those benefits in longevity supplement form.

Longevity.Techology: The health benefits of antioxidants are widely touted, but the situation is more nuanced than “free radicals – bad, antioxidants – good”. As Professor Giovanni Mann, Professor of Vascular Physiology at King’s College London and President of the Society of Free Radical Research-International (SFRRI) told us last year, an important aspect is choosing products that trigger pathways that switch on protective genes. Target the cellular antioxidant pathways, rather than just a blanket scavenging of free radicals.

This is why sulforaphane is a particularly interesting longevity supplement. Found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, it boosts a molecule called Nrf2 which protects cells from damage by switching on antioxidant genes that help protect against free radicals.

How does sulforaphane work?

The Nrf2 pathway regulates antioxidants; this is extremely important for upregulating protective enzymes and proteins in cells so that they can protect themselves and plays an integral part of protection against a variety of chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and strokes.

READ MORE: Free radicals versus antioxidants – what exactly is going on?

Sulforaphane is a very potent and bioavailable Nrf2 pathway activator, via KEAP1 protein. Sulforaphane lowers DNA damage by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, processes that are central to cancer, aging, brain diseases and other diseases of aging. In order for our bodies to make sulforaphane, we need a combination of sulforaphane glucosinolate (glucoraphanin) and the active enzyme myrosinase, possible in a longevity supplement form.

Putting sulforaphane in a longevity supplement

DoNotAge set out to create a sulforaphane ingredient that could help activate Nrf2, and all the benefits that come with that, for as many people as possible. After 12 months of work, SulforaBoost longevity supplement has been launched as a blend of sulforaphane glucosinolate and myrosinase to ensure maximum sulforaphane benefits.

DoNotAge sources its sulforaphane glucosinolate from broccoli seed and the myrosinase from radishes; as its founder and CEO Alan Graves told us: “Nature gives us all the ingredients, DoNotAge’s role is just to concentrate them into a healthy and convenient capsule.”

There are over 3000 publications describing the efficacy and/or underlying mechanisms of action of sulforaphane, but it’s not yet as widely known in the longevity supplement world as products like spermidine or resveratrol are. That’s all about to change, Graves told us when we talked to him about DoNotAge’s newest product.

A hot topic in longevity supplements

“Sulforaphane is the hot topic in 2022, and every new study that comes out proves why,” Graves explains. “Myriad benefits, including potent activation of the Nrf2 pathway, means increasing sulforaphane levels is key for anyone serious about their longevity. Producing the most efficient sulforaphane product in the world wasn’t easy, but due to the multitude of benefits that sulforaphane brings to human health, it was worth every penny. We’re very excited for the public to start feeling the benefits straight away!

“I’m very proud of the team, and it’s easy to see why SulforaBoost is our most anticipated ingredient ever. It is an exciting step for DoNotAge, because it is yet another DoNotAge exclusive ingredient, and now we have covered all bases: NAD restoration, sirtuin activation, removing senescent cells, activating AMPK, controlling blood sugars and now activating the Nrf2 pathway and increasing glutathione using SulforaBoost.”

Added benefits of sulforaphane

In mice, sulforaphane has been shown to protect the blood vessels in the brain from damage, and dietary pre-treatment protects rodents against stroke. Sulforaphane longevity supplements act on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to make it less permeable to dangerous chemicals, so continuing to explore the role Nrf2 plays in our body’s pathways could reveal novel ways to prevent or treat stroke and to preserve the integrity of the BBB. Watch this space!