Abstract
- Background
Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from glucoraphanin, exhibits potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may confer significant therapeutic benefits for optimizing liver function. However, clinical investigations evaluating the specific impacts of glucoraphanin supplementation on serum hepatic biomarkers—such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase ($\gamma$-GTP)—in healthy populations remain exceptionally scarce. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted to investigate whether daily supplementation with glucoraphanin-enriched broccoli sprouts can effectively modulate liver function parameters in healthy middle-aged adults presenting with high-normal baseline hepatic biomarkers.
- Methods
A rigorous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group clinical trial was conducted between April 22 and December 25, 2021. A total of 70 healthy middle-aged participants were randomly allocated to receive either glucoraphanin-enriched broccoli sprout supplements ($n = 35$) or matched placebo supplements ($n = 35$) for a 24-week intervention period. The trial was prospectively registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN-CTR; identifier: UMIN000044005). Primary outcome measures included changes in serum ALT, AST, $\gamma$-GTP, and systemic glutathione concentrations evaluated across sequential follow-up intervals.
- Results
Intention-to-treat and comparative analyses revealed that daily intake of glucoraphanin supplements significantly improved serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at 24 weeks compared to the placebo cohort. However, no statistically significant differences in serum glutathione levels—a primary endogenous hepatic antioxidant—were detected between the intervention and placebo groups over the course of the trial.
- Conclusions
Daily dietary supplementation with glucoraphanin-enriched broccoli sprouts effectively supports the maintenance of hepatic health and reduces serum ALT concentrations in healthy middle-aged adults with high-normal liver enzyme levels, though further investigations exploring alternative antioxidant pathways and markers are warranted to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1077271/full