Broccoli sprout beverage is safe for thyroid hormonal and autoimmune status: Results of a 12-week randomized trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 30735751 · doi:10.1016/j.fct.2019.02.004
What was done
Investigators evaluated the effect of an 84-day (12-week) intervention with a broccoli sprout beverage enriched with sulforaphane and glucoraphanin on thyroid function and autoimmunity. Serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine, and thyroglobulin, along with thyroid autoimmune status, were measured at baseline and at 84 days in 45 female participants within a randomized clinical trial.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, baseline values, or effect sizes. It states that serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, and thyroglobulin were not affected by the treatment, and thyroid autoimmunity status remained unchanged.
Why it matters
Sulforaphane and cruciferous extracts have faced theoretical safety concerns regarding goitrogenicity and Nrf2-mediated thyroid dysfunction. This trial provides randomized trial evidence supporting the short-to-medium-term thyroid safety of sulforaphane-enriched beverages in women.
Limits
The trial included only 45 participants and was limited strictly to female subjects. The abstract provides no numerical data, variance estimates, or specific details regarding the control comparator, and 12 weeks of exposure may not reflect potential risks of multi-year or higher-dose intake.
Cited by
- supports Mature broccoli is a goitrogen, whereas broccoli seeds and sprouts are not goitrogenic.