Multi-Omic Analysis Reveals Different Effects of Sulforaphane on the Microbiome and Metabolome in Old Compared to Young Mice.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Preclinical animal study in mice (Level 5 by definition)
PubMed 33003447 · doi:10.3390/microorganisms8101500
What was done
Young (6–8 weeks) and old (21–22 months) male C57BL/6J mice were fed regular rodent chow with or without sulforaphane (SFN) supplementation for 2 months. Fecal samples were collected before and after SFN administration to evaluate changes in the gut microbiome and metabolome via integrated multi-omic analyses.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values. Qualitatively, SFN supplementation in old mice shifted the gut microbiome toward a composition resembling young mice, enriching bacterial taxa associated with improved gut barrier function and anti-inflammatory metabolite production. Metabolically, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity decreased while amino acid metabolism-related pathways increased. Integrative analysis linked SFN-induced metabolite markers in old mice primarily to the bacterial genera Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, and Allobaculum.
Why it matters
The findings demonstrate that sulforaphane can remodel age-associated microbial and metabolic signatures in rodents, providing mechanistic rationale for further exploration of dietary isothiocyanates in aging biology.
Limits
The abstract reports no sample sizes, specific SFN dosages, or quantitative statistical values. The experiment was restricted to male inbred mice, precluding direct extrapolation to female animals or humans. Biological and functional longevity outcomes were not assessed.
Cited by
- supports In a mouse study, administering sulforaphane to aged mice reversed their microbiome composition to resemble that of young mice.