The chemical compound sulforaphane, found in broccoli sprouts, may be linked to improving blood sugar levels in prediabetes, which precedes type 2 diabetes, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg. The compound in broccoli had a more significant effect on blood sugar levels in some individuals.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg previously identified sulforaphane as an antidiabetic agent for type 2 diabetes, Planet Today reported. A 2017 study of patients found that individuals with diabetes had significantly lower blood sugar levels after taking high doses of sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts.
In a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, Professor Anders Rosengren and his colleagues investigated prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels rise slowly due to impaired insulin production.
The study looked at 89 people who had high fasting blood sugar levels, an indicator of prediabetes. Other criteria included being overweight or obese, between the ages of 35 and 75.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive sulforaphane or a placebo for twelve weeks. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was assigned to which treatment. A total of 74 participants completed all phases of the study.
The results showed that participants taking the sulforaphane compound had higher fasting blood sugar levels on average than those taking the placebo. The difference between the two groups was significant in the study.
An even greater difference was observed when analyzing clinical subgroups: the group with the greatest improvement in age-related mild diabetes had lower insulin resistance, a lower incidence of fatty liver disease, and reduced insulin secretion.
The third phase, carried out in collaboration with Professor Fredrik Beck, head of the University of Gothenburg, involved the study of gut bacteria and the discovery of bacteria that could interact with sulforaphane, potentially linked to further improvements in the efficacy of the broccoli compound.
Quantitatively, the difference in fasting blood sugar was 0.2 mmol/liter among all participants taking sulforaphane compared to the placebo group, followed by 0.4 mmol/liter in the matched clinical subgroup and 0.7 mmol/liter in both the clinical subgroup and in those with gut bacteria.
The prevalence of prediabetes in Sweden is estimated at ten percent, with no clear treatment structure. Although the disease is often not detected, early detection increases the probability of preventing the development of type 2 diabetes. Anders Rosengren emphasizes early and individualized intervention for the disease.
“Prediabetes treatments are currently imperfect in many ways, but these new discoveries pave the way for possible precision treatments with broccoli-derived sulforaphane as a functional food. However, lifestyle factors remain at the heart of any prediabetes treatment, including exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss,” he said. “The research results also suggest a general model of how pathophysiology and gut flora interact and influence treatment response—a model that may have broader implications,” concluded Anders Rosengren.
