Brassica is wild: Broccoli beats diabetes

Brassica, the man made vegetables created from one natural species, kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, may be a secret weapon against diabetes, heart disease, and vascular damage. Long time coming, but worth it.

A sulfur compound in Brassica has been found to undo the destruction at a molecular level, and some of the findings are impressive. The BBC reports:

A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable (broccoli), called sulforaphane.

It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.

Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The really good news is that these aren’t exactly endangered species, and extracts of sulfurophane would be another possibility. Damage from these medical conditions is cumulative, and some way of repairing it could go a long way to improving general health. Repairing damage from diabetes, if it needs saying, is a major breakthrough, clear across the whole spectrum of that damn disease. The suffering of people with advanced diabetes is unspeakable, and their vulnerability to other health problems is increased. I used to work with a lady whose husband was being systematically dismantled, organ by organ, by diabetes. I’ve had it in the family, too. So this is very good news indeed, because the effects of hypoglycemia are undone by sulfurophane:

They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

Hyperglycaemia (sic) can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.

The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.

Early days yet, but 73% is no minor effect. It’s a huge reduction, and it might even allow people to get back to par, if the treatment works as well as it seems. With a bit of luck the world’s diabetics will be around to see diabetes go back to hell where it belongs.