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Q & A with Dr. Jed Fahey

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Q:  I am on Coumadin (blood thinner) and am told that I have to be careful about consuming broccoli due to high Vitamin K content.  Does Brassica® Tea contain Vitamin K as well?
 
A:  We have not been able to measure the amount of Vitamin K in Brassica Tea.  Accurate analysis is extremely difficult and unreliable because Vitamin K is not water soluble.  Analyses in the Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory show that BroccoSprouts contain 1.35 micrograms of Vitamin K per gram of fresh sprouts.  This converts to 135 micrograms per 100 grams (which is much more than one would consume per day), or 38 micrograms per one ounce serving.  The Vitamin K content of market stage (adult) broccoli is reported as 205-270 micrograms per 100 grams, and one might consume 100 grams of adult broccoli at a time.  Other vegetables are reported to contain from 5 to about 1,500 micrograms per 100 grams.  Given that the broccoli extract in the tea comes from the sprouts, and the amount of SGS is reduced from 73 milligrams per one ounce serving to 15 milligrams per tea bag, and given that Vitamin K is not water soluble, we believe Brassica Tea contains very little Vitamin K.  However, certainly discuss this with your physician.

Brassica Blog
News and notes about BroccoSprouts, Brassica Teas with SGS and Broccoli

Disclaimer

Information on this website is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This website is intended for educational purpose only and is in no way intended to substitute for professional medical advice, contradict medical advice given, or for medical care of any kind.

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Benefits of SGS Print E-mail

Overview

 

Increasingly, scientists are examining the role specific natural plant compounds (phytochemicals) may play in increasing the body's natural defense system. In 1992, researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine identified sulforaphane, a compound that occurs naturally in broccoli. Johns Hopkins researchers believe that many phytochemicals, including sulforaphane, may help explain why diets rich in fruits and cruciferous vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of cancer. The basis for this belief is from laboratory research on animals; it is being confirmed in humans. Sulforaphane, in the form of its natural precursor - sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS™) - is also found in foods such as kale and cabbage. Johns Hopkins University researchers found that young broccoli sprouts, in particular, contained high concentrations of SGS.

The scientists believe that SGS boosts the body's own antioxidant defense system, including Phase 2 detoxification enzymes, which promote long-lasting antioxidant activity in the body.

Antioxidants

Many people are familiar with common antioxidants such as vitamins C and E that neutralize free radicals before they can harm cells. These vitamins are now called direct antioxidants. SGS is an indirect antioxidant - it does not neutralize free radicals directly, but rather boosts Phase 2 enzymes that trigger ongoing and long-lasting antioxidant activity. Researchers believe that SGS may be even more effective than direct antioxidants in protecting cells against free radicals and electrophiles.

Below is a comparison of direct versus indirect antioxidants and their function in the body:

 

Indirect Antioxidant
SGS™

Direct Antioxidant
Vitamins C & E

How Does It Work?

Works as a catalyst and boosts Phase 2 enzymes that exert antioxidant activity; broad spectrum activity eliminates many types of free radicals, cycling over and over again; creates an "army" of antioxidants, ready to neutralize free radicals over a period of time

Neutralizes free radicals directly - usually one molecule of a direct antioxidant removes only one molecule of a free radical; hones directly in on one radical, one time, to prevent it from causing cell (DNA, fat, protein) damage

How Long Does It Last?

Is long-lasting, triggering an ongoing process that continues to be effective, even after it has left the body and may last for days

Is destroyed once it reacts with a radical and may only last for a few hours

Where in the Body Does It Act?

Widespread throughout all cells

Restricted to water (C); fat (E)

Against What Does It Protect?
- Damage to DNA, Lipids
- Reactive Oxygen
- Electrophiles*


Yes
Yes
Yes


Yes
Yes
No

Does It Stimulate Other Natural Antioxidants?

Yes

No

Does It Deplete the Body's Antioxidant Resources?
(i.e., relation to glutathione [GSH]*, the most abundant cellular antioxidant)

SGS raises and replenishes GSH

GSH supports antioxidant functioning of vitamins C and E

Can It Produce Free Radicals and Act as a Prooxidant?

Highly unlikely

Very possible

Glossary:

Electrophile - a molecule that has a positively charged center, so that it can react with electron-rich centers such as those that exist in DNA and cause damage. Many cancer-causing chemicals are electrophiles or converted to electrophiles.

Glutathione (GSH) - a naturally occurring peptide, serving as a biological redox agent or a coenzyme, present in very high concentrations in cells. It is the principal protective natural antioxidant that protects cells against oxidative damage.

For more research information, please visit www.Brassica.com.
 
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