Timing Protocol

When to Take Sulforaphane

What researchers say about when, how and with what to take sulforaphane, and how strong the evidence is.

The verdict on Sulforaphane overall

Not enough evidence

Sulforaphane is worth taking.

1 source: 1 partly

1 source: 1 partly

Based on what researchers say in publicly available videos, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement.

Short answer

No specific timing is given on tape. Sprouts go into a morning smoothie in one routine (Rhonda Patrick). For cooked crucifers, add mustard seed powder after cooking to restore myrosinase.

Full Protocol

Timing
No specific timing is given on tape. Sprouts go into a morning smoothie in one routine (Rhonda Patrick). For cooked crucifers, add mustard seed powder after cooking to restore myrosinase.
Dosage
50-100 micromoles of sulforaphane daily, roughly 50-100g of fresh broccoli sprouts. Actual content varies a lot with genetics, growing conditions and preparation (Jed Fahey, on FoundMyFitness).
Form
Fresh broccoli sprouts are the best source; they go into a daily micronutrient smoothie in one routine (Rhonda Patrick). For supplements, choose products with glucoraphanin plus myrosinase, the enzyme needed to convert it. Supplement quality varies enormously (Jed Fahey, on FoundMyFitness). Whole foods beat supplements where possible.
Notes
Myrosinase is heat-sensitive: overcooking crucifers destroys the enzyme that turns glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. To keep or restore it: (1) eat them raw or lightly steamed, (2) heat sprouts to exactly 70C for 10 minutes, (3) add mustard seed powder after cooking. Gut bacteria can convert some glucoraphanin without myrosinase, but less efficiently and with wide variation.

What the evidence says about timing

One verdict, worked out from every counted mention. One dot is one source: a researcher or a study. Tap a dot to see its receipt.

positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.

Not enough evidence

Adding mustard seed powder to cooked cruciferous vegetables restores sulforaphane conversion.

2 sources: 2 positive. Fewer than 3 sources so far.

Researchers say

No researcher counted yet.

Studies show

2 positive

2 papers we read

6 more not counted · see why
The study cited could not be identified. 2
We could not tell where the evidence comes from. 1
A host's remark inside an interview. 1
We could not confirm who is speaking. 1
An animal or lab study. 1
Show the receipts from 2 sources

  1. Controlled trial, Mol Nutr Food Res, 2018, PMID 29806738 Study · positive

    These results conclude that when powdered brown mustard is added to cooked broccoli, the bioavailability of sulforaphane is over four times greater than that from cooked broccoli ingested alone.

  2. Other primary study, Eur J Nutr, 2021, PMID 32651764 Study · positive

    The recovery of sulforaphane in ileal fluids post soup consumption was < 1% but the addition of mustard seeds increased colon-available sulforaphane sixfold.

Where the sources disagree

Built from every credited researcher and cited study on each claim.

On timing and the overall claim, no counted source takes a different side yet.

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Full Sulforaphane Report

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Sulforaphane verdict