Posted on 05/12/2019 10:31:48 AM PDT by blam
Broccoli, for years hailed as a cancer-fighter and a great source of vitamin C, calcium and B vitamins, is now being seen as a safer way to manage schizophrenia.
Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say a compound derived from broccoli sprouts can help adjust the chemical imbalances in the brain that have been linked to schizophrenia. The vegetable’s high levels of the chemical sulforaphane could potentially be used as an alternative to antipsychotic drugs and their often painful or dangerous side effects.
“It’s possible that future studies could show sulforaphane to be a safe supplement to give people at risk of developing schizophrenia as a way to prevent, delay or blunt the onset of symptoms,” says Akira Sawa, director of the Johns Hopkins Schizophrenia Center.
In a study published in January in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers measured the brain regions of 81 people who recently suffered their first episode of psychosis. On average, those patients had 4 percent less of the chemical glutamate in certain regions of their brain, compared to healthy people.
For a separate study published in April in Molecular Neuropsychiatry, researchers found that taking two capsules of sprout-extracted sulforaphane daily for a week increased the average glutathione levels of human volunteers by approximately 30 percent.
Significantly, the volunteers reported only mild side effects, like gas and some stomach upset, as opposed to the involuntary movements, or “shakes” and increased cardiovascular risk associated with current schizophrenic medication.
Scientists say that while more research is needed, they’re encouraged by the findings.
“For people predisposed to heart disease, we know that changes in diet and exercise can help stave off the disease...
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(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“No more Cruciferous Vegetable Night” — Dr. Sheldon Cooper
LOL - Well-played
:-)
I eat 5 pounds of broccoli a day yet the evil cave people keep stalking me!
No, GHW Bush.
Would it also help demonrat brain imbalances?
That’s right! Sorry! W.needs all the good brain cells he can get.
He sure fooled us for quite a while. So did Cheney.
BTW, that’s an interesting sidebar link. Just got a round tuit. Makes me realize I never got around to hunting up the new year’s wintercress (weed) crop for my salads.
On the list of super foods broccoli ranks #1. And a quirk about this is frozen broccoli is better for you than fresh.
Vile weed!
I’d rather have schizophrenia.
Not a huge fan of broccoli but if it helps manage schizophrenia......I’m torn......
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