Broccoli and Autism

If we give broccoli to those with autism, it might make things better by relieving some of the mitochondrial dysfunction that creates even more free radicals.


Current research suggests four causal factors of autism: synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. These factors identify the problem but do not identify the cause.

Harvard neurologist Martha Herbert said, “I think we need to conduct research as if we know this is an emergency.” Already, up to 1.5% of American children have autism, and the incidence appears to be on the rise.

Once it became understood that one cause of autism may reside in the synapses, the nerve-to-nerve junctions where information is transmitted, researchers turned to heat shock proteins, which are released by the brain when you have a fever. The fever can improve synaptic transmission and may be capable of improving long-range brain connectivity, which is depressed in autism.
A compound, sulforaphane, upregulates those heat shock proteins, so it might be possible to get the benefits without the fever. Which drug company makes it? What do I ask for at the pharmacy? You don’t.

You just need to check out the produce section at your local market.

Sulforaphane is not made in a chemical plant — it’s made by a real plant. Sulforaphane is made by broccoli, kale, cabbage, collards, and cauliflower — in other words, by cruciferous vegetables. Perhaps if we give broccoli to those with autism, it will make things better by boosting the heat shock proteins. Hmm. Easy enough to try.

Synaptic dysfunction is not the only contributing cause of autism. There’s also oxidative stress. The brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress because lots of free radicals are forged in the brain, which has few antioxidant defense capacities. There is a long history of studies showing that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with oxidative stress and diminished antioxidant capacity. Nrf2 levels are nearly cut in half — they trigger our body’s antioxidant response. What is Nrf2? It’s considered a master regulator of our body’s response to environmental stressors. How can I boost Nrf2 levels? Can I get it at the drug store? Can I get a prescription? No.

Sulforaphane just so happens to be perhaps the most potent naturally-occurring inducer of Nrf2 on the planet. Under any kind of stress — oxidative stress, inflammatory stress — Nrf2 triggers antioxidant response elements, activating all sorts of cell-protective genes that balance out and detoxify free radicals and facilitate protein and DNA repair. If we give broccoli to those with autism, it might also make things better by triggering Nrf2, which activates those antioxidant response elements.

There’s also the mitochondrial dysfunction. Children with autism are more likely to suffer from dysfunctional mitochondria, the little power plants within our cells where metabolism takes place. If only there were a food that could improve mitochondrial function … Yes. You guessed it. A diet rich in cruciferous vegetables effectively retunes our metabolism by restoring metabolic homeostasis, or metabolic balance — power plants for our cellular power plants. If we give broccoli to those with autism, it might make things better by relieving some of the mitochondrial dysfunction that creates even more free radicals.

Neuroinflammation, or brain inflammation, is another causal factor in autism. If, at autopsy, you examine brain tissue of those with autism, you see inflammation throughout the white matter; if you do a spinal tap, you find up to 200 times the levels of inflammatory mediators, such as interferon, bathing their brains. What’s causing all that inflammation?

Well, the master regulator of the inflammatory cascade is a protein called NF-kappa-beta, which induces inflammation. If overexpressed, as in autism, it can lead to chronic or excessive inflammation. If only there were a food … Really? Broccoli does that, too? Yes! In fact, the major anti-inflammatory mechanism for sulforaphane is inhibiting NF-kappa-beta.

Give broccoli to someone with autism, and heat shock proteins are released to boost synaptic transmission, Nrf2 is activated to wipe out free radicals, mitochondrial function is restored, and the inflammation triggered by NF-kappa-beta is suppressed. One food counters all four purported causal factors of autism. That is one of the differences between foods and drugs. Drugs tend to have single effects. But ASD is multifactorial, so it’s no wonder there are no drugs that work. On the other hand, strategies using multi-functional phytochemicals such as sulforaphane — or even better, the whole plants themselves — are highly attractive … in theory. You won’t know until you put it to the test. Besides, broccoli tastes good.

Picture of Rota Krape, RN

Rota Krape, RN

Picture of Rota Krape, RN

Rota Krape, RN

In the know

Related Stories

Gearing Up Your Health in the New Year | Palmetto Bella

Gearing Up Your Health in the New Year

2020 isn’t going to win any awards for the difficult and unpredictable year it’s been, with its controversial presidential election, pandemic, economic hardships, racial tensions, and widespread fear and uncertainty about health and quality of life going forward. Thousands have succumbed to a newfound virus called SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) that continues to elude medical doctors and scientists. Many of us found out that we aren’t as healthy as we thought and that we should have been taking better care of ourselves. Looking to the new year, what can we do to help our bodies become stronger and perhaps more resistant to the many pathogens out there? Perhaps

Read More »
A CAUSE FOR Celebration | Palmetto Bella

A CAUSE FOR Celebration

Appalachians tend to be very independent and content with their lives. They live close to nature and have a deeply held belief in God. They are friendly, kind, and helpful to one another, and they take care of the needs of others. Appalachians also have a strong sense of what is right, and of what ought to be. When I was still working as a nurse, we lived in a small town in western North Carolina. The population was mostly poor and set in their ways. Because they did not take kindly to people from “outside,” it took a long time for me to make friends with our neighbors, who

Read More »
HOW TO Celebrate the Holidays WITH SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS | Palmetto Bella

HOW TO Celebrate the Holidays WITH SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS

In 2008 I finally figured out that the health problems I had been experiencing for over a year were due to food allergies and sensitivities. There were a number of foods that caused my symptoms, the primary ones being gluten grains (wheat, rye, barley), corn, soy, and milk. I began to feel much better during the summer after I eliminated these foods. During the fall I began thinking about the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals that would be coming up. I could not eat the traditional turkey dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or my mom’s pecan pie. Even the canned cranberry sauce was off-limits for me because it

Read More »
5 Reasons to Use Hemp Oil Supplements for Wellness | Palmetto Bella

5 Reasons to Use Hemp Oil Supplements for Wellness

Every day, more people are using hemp oil supplements to promote wellness of the mind and body, and it’s easy to see why. The natural phytocannabinoids found in them boost the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is key to maintaining health and wellness. Below are just a few reasons celebrities and professional athletes advocate for this plant-based product, and you should consider including them in your daily routine as well. 1. Relaxation and Focus Everyone has a list of daily responsibilities that may feel overwhelming and add strain to the body, even if you don’t notice it. Many individuals rely on hemp oil supplements as a way to relax without providing

Read More »