Can sulforaphane, delivered as a broccoli sprout extract (BSE), reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis and improve fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes?
Broccoli Sprout Sulforaphane, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 35 participants (Nat Microbiol 2025, PMID 39929977) — BSE did not meet the prespecified primary outcome of a 0.3 mmol/l reduction. The primary outcome was not met for the overall study population.
Source: Nat Microbiol 2025, PMID 39929977 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Nat Microbiol · 2025 · PMID 39929977 · DOI 10.1038/s41564-025-01932-w
Broccoli sprout extract did not significantly lower fasting blood glucose in all prediabetic individuals, but a subgroup with specific characteristics showed a more positive response linked to gut microbiota.
The question
Can sulforaphane, delivered as a broccoli sprout extract (BSE), reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis and improve fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes?
What they tested
Sulforaphane, provided as a broccoli sprout extract, will reduce fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes.
How they did it
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with drug-naive individuals with prediabetes. Participants received either BSE (n=35) or placebo (n=39) once daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was a 0.3 mmol/l reduction in fasting blood glucose compared to placebo from baseline to week 12. Gastrointestinal side effects were monitored.
What they found
BSE did not meet the prespecified primary outcome of a 0.3 mmol/l reduction. The overall effect in individuals with prediabetes was a 0.2 mmol/l reduction in fasting blood glucose. Exploratory analyses identified a subgroup of individuals with mild obesity, low insulin resistance, and reduced insulin secretion who had a 0.4 mmol/l reduction. Gut microbiota analysis showed responders had a different gut microbiota composition, with a higher abundance of a Bacteroides-encoded transcriptional regulator linked to sulforaphane activation and serum concentration.
| Overall Prediabetes Group | 0.2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Responders Subgroup | 0.4 |
Reduction in fasting blood glucose (mmol/l) from baseline to week 12 for the overall prediabetes group and the identified responder subgroup.
What it means
While BSE did not meet its primary endpoint for the overall prediabetes population, a subgroup of individuals with specific pathophysiological and gut microbiota characteristics showed a more pronounced reduction in fasting blood glucose. This suggests a combined influence of host pathophysiology and gut microbiota on the metabolic response to sulforaphane.
Limitations
The primary outcome was not met for the overall study population. The findings regarding subgroups and gut microbiota are based on exploratory analyses and require confirmation in future trials.
The paper at a glance
| Magellan’s evidence label | sulforaphane reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis (our label for this citation — see PubMed for the paper’s own title and authors) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Nat Microbiol |
| Year | 2025 |
| PMID | 39929977 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41564-025-01932-w ↗ |
| Topic | Metabolic health, glucose & body composition |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Broccoli Sprout Sulforaphane
Human trials indicate that concentrated broccoli-sprout sulforaphane can modestly lower fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin, most clearly in obese or dysregulated type 2 diabetes and in a subset of people with prediabetes;
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate phytochemical formed when the plant enzyme myrosinase acts on…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can sulforaphane, delivered as a broccoli sprout extract (BSE), reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis and improve fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes? [Plain-English summary of Nat Microbiol 2025, PMID 39929977, DOI 10.1038/s41564-025-01932-w]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s103.html@misc{magellan_s103,
title = {Can sulforaphane, delivered as a broccoli sprout extract (BSE), reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis and improve fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s103.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 39929977; DOI 10.1038/s41564-025-01932-w; Nat Microbiol 2025. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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