Sulforaphane Benefits for Autism

It’s no secret that children and adults with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) can see remarkable benefits from specific changes to their diet. Research and history have revealed quite a few exciting things about how some supplements and ingredients positively impact the symptoms of ASD.

One ingredient, in particular, is drawing a lot of attention for its unique effects on children with autism. It has a funny name–sulforaphane–but its impact on the lives of people with ASD is no laughing matter. Today, we look at the wonder ingredient with a complicated name: what is it, how does it benefit people with ASD and where can you find it?

What is Sulforaphane?

Sulforaphane is a compound found in vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage and brussels sprouts. In recent years, it has gained much attention and popularity thanks to its numerous health benefits. Of particular interest to our Sensory Scout team are the effects of sulforaphane on children with autism.

The powerful benefits of sulforaphane can only be activated when the vegetable is damaged. So cutting, chopping and chewing are great ways to receive its benefits. Interestingly, raw broccoli contains 10 X as much sulforaphane as cooked broccoli. So how do you get your kid to ingest raw broccoli? Never fear. We’ll address that in just a bit!

Sulforaphane’s Benefits for Children with Autism

First, let’s take a look at the general health benefits of sulforaphane:

May protect against brain damage
May help prevent certain types of cancer
May protect against sun damage
May support heart health
May have antidiabetic effects

Sulforaphane's potential benefits have been researched through test-tube, animal and human studies. Scientific studies have revealed a variety of positive effects for individuals with and without ASD.

Sulforaphane may help people with autism in the following ways:

Improved verbal communication
Improved social interaction
More regulated moods
Fewer meltdowns
Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties
Improvements with hyperactivity and repetitive movements
An overall lessening of ASD symptoms

Sulforaphane and the Fever Effect

Roughly one-half of parents with autistic children report behavioral improvements when their child has a fever. This phenomenon can create significant changes in autistic individuals, including behavior described as more social, alert, and even chatty!

One of the most fascinating qualities of sulforaphane is that it creates a “fever effect” in autistic children. Essentially, it safely activates the effects of a fever without triggering the fever itself. The result can be a notable improvement in ASD symptoms overall, including improved mood, speech and focus.

Sulforaphane Benefits for Autism: Where to Find It

By now, you’re probably wondering how you’re going to get your child to ingest large amounts of raw broccoli or brussels sprouts. Don’t worry–we wouldn’t do that to you! If it weren’t practical, we wouldn’t suggest it.

The team at Sensory Scout has been on the sulforaphane train for quite a while. In fact, we developed our own sulforaphane supplement for children with ASD, and it’s one of our all-time best-selling products. Because it comes in both chewable and capsule forms, there are a variety of ways to add sulforaphane to your child’s diet conveniently:

The chewables have a great taste most kids love!
The capsules can be crushed and put in food, drink or smoothies

Our sulforaphane supplement is called NeuroBrocc, for obvious reasons! It contains a massive dose of leafy-green benefits, plus it’s safe and scientifically supported, with no fillers, GMOs, additives or preservatives.

You can also get creative with adding sulforaphane to your child’s diet in other ways. Just remember to avoid deep frying, adding sugar, or trying to mask the taste of the leafy greens with sauce or gravy, all of which can destroy its impressive benefits.