Independent and Combined Effects of Short-term Sulforaphane Supplementation and Exercise on Immunometabolism in Healthy Adults (EXSFN)

Independent and Combined Effects of Short-term Sulforaphane Supplementation and Exercise on Immunometabolism in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Crossover Study

The study consist of 3 interventional periods which will be completed by each consenting participant in a randomized, crossover fashion. The interventional periods will be separated by a minimum 1 week washout period. One of the interventions consists of 4 days of daily supplementation with the commercially available broccoli sprout extract capsules (BrocElite). Another intervention will consist of 4 days of daily supervised treadmill running. The exercise protocol consists of 4 minutes of high-intensity running running followed by a 3 minute recovery period, repeated for a total of 4 repetitions. The last intervention combines the above two and consists of 4 days of daily supplementation and daily supervised exercise training. Before and after each intervention, basic anthropometrics (weight, heart rate, and blood pressure) will be recorded, and a venous blood sample will be collected. Blood samples will be analyzed for metabolic and inflammatory markers. Participants will be asked to refrain from structured exercise, alcohol consumption, and broccoli consumption during each of the experimental periods. Before any testing, willing participants will provide informed consent, and fill out a few demographic, and lifestyle questionnaires. The study will be conducted at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, BC, Canada.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Inflammation; Mitochondrial Function, Bioenergetics; Immunometabolism
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract; Other: High Intensity Interval Treadmill Running

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Hashim Islam Principle Investigator, Ph.D; Phone Number: 250-807-9122; Email: hashim.islam@ubc.ca

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, V1V 1V7
      • Recruiting
      • Reichwald Health Sciences Centre
      • Contact: Sean McIntyre; Phone Number: 2505757528; Email: smcint04@student.ubc.ca

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged between 18 and 35 years
• not a current smoker
• physically active based on the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (150 minutes of weekly physical activity)

Exclusion Criteria:

• a history of cardiometabolic diseases or respiratory diseases (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, diabetes, coronary artery disease)
• currently following a ketogenic diet
• body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m2
• unable to read or communicate in English
• having received a vaccination or experienced an upper respiratory tract infection in the last 4 weeks
• having donated more than 0.5 L of blood within the last 4 weeks
• currently pregnant
• have contraindications to high intensity exercise (assessed using the CSEP Get Active Questionnaire)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sulforaphane Supplementation Only; In this intervention, participants will consume commercially available broccoli sprout extract capsules daily for 4 days (20 mg/day) . Basic anthropometrics (weight, heart rate, blood pressure) and a venous blood sample (30 mL) will be collected before and after this interventional period.	Dietary supplement: Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract; Broc Elite Plus stabilized sulforaphane capsules from Mara Labs
Active Comparator: Exercise Only; In this intervention, participants will complete supervised exercise sessions daily for 4 days. The exercise intervention consists of interval running on a treadmill which contains 4 cycles of: 4 minutes of intense running (85-95% HRmax) followed by 3 minutes at a slow, easy pace. Basic anthropometrics (weight, heart rate, blood pressure) and a venous blood sample (30 mL) will be collected before and after this interventional period.	Other: High Intensity Interval Treadmill Running; 4 cycles of: 4 minutes of intense treadmill running (85-95% HR max) followed by 3 minutes of slow, easy running.
Experimental: Sulforaphane Supplementation and Exercise; In this intervention, participants will consume commercially available broccoli sprout extract tablets daily for 4 days. In addition, participants will complete supervised exercise sessions daily for 4 days. The exercise intervention consists of interval running on a treadmill which contains 4 cycles of: 4 minutes of intense running (85-95% HRmax) followed by 3 minutes at a slow, easy pace. Basic anthropometrics (weight, heart rate, blood pressure) and a venous blood sample (30 mL) will be collected before and after this interventional period.	Dietary supplement: Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract; Broc Elite Plus stabilized sulforaphane capsules from Mara Labs; Other: High Intensity Interval Treadmill Running; 4 cycles of: 4 minutes of intense treadmill running (85-95% HR max) followed by 3 minutes of slow, easy running.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in peripheral blood mononuclear cell oxygen consumption rate	OCR will be measured using a Seahorse Analyzer before and after each 4-day intervention	0-4 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
TNF-alpha secretion from LPS-stimulated whole blood	TNF-alpha secretion from LPS-stimulated whole blood will be measured via ELISA before and after each 4-day period	0-4 days
Change in % of classical monocytes before and after the 6-week intervention	The % of classical monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
Change in % of intermediate monocytes before and after the 4-day intervention	The % of intermediate monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
Change in % of non-classical monocytes before and after the 4-day intervention	The % of non-classical monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
Change in TLR-4 expression on classical monocytes before and after the 4-day intervention	TLR-4 expression on classical monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention.	0-4 days
Change in TLR-4 expression on intermediate monocytes before and after the 4-day intervention	TLR-4 expression on intermediate monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention.	0-4 days
Change in TLR-4 expression on non-classical monocytes before and after the 4-day intervention	TLR-4 expression on non-classical monocytes will be measured using flow cytometry at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
Change in white blood cell counts before and after the 4-day intervention	White blood cell counts will be measured using a hematology analyzer at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
TNF-alpha secretion from PolyIC-stimulated whole blood	TNF-alpha secretion from PolyIC-stimulated whole blood will be measured via ELISA before and after each 4-day period	0-4 days
Change in peripheral blood mononuclear cell extracellular acidification rate before and after the 4-day period	PBMC ECAR will be measured using a Seahorse Analyzer at baseline and after the 4-day intervention	0-4 days
Change in PBMC mitotracker green staining before and after the 4-day period	PBMC mitotracker green will be measured using flow cytometry before and after the 4-day intervention period	0-4 days
Change in PBMC mitoSOX red staining before and after the 4-day period	PBMC mitoSOX red will be measured using flow cytometry before and after the 4-day intervention period	0-4 days
Change in PBMC mitochondrial respiration before and after the 4-day intervention period	PBMC mitochondrial respiration will be measured using high-resolution respirometry before and after the 4-day period	0-4 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 19, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 19, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 19, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Inflammation; Exercise; High intensity interval training; Bioenergetics; Immunometabolism; Nutraceuticals
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Inflammation; Motor Activity
• Other Study ID Numbers: H25-03273

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: IPD will not be shared to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of participants, in accordance with ethical guidelines and data protection regulations. Additionally, this was not included in the informed consent, which did not cover data sharing or address potential risks of re-identification.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No