Brussels Sprouts

Overview

Brussels sprouts provide sulfur-containing compounds that serve as glutathione precursors, supporting antioxidant defenses and mitochondrial health. Sulphur-containing vegetables that provide glutathione precursors (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onions). Niacin-rich foods (e.g., salmon, chicken breast, turkey, peanuts, and mushrooms), sulphur-containing vegetables that provide glutathione precursors (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onions) support NAD+ availability, glutathione synthesis, and mitochondrial health.

Recipes

no recipes found

Substances

2 substances in this food

Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)

One-carbon metabolism; methylation; homocysteine recycling

Vitamin C (Ascorbate)

Antioxidant; supports iron absorption; neuronal SVCT2 transport

Preparation Notes

• Light cooking or raw consumption may preserve compounds; gentle cooking preserves nutrients
• Part of diverse cruciferous vegetable intake; dietary diversity (≥30 plant foods per week) supports microbial richness and resilience
• Supports glutathione synthesis; glutathione (GSH) is one of the body's major antioxidants
• Pair with other sulfur-containing vegetables for synergistic effects

Biological Target Matrix

Biological Target	Substance	Contribution Level	Therapeutic Areas	Mechanism of Action
Inflammation & Oxidative Stress	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Antioxidant properties; supports anti-inflammatory effects
Metabolic & Neuroendocrine Stress (HPA Axis & ANS)	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base	Supports stress response through antioxidant and neurochemical effects
Methylation & One-Carbon Metabolism	Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease	Essential cofactor in remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, which is converted to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe); SAMe fuels synthesis of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin and drives phospholipid methylation in neuronal membranes
Neurotransmitter Regulation	Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Supports neurotransmitter synthesis through methylation; cofactor for dopamine synthesis alongside iron, B6, and omega-3s
Neurotransmitter Regulation	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Supports norepinephrine synthesis; transported in brain via SVCT2

References

• Sulphur-containing vegetables that provide glutathione precursors (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onions)
• Niacin-rich foods (e.g., salmon, chicken breast, turkey, peanuts, and mushrooms), sulphur-containing vegetables that provide glutathione precursors (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onions) support NAD+ availability, glutathione synthesis, and mitochondrial health
• Glutathione (GSH) is one of the body's major antioxidants; low levels may suggest oxidative stress; elevated GSH levels which have been recorded against ADHD subjects may reflect a compensatory response to increased oxidative stress