Cruciferous vegetables?

[pjoshea13]

New umbrella study, below [1].

With popular topics, after a while there may be so many studies that it can be difficult to draw conclusions. That's where a meta-analysis becomes useful. The authors set conditions for inclusion/exclusion & come up with conclusions. Which is very nice so long as your favorite studies have not been excluded.

But what if there are many meta-analyses? We are back in the same boat. That's where the umbrella review comes in. It analyses the results of meta-analyses that meet certain inclusion criteria. Do we get closer to the truth? Or is there a further watering down of the findings from your favorite study?

Anyway, from the first cruciferous vegetable umbrella study (of 41 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 303 observational studies):

"Conclusions: ... {cruciferous vegetable} intake might be associated with beneficial effects on several health-related outcomes (gastric cancer, lung cancer, endometrial cancer, and all-cause mortality)."

"all-cause mortality" possibility has to be a good thing but PCa mortality didn't make the list.

OK. To simplify the analysis of your reponses, enter:

"A" ... signifying "I don't like brocolli & never expected it to help.

"B" ... balderdash!!!

"C" ... Undecided

-Patrick

[1] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/353...

Review Food Funct

. 2022 Mar 30. doi: 10.1039/d1fo03094a. Online ahead of print.

Cruciferous vegetable consumption and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of 41 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 303 observational studies

Yi-Zi Li 1 2 , Zhi-Yong Yang 3 , Ting-Ting Gong 4 , Ya-Shu Liu 1 2 , Fang-Hua Liu 1 2 , Zhao-Yan Wen 1 2 , Xin-Yu Li 1 2 , Chang Gao 1 2 , Meng Luan 1 2 4 , Yu-Hong Zhao 1 2 , Qi-Jun Wu 1 2 4

Affiliations collapse

Affiliations

1 Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P. R. China. [e-mail].

2 Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

3 Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P. R. China. [e-mail].

PMID: 35352732 DOI: 10.1039/d1fo03094a

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies evaluating the associations between the consumption of cruciferous vegetables (CV) and diverse health outcomes have generated inconsistent findings. Therefore, we carried out an umbrella review to systematically summarize existing evidence on this topic. Methods: This study had been registered at PROSPERO (no. CRD42021262011). Relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies were identified by searching PubMed, Web of science, and Embase databases from inception up to March 15, 2021. Observational studies investigating the association between CV intake and multiple health outcomes in humans were eligible for inclusion. The validated AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) instrument was utilized for assessing the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews. For each meta-analysis, we assessed the summary effect size by using fixed and random effects models, 95% prediction intervals, heterogeneity, evidence of small-study effects, and excess significance bias. Results: Our umbrella review included 41 meta-analyses of 303 individual studies involving 13 394 722 participants. Twenty-four health outcomes including cancers (n = 23), cardiovascular disease (n = 12), mortality (n = 5), and metabolic diseases (n = 1) were evaluated. The summary random effects estimates were significant at P < 0.05 in 24 meta-analyses - all of which reported decreased risks of health outcomes. All were of moderate methodological quality in our study. Of the 41 meta-analyses, we observed suggestive evidence for beneficial associations between gastric cancer, lung cancer, endometrial cancer, and all-cause mortality. Moreover, 16 associations were supported by weak evidence, including breast cancer, lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, colon cancer, colorectal adenoma, colorectal neoplasm, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and total cancer. Conclusions: It revealed that CV intake might be associated with beneficial effects on several health-related outcomes (gastric cancer, lung cancer, endometrial cancer, and all-cause mortality). Other associations could be genuine, but substantial uncertainty remains. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between the consumption of CV and various health outcomes as well as robust randomized controlled trials in the future.

[Hidden]

I don't like the taste. I think that there is a possible benefit from sulforaphane so I take it as supplements (or grind a gram of seeds, put them in a cup of water, and heat to about 40 c).

[pjoshea13 in reply to Hidden]

I grew up in England &, jokes aside, the English do appreciate fresh vegetables that are not overcooked, but generally do not think beyond salt & perhaps a bit of butter. They mostly like to taste the vegetable, it seems. Things are a bit different in many cuisines of the world.

Albert R Broccoli of the James Bond franchise is from the family that invented broccoli. Cooked the Italian way, you get red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, etc. How could anyone resist?

The French gratin; German style with bacon, mustard & cider vinegar? There is something for all tastes. & then there are the Asian treatments.

-Patrick

[JPOM in reply to pjoshea13]

Etymology

The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which means "the flowering crest of a cabbage", and is the diminutive form of brocco, meaning "small nail" or "sprout". But Albert R was born in my hometown so maybe his lineage does go back to the ancient Romans, who apparently bred many veggies. I prefer broccolini, which has a zing to it, like radish or something. almost all cruciforms make you fart, so that's always fun at the dinner table with company to admire the high Bb some of us talented farters can reach.

All in all... balder with a dash of soy sauce.

[dentaltwin in reply to pjoshea13]

Recommended in an email from the NY Times today:

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes...

[treedown]

I love all vegetables, cruciferous is on the top of that list. I don't expect to eat enough to make a supplemental difference but much like eating an orange or apple is better for than drinking the juice I will stick with the whole food. At least for now.

[timotur]

I eat steamed broccoli about 3x/wk with lemon juice, olive oil, and a yeast supplement to improve the taste. Other days I'll take Thorne's broccoli supplement.

[maley2711 in reply to timotur]

Broc with salt only..... microwaved with some water

[maley2711 in reply to maley2711]

per wht I read years ago, broc one of best veggies for overal vitamin content..especially C.

[cesces]

This data doesn't become useful to us at all until there is a study that differentiates:(a) effect on preventing prostate cancer

(b) effect on those who already have prostate cancer

We need to know if sulforaphane are protecting prostate cancer cells or not.

Until I see data otherwise, I must assume it is protecting all cells, including prostate cancer cells. And I don't think that data, one way or the other, exists.

[FRTHBST in reply to cesces]

It seems from looking at some of the above studies(and many others), that sulphorophane, DIM, etc. are not protecting cells, but interrupting some of the abnormal epigenetic signaling in pathways associated with creation, maintenance, and growth of cancerous cells. This seems to be the case with many of the phytochemicals that exhibit medicinal properties such as those derived from Chinese and Ayurvedic medicinal herbs. They protect normal cells by suppressing the biochemical changes that lead to and promulgate cancer.

[cesces in reply to FRTHBST]

That's interesting.

[pjoshea13]

I should add that I think that the MEAL study convincingly showed that one can't expect dietary vegetables to halt or reverse PCa:

ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrele...

On the other hand, I do believe that pharmaceutical doses of vegetable micronutrients may help. Polyphenols tend to be NF-kB inhibitors. As such, they might prevent NF-kB related production of inflammatory omega-6 metabolites.

I posted a series on cruciferae 5 years back:

1] healthunlocked.com/advanced...

2] healthunlocked.com/advanced...

3] can't find the link to "Foods/Supplements-Vitamins: Cruciferous Phytochemicals - [3] 3,3'-Diindolylmethane [DIM]"

4] healthunlocked.com/advanced...

5] healthunlocked.com/advanced...

-Patrick

See also:

urotoday.com/video-lectures...

[MateoBeach]

Broccoli, cauliflower and sprouts (Brussels) Oh My! Love em. Regular part of my keto-ish diet.

[Shooter1]

May be good overall, but won't stop it. I have been eating them since long before aPca was part of my life.

[MrG68]

So do you think that a meta analysis of observational studies is a true representation of solid reliable science? Do you rely on these studies for anything?

[pjoshea13 in reply to MrG68]

Perhaps useful for hypothesis building - or confirming bias. LOL

& if one is lucky, there will be a discussion of possible mechanisms to explain benefit.

-Patrick

[cfhny]

With wife a grain sensitive diabetic, these are a mainstay in our diet. Useful, or not, I get lots.

[PhilipSZacarias]

D - I'm a believer

[Captain_Dave]

I eat a kale salad several times a week. I take Ocncoprotect ES everyday.

[ck722]

Yes, good ole kraut does have an addictive quality. Very easy to make. Living food.

[dhccpa]

Would it be possible for you to search for a comprehensive summary and synthesis of all the umbrella studies as soon as possible. I have a feeling that's where the true answer lies. Just whenever you can.

[dhccpa]

I tend to think we need to concentrate on things we should cease consuming more than things we should consume.

A smoker is in serious long-term danger no matter what he/she consumes.

[lewicki]

Kapusta and kielbasa. HMMM, Smaczny ! Concern for the salt content. Wash the kraut before eating to reduce salt?

[lewicki]

My sodium is in the middle range even though we seldom salt in cooking and I rarely salt my food but am getting the salt somewhere. Wife salts everything and does not have an issue.

[monte1111]

Every time I eat SauerKraut I feel like invading a country.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

You're a pistol............. BTW Ukraine is taken...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 04/01/2022 6:11 PM DST

[j-o-h-n]

I swear my 3 doctors* told me that Chocolate Chip ice cream was a cruciferous vegetable.

*Larry, Curley, Moe.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 04/01/2022 6:09 PM DST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Did they ask you to check out their cucumbers?

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

Gherkins.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 04/01/2022 8:56 PM DST

[pjoshea13 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Here' a good recipe for Broccoli Ice Cream:

jangorecipes.com/broccoli-i...

[j-o-h-n in reply to pjoshea13]

I'm good..........

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 04/02/2022 11:15 AM EST

[pjoshea13]

For those on Warfarin, I should add that broccoli contains vitamin K:

"102 µg phylloquinone per 100g" according to the USDA database.

-Patrick

[Spyder54]

Patrick, thank you again! I guess I’m B: Balderdash!!

I believe “it all works, but nothing works well”. Cruciferous veggies wont cure us, but it wont hurt us, and very well may help in unison with 8 or 9 combinations we have ongoing. It seems more and more like a big experiment to find the best combo of meds, surgery, radiation, supplements, exercise, power of the mind, and love, to extend our lives toward a healthy life span.

Mike