**By Anh Thu V. Tran, MS, MD- Medical Director and Nutrition Consultant,  Cyvex Nutrition

Sunscreen use increases as July and August months bring on the warmer weather for t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, skirts, and bikinis.  Unbeknownst to many of us, protection from sun exposure is important all year round and should not be limited to poolsides, beaches, hiking trails, or other outdoor wonders of warmer months.  Cloudiness and hazy days do not protect us from the UV rays, but rather reach our bodies as if it were actually a bright and sunny day.  3.5 million cases in two million people are diagnosed annually with skin cancer in the United States and the incidence is more than the combined incidences of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon (American Cancer Society, 2009, Skin Cancer Foundation 2010).

The current CDC recommendations against UV sun-damage is as follows: (1) use of sunscreen of sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher with UVA and UVB protection, (2) wear protective clothing, (3) wear protective hat to shade face, head, ears, and neck, (4) wear sunglasses with UV block , and (5) seek shade especially during midday hours (2010).  UVA is related to skin aging and UVB is associated with skin cancer.    The reality is that the warmer months are spent underneath the sun, with minimal clothing at peak UV exposure from 10AM to 4PM, and most people actually enjoy seeking out the sun rather than shade, which emphasizes the importance of and dependency on sunscreen.  However, what if there was an additional protective factor?  What if this factor were to work on defending you against UV radiation from the inside and outside of your body?  What if this product could be applied as in topical creams/lotions and also as an option one could add as a side to a lunch or dinner plate. Among the top superfoods (for good reason), this green vegetable, resembling a tree, filled with  rich vitamins, minerals, fiber, and plentiful phytochemicals has been suggested in the protection and repair of UV sun damage to the skin.*  It is no surprise this superfood spotlight shines on broccoli (yet again).

Recent in vivo studies demonstrated 25 percent less skin tumors following chronic UV exposure for 17 weeks when  fed broccoli extract for 13 weeks than compared to standard protective agents on hairless animal model at Johns Hopkins University.  In addition, tumors that were developed were 70% smaller in diameter and depth (Dinkova-Kostova AT, et al. 2010).  Replication of this animal model to confirm such protection is in the works with subsequent anticipated clinical studies to follow. Dinkova-Kostova and team demonstrated that exposure to UV accompanied with sulforaphane glucosinolates (SGS) also provided the validity behind selection of sprouts over mature broccoli (2010).  Previous in vivo studies using both animal and human skin demonstrated immediate cellular defenses resulting from UVR-induced inflammation and edema in mice and reduction in susceptibility to erythema (redness) arising from narrow-band 311 nm UVR in humans, presenting potential in topical application of cruciferous extracts (Talalay P, et al. 2007).*  Optimizing products for broccoli sprout applications in supplements, functional foods, and/or topical products would be advantageous in providing the greatest potential of effectiveness and uniqueness to products.

What are the actives within broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts) that provide such protection?  Beyond the already known nutritious richness, these vegetables also have high levels of a group of phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which are further metabolized by the body into isothiocyanates.  Phenythyl isothiocyanates (PEITC) and sulforaphane have also been applied as adjunct therapy in chemotherapy in halting the proliferation of tumor cells.  Sulforaphane is the main metabolite and has been associated with mobilizing cellular defenses against UV damage.  Its precursor, glucoraphanin (sulforaphane glucosinolates – SGS) at optimized levels can be found in the sprouts of broccoli compared to the mature vegetable.  Eating your vegetables, yet again, holds weight in a healthier diet.  So next time someone asks if you would like a side of broccoli, remember, you are not only getting a side of vegetables with a punch of rich nutrients, but also a side of sun protection!

References:

Dinkova-Kostova AT et al., “Dietary glucoraphanin-rich broccoli sprout extracts protect against UV radiation-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice,” Photochem Photobiol Sci, 2010; 9: 597-600

Talalay P et al., “Sulforaphane mobilizes cellular defenses that protect skin against damage by UV radiation,” PNAS, 2007; 104:17500-17505

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Author’s bio: Dr. Anh Thu V. Tran is the Medical Director & Nutrition Consultant for Cyvex Nutrition, PGY-1 Resident with  UC Davis Family Medicine Residency Network, and Founder of Strive to Live Well.  She holds a M.D. from St. George’s University, a M.S. in Nutrition from Loma Linda University, and a B.Sc. in Biology & Women’s Studies from UC Irvine.