Eating broccoli every day for two weeks doesn't change several common blood markers of inflammation in healthy young people.

Scientific Claim

In healthy young adults aged 20–40, consumption of cruciferous vegetables at 7 g/kg or 14 g/kg body weight per day for 14 days has no significant effect on serum C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), or soluble TNF receptors I and II, indicating that these biomarkers are not consistently responsive to cruciferous vegetable intake.

Original Statement

“There were no effects of diet on CRP, TNF-α, or sTNFRI or II.”

From study:Cruciferous vegetables have variable effects on biomarkers of systemic inflammation in a randomized controlled trial in healthy young adults.

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The RCT design with precise measurements and statistical analysis allows definitive claims of no effect for these specific biomarkers under these conditions.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Cruciferous vegetables have variable effects on biomarkers of systemic inflammation in a randomized controlled trial in healthy young adults.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

The study gave people lots of broccoli and similar veggies for two weeks and found that their inflammation markers CRP, TNF-α, and sTNF receptors didn’t change — so the claim that these veggies don’t consistently affect those markers is backed up.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Cruciferous vegetables have variable effects on biomarkers of systemic inflammation in a randomized controlled trial in healthy young adults.

Score: 69

DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.197434

Similar Assertions

People with a specific genetic variation who eat a mix of broccoli and carrots for two weeks see big drops in two key inflammation markers in their blood.

83%

People with a certain gene variation who eat a lot of broccoli for two weeks see a small but measurable drop in proteins that control inflammation signals in their blood.

82%

Eating a lot of broccoli, cabbage, and similar veggies every day for two weeks can lower a key inflammation marker in the blood of healthy young people.

80%

People with a certain gene variation who eat a lot of broccoli for two weeks see lower levels of two inflammation markers in their blood.

79%

Eating a moderate amount of broccoli for two weeks might lower inflammation in some people with a certain gene, but the effect isn't strong enough to be sure yet.

74%