'Nrf2' is a powerful protein that is dormant within each cell in the body, unable to move or operate until it's released by an Nrf2 activator. When Nrf2 is triggered in the nucleus, it activates the powerful anti-inflammatory processes of the body.

The Nrf2 switch

Nrf2 is a potent protein that acts in the same way as the transmission in your car. Like turning on your car, Nrf2 is a protein switch within each of the trillions of cells within your body that turns on the body's cellular defense system. Nrf2 activates more than 200 different genes, all of which have a different impact upon cellular defense!

Nrf2 is Natures way of activating our bodies own defense mechanism to treat and fight disease. Nrf2 stimulates the production of antioxidant enzymes and the powerful anti-inflammatory processes of the body. It’s vitally important that we trigger the Nrf2 switch within our cells for superior health and that critical trigger is Sulforaphane.

'Nrf2' is Natures way of unlocking the bodies own defense mechanism to prevent and treat disease. The master key is Sulforaphane!

Nrf2 and Cardivascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases is the leading cause of death and disability in the developed world. A critical component to the development – or prevention – of cardiovascular disease is proper balance of the body's internal cellular defense systems, including antioxidant enzymes, detoxification proteins, and housekeeping proteins.

Several cardiovascular diseases are associated with suboptimal cellular defenses, (and thus with elevated cellular stress), including atherosclerosis (blockage of blood vessels), hypertension (elevated blood pressure), and heart failure (loss of contraction ability). Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by dysfunction of the blood vessel lining (endothelial tissue), leading to cholesterol blockages, narrowing of the blood vessels, and poor blood flow.

The good news is that Nrf2, a key protein that activates the body’s ultra-powerful antioxidant enzymes, has been shown by science to protect and benefit the cardiovascular system in several key ways.

Nrf2 is important to maintaining the health and function of the endothelial tissue, and thus of the entire cardiovascular system. For example, Nrf2 activation is known to directly protect blood vessel linings from cellular stress, and also to improve production of nitric oxide (which increases blood flow) and boost cellular energy levels (through mitochondrial support) – leading to an overall improvement of cardiovascular efficiency and function. In addition, Nrf2 activation leads to increased production of specific anti-atherogenic (heart protecting) enzymes such as heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which can protect blood vessels from inflammation, reduce high blood pressure, and improve the efficiency of heart muscle contraction.

It is interesting to note that individuals with insufficient Nrf2 levels or inefficient Nrf2 activation are likely to be at higher risk for not just cardiovascular problems, but also problems related to cellular damage throughout the entire body, especially those tissues with the highest energy needs (the heart, muscle, and brain).

Nrf2 and Cancer

More than one thousand scientific publications describe the relationship between Nrf2 activation and various types of cancer. These studies span the entire range of scientific study design, from clinical supplementation trials in humans, to mechanistic studies in specific cell cultures, to gene activation studies, and even specialized studies of Nrf2 metabolism in different models of chronic diseases.

Nrf2 is perhaps the most important cell defense and survival pathway – protecting cells and tissues from a variety of toxicants and carcinogens. Because Nrf2 activation increases dozens of cellular protective functions, several pharmaceutical activators of Nrf2 are under study in clinical trials. For instance, researchers from the National Cancer Institute stated that in their review of several studies, the "finding... implicate Nrf2 as a promising molecular target for cancer prevention" (Cancer Prevention Research, 2008).

Other researchers from China found that "an increasing body of evidence supports the premise that the Nrf2/ARE pathway plays a critical role in the protective mechanism of cells" (Food Science and Human Wellness, 2013). And recently, results from a Rutgers University-based study found that the ". . . defense enzymes mediated by Nrf2-antioxidative stress and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways can contribute to cellular protection against . . . carcinogens" (Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2013).

While more research is still needed, these studies and others comprise a growing body of evidence demonstrating that Nrf2 is indeed a potentially powerful weapon against cancer.

Sulforaphane is the critical trigger of the 'Nrf2' protein within the human cell that activates the potent anti-inflammatory processes of the body.

Nrf2 and the Skin

You’ve heard the old saying, “Beauty is more than skin deep” – and it’s true – especially when you realize that our body has a built-in “beauty protection” network inside of every cell, including our skin cells. You’ll often hear that the skin has “two layers” (the dermis and epidermis), but the epidermis (uppermost layer) is actually comprised of five distinct layers and the dermis (deeper layer) has two different layers – so our skin actually has seven different layers that protect our delicate (internal) tissues from the damaging (external) environment.

Emerging science is discovering a new approach to caring for your skin, one that addresses what goes on inside you and at the deeper layers of skin (not just the surface) in order to bring forth the most glowing, clear, healthy skin on your outside. Achieving healthy, beautiful skin is truly an inside-out process. Looking better, feeling better, having more confidence, and causing your exterior to reflect your beautiful interior (and vice versa) is what the latest skin science is all about.

Nobody wants to look like they’re aging. Americans spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year on lotions, creams, and coatings to be applied to the surface of the skin (the dead part, called the stratum corneum). Many of these concoctions do a wonderful job of smoothing out wrinkles and giving the appearance of younger, healthier skin. The illusion of healthier skin, however, rapidly fades when the beauty cream wears off.

Many Skin Solutions

What we perceive as “aging” is actually a complicated and multifaceted phenomenon related to skin breakdown and repair—a cyclical process that we scientists refer to as “tissue turnover.” In the case of skin, we call it “collagen turnover.” The most effective solution to a multifaceted problem is a multifaceted solution, and that’s exactly what topical Nrf2 activation is all about.

Today, the scientific community accepts the fact that chronic cellular stress leads to a rapid breakdown in a variety of tissues, including skin. Cellular stress in skin cells inevitably leads to skin problems, such as wrinkles, acne, and uneven skin tone. Nrf2 regulates our body’s response to cellular stress and numerous studies have shown that both topical and internal/systemic activation of the Nrf2 pathway can have a wide range of beneficial effects on skin, including reduced rates of skin cancers, protection from ultraviolet radiation, reduced inflammation, enhanced barrier function, and improved wound healing.