Eat 5 Pounds A Day of Broccoli OR Do *This* (+ Get Microplastics Out of Tissue Fast?!)

Ben Greenfield

Jun 13, 2026

Episode description

Full show notes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/marapodcast

In this episode, you will hear the origin story of Mara Labs, a company built around sulforaphane, the active compound found in broccoli that has been studied across thousands of papers covering almost every major chronic disease, and why most people are not actually getting it from their broccoli supplements. You will discover why the way your broccoli supplement is made determines whether any of it reaches your cells at all, what dose of the active compound moves the needle on inflammation, detox, and cellular defense, and how a single capsule compares to eating five pounds of adult broccoli a day. You will also hear something that has not been discussed publicly before: a pilot study showing that this same compound can trigger your cells to release microplastics, those synthetic particles now found in human blood, lungs, and breast tissue, and push them out through your digestive system.

David Roberts is the co-founder and managing partner of Mara Labs. After his wife Mara was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and passed away in 2017, David channeled his experience into building a supplement company grounded in clinical science rather than ingredient trends. Dr. John Gildea is Chief Science Officer and co-founder, with a PhD in molecular biology and over 20 years studying the Nrf2 pathway at the University of Virginia. Author of more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, he developed the stabilization method that made shelf-stable sulforaphane possible and has since led research on sulforaphane's effects on microplastics and cancer stem cells.

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Track biomarkers to measure sulforaphane's effectiveness

To measure the effectiveness of sulforaphane, you can track biomarkers like the inflammatory marker IL-6 and urine markers for oxidative stress like 8-OHG.

Mobilize microplastics with sulforaphane for excretion

Sulforaphane can mobilize microplastics from within cells, causing them to be spit out and then excreted from the body through feces.

Activate NRF2 pathway with sulforaphane for recovery in aging exercisers

In older individuals whose NRF2 antioxidant response to exercise is diminished, sulforaphane can still effectively activate the pathway to aid recovery.

Avoid ineffective sulforaphane supplements for better health

Many supplements are sold as the precursor glucoraphanin, which is not shelf-stable and has unreliable conversion to active sulforaphane in the body.

Choose whole-broccoli extract for safer isothiocyanate benefits

A whole-broccoli extract containing a mixture of isothiocyanates is safer than purified sulforaphane, showing no cell death at concentrations 20 times higher than the toxic level of the pure form.

Combine sulforaphane and PITC for enhanced NRF2 activation

Combining sulforaphane with PITC from watercress creates a synergistic effect, inducing the NRF2 antioxidant pathway up to five times more effectively than sulforaphane alone.

Leverage berberine as a powerful sleep aid

The blood sugar management supplement berberine can also be a powerful sleep aid, with research showing it outperforms Valium by increasing serotonin and dopamine.

Experience vivid dreams as a sign of sulforaphane effectiveness

About a quarter of people who take sulforaphane report experiencing vivid dreams, which is attributed to its upregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).

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