John Bouranis

Oregon State University | OSU · Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences (NES)

Robust evidence shows that phytochemicals from cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, are associated with numerous health benefits. The anti-cancer properties of these foods are attributed to bioactive isothiocyanates (ITCs) and indoles, phytochemicals generated from biological precursor compounds called glucosinolates. ITCs, and particularly sulfo...

Isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane and iberin, derived from glucosinolates (GLS) in cruciferous vegetables, are known to prevent and suppress cancer development. GLS can also be converted by bacteria to biologically inert nitriles, such as sulforaphane-nitrile (SFN-NIT) and iberin-nitrile (IBN-NIT), but the role of the gut microbiome in this pro...

Objectives Whereas phytochemicals derived from cruciferous vegetables have demonstrated health benefits, the data linking intake of these vegetables to health outcomes are inconsistent. These inconsistencies may stem from methodological limitations in accurately assessing cruciferous vegetable exposure. Goals of this study were to explore the use o...

Objectives Aging is associated with progressive immune dysfunction, including impaired adaptive response, increased susceptibility to infection, and reduced vaccination efficacy. Aging is also associated with chronic inflammation that correlated with the promotion of many age-related diseases. Zinc is an essential micronutrient critical for immune...

Objectives Zinc is an essential micronutrient critical for a variety of cellular processes, including immune function. In US, 12% of the population do not consume the EAR for zinc. In older populations the prevalence of inadequate zinc intake increases to ∼40%. Moreover, zinc levels are also often depressed in aged individuals, even when consuming...