Nrf2 Nerfs Oxidative Stress

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Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) is your body’s master control mechanism for combating oxidative stress. When your body detects oxidative stress and inflammation, Nrf2 is upregulated which leads to the creation of endogenous antioxidant proteins, detoxifying enzymes, and other cytoprotective molecules to bring things back to normal. If not dealt with, this oxidative stress and inflammation fosters various pathologies such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Modern western lifestyles induce excessive oxidative stress and inflammation, making persistent stimulation of the Nrf2 pathway via supplements a promising health hack for wellbeing and longevity. Let’s briefly go over some publications to highlight the potential of Nrf2 stimulation.

Nrf2 was shown to slow pulmonary fibrosis progression in mice models by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While EMT is not considered a universal mechanism in all types of pulmonary fibrosis, it is recognized as a major contributor in many cases.¹

Nrf2 has been proposed to improve liver diseases such as drug-induced liver injury, viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver disease, autoimmune liver diseases, and liver cirrhosis.²

Experimental models of atherosclerosis, ischemia, reperfusion, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, and diabetes show Nrf2’s cardioprotective nature.³

Additionally, mouse models have shown Nrf2 can improve diabetic kidney disease.⁴ Other proposals include utilizing Nrf2 to ameliorate testicular dysfunction⁵ and neurodegenerative diseases.⁶

While many of these studies explore how Nrf2 can improve diseases that have already developed, it makes sense that stimulating Nrf2 preemptively can help prevent these diseases from ever occurring. Popular supplements known to increase Nrf2 activation are sulforaphane, curcumin, resveratrol, EGCG, and rosmarinic acid.

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1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29362432

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35223849

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29187515

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36335764

5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35788899

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36610130