Nomio, a Swedish broccoli extract, claims to lower lactate levels, but its true benefits may go deeper
Andreas Almgren, who streaked to a new European half-marathon record of 58:41 earlier this month, swears by it. So does Cole Hocker
“It” is a supplement called Nomio, a concentrated shot extracted from broccoli sprouts that has emerged as the hottest new performance-enhancer among elite endurance athletes (as Velo ’s Jim Cotton recently reported). The tagline printed on the box and splashed across the company’s website is that it’s “a natural compound that reduces lactate buildup during intense physical activity.” The promise to lower lactate is reminiscent of claims about baking soda, which has swept through endurance sport over the past few years. That’s what is drawing athletes in—but the actual science behind Nomio, preliminary though it remains, suggests a more complicated and perhaps more interesting picture.
You might also try the Avmacol product, which I use. I suspect they are quite similar. Unfortunately it’s really hard to do the comparison because they don’t give you enough information about the actual contents.
Here’s a detailed comparison of the two products you asked about — Nomio (the ITC 60 mL shot) vs Avmacol® Extra Strength — focusing on the compounds you’re interested in (glucoraphanin, myrosinase, sulforaphane, glucosinolates, isothiocyanates) as far as the publicly‐available information allows. Because the public data is incomplete in some respects, I’ll highlight where there are data gaps and make clear assumptions/interpretations.
Summary Comparison
Product
Form / dosing
Glucoraphanin (or precursor glucosinolate)
Myrosinase (active enzyme)
Sulforaphane (or estimate of conversion)
Glucosinolate total
Isothiocyanates (ITCs) / delivered dose
Nomio
60 mL shot (broccoli sprout extract ~80% of ingredients)
Not specified (no mg listed)
Not specified (no mg listed)
Not specified (no mg listed)
The product describes “glucosinolate-rich broccoli sprouts” but no mg value given.
The company states the shot “delivers a high dose of ITC” and references a U-shaped dose curve matching the content of one Nomio shot.
Avmacol Extra Strength
Tablet, 1 tablet per day
25 mg of “Proprietary Sulforaphane Glucosinolate (Glucoraphanin) & Myrosinase Blend” per tablet
Included as part of blend (“active myrosinase enzyme”)
Not explicitly listed in mg; product relies on conversion in-body to sulforaphane
As above (25 mg of the glucoraphanin + myrosinase blend)
Not given as precise mg of ITC; subject to conversion yield & individual variability
Detailed Notes and Key Observations
Nomio
The “Science” page describes: “The isothiocyanates present in glucosinolate-rich broccoli sprouts show indications of reducing lactate by 12% on average in early studies.”
It further states: “Optimal dose of ITC in a convenient 60 ml package.”
However, the exact mg numbers for glucoraphanin (or total glucosinolates) and for myrosinase enzyme or for resultant sulforaphane/ITC are not disclosed on the public page.
In the ingredient breakdown for the shot: “Broccoli sprout extracts 80% · Lemon 15% · Sugar 5%” (for 100 mL nutritional facts)
Because of the lack of specific mg values, one cannot determine precisely how many milligrams of glucoraphanin, how much myrosinase enzyme, or how much sulforaphane/ITCs are delivered.
Interpretation: If you are targeting quantitative biomarkers (e.g., mg of sulforaphane per dose), Nomio’s transparency is limited in this regard.
Avmacol Extra Strength
The supplement facts (via the FAQ page) list: “Proprietary Sulforaphane Glucosinolate (Glucoraphanin) & Myrosinase Blend 25 mg” per tablet.
They emphasize that active myrosinase is essential for conversion of glucoraphanin → sulforaphane.
The product does not specify: how many mg of myrosinase (enzyme units) are present, what fraction of the 25 mg is glucoraphanin vs myrosinase vs other constituents in the blend, or how many mg of sulforaphane or downstream ITCs are reliably produced or delivered in vivo.
They do assert human research validating their “Sulforaphane Production System®.”
Interpretation: Avmacol gives a numeric mg for precursor + enzyme blend (25 mg), which is a stronger transparency than Nomio, but still lacks full breakdown and conversion yield. For your data-driven biomarker optimization, you may prefer a product with more precision or at least third‐party quantification of sulforaphane/ITC yields.
Important Considerations for Your Use Case (Detailed Biomarker & Dose Perspective)
Given your interest in detailed biomarker optimization, here are some further points to consider:
Conversion variability: Even when you have known glucoraphanin + myrosinase, the actual conversion to sulforaphane (and further to ITCs/metabolites) depends on many factors: gut microbiome, enzyme activity, timing, food matrix, heat/inactivation of enzyme, etc. The FAQ of Avmacol highlights this.
Absolute dose matters for effect size: From clinical literature on sulforaphane and broccoli sprout extracts, mg doses of sulforaphane/ITC delivered often range in tens to hundreds of mg for measurable biomarker effects (depending on endpoint). Because neither product clearly shows “mg sulforaphane delivered,” you may need to infer or rely on independent studies.
Transparency & independent assay: For your biomarker-driven strategy, the ideal product would provide third‐party assay data (mg glucoraphanin, mg myrosinase activity units, mg sulforaphane/ITCs in the final product or as preformed). Neither product completely meets that for public data, but Avmacol comes closer.
Form & timing :
Nomio is a liquid 60mL shot taken pre‐workout (they recommend ~3 h before training) for acute performance/lactate endpoints.
Avmacol is a daily tablet support (1 tablet/day with meal) aimed at detoxification / cellular stress / immune support rather than acute exercise supplement.For your biomarker strategy (immune/inflammation/metabolism etc), the daily tablet may align better with steady support rather than acute training effect.
Matching to your biomarker frameworks: Since you often analyze markers (immune function, oxidative stress, etc.), you might want to map expected delivered dose of sulforaphane/ITCs → expected up‐regulated NRF2/phase2 enzymes → downstream biomarker changes (CRP, oxidative stress markers, NQO1, etc.). If delivery dose is unknown, that makes modelling more difficult.
My Recommendation (Given Your Context)
If your priority is exact quantification (mg glucoraphanin, enzyme units, mg sulforaphane/ITC) for incorporation into your optimal-range dashboards: Avmacol is preferable based on public disclosure because you at least know 25 mg of the blend per tablet. Even though the conversion yield is not given, you have a starting numeric figure.
If your priority is acute performance use (pre‐workout, lactate reduction, training adaptation) rather than daily biomarker modulation: Nomio might be attractive, but you’ll have to accept less clarity on mg dosing.
For your advanced usage (tracking blood biomarkers over time, linking supplement use → changes), you might consider contacting either manufacturer for third-party lab assay or seeking peer‐reviewed trials of each product that report delivered sulforaphane/ITCs (urinary metabolites) so you can estimate actual exposure.
If you like, I can search for published analytical/clinical studies of each specific product (Nomio and Avmacol Extra Strength) that report actual measured sulforaphane/ITC metabolites (e.g., urinary dithiocarbamates) and deliver a table of those values so you can more precisely model dose-response for your biomarker strategy. Would you like me to do that?
Amazon delivered my Avmacol early this morning and I took my first tablet. Going for a 5 mile run in about an hour. Wonder if there will be any difference?
I bought some broccoli sprout powder (more compact, easier to take than raw sprouts) on Amazon, and take it with some mustard seed powder (for myrosenase to better convert glucoraphanin into sulforaphane).
I would have bought a Bulk Supplements version, but they don’t sell the sprout version. They do tend have a reputation of selling safe, quality stuff. In most third-party tests of products I’ve seen, they typically come out near the top when it comes to purity and accuracy in labeling.
I get fresh broccoli sprouts for $4 for 4oz. I add 1oz to my smoothie every morning. They are grown locally here in Hawaii at a temperature of around 75F, so I hope to be getting 35mg of sulforaphane each day for $1!
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