Monolayer of the gut: One Single Layer of Epithelial Cells that Determines Our Health

Leaky Gut, IBS, and a host of gut and Gut-Brain Axis issues have one common element - a microbiota community that is not working in tandem with the human body, and open junctions in the epithelial cells of the gut (Jakobsson et al., 2015; Holcomb, 2025). 

Open junctions in the epithelial cell of the gut indicate loosening of the tight junctions in the one layered cell of the colon,  allowing food, toxins, and other molecules to pass through the gut into the body. 

What separates us from this inharmonious community of organisms, toxins, and harmful organsims? A single layer of cells in our gut called monolayer or simple columnar epithelium (Biga et al., 2025). 

It is an oversimplification yet quite accurate to say that the monolayer, this one layer of cells, can make the difference between health and dis-ease. 

At times when our environment is overly stressful with noise, pollution, chemicals, toxins, and foods that are not nutritious, let alone lack of exercise and sleep - this one cell layer is supposed to defend and protect our body from all these assaults. 

A very involved and difficult task for the simple columnar epithelium. Which means we need to know how to nurture and strengthen this one layer cells in our gut, and keep at it as a habit. 

The gut affects the brain, and once our brain stops performing sharply, the body is more overwhelmed. The gut-brain axis is one of the most important systems of communication in the body, so what exactly helps both the gut and the brain?

Of course, the right probiotic formula works miracles in the gut, and surprisingly, an excellent source of broccoli or broccoli sprouts - Sulforaphanes -  shows in research to be essential. 

I have chosen a list of scientific articles that discuss the research on broccoli, broccoli sprouts, Sulforaphane, microbiota health, and of course, the health of the gut and brain. The research is extensive and ongoing as this gut - brain axis influence the fundamentals of remaining healthy. Take a look at our Sulforaphne - a highly concentrated broccoli sprouts with glucosinolates and sulforaphanes - the ultimate food alongside probiotics. 

Enjoy!

Yours, 

Dohrea Bardell, PhD

Sulforaphanes 

References 

• Alaba, T. E. (2024). The Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatories Benefit of Broccoli Sprout Diets and Their Relation to Health. The University of Maine.
• Alaba, T., Zhang, T., Li, Y., & Ishaq, S. (2025). Steamed broccoli sprouts diet alleviates inflammatory bowel disease by increasing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut protective metabolites in an ulcerative colitis mouse model. Functional Foods in Health and Disease-Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007, 15(5), 272-295.
• Biga, L. M., Bronson, S., Dawson, S., Harwell, A., Hopkins, R., Kaufmann, J., ... & Runyeon, J. (2025). 4.2 Epithelial Tissue. Anatomy & Physiology 2e. Article
• Holcomb, L., Holman, J. M., Hurd, M., Lavoie, B., Colucci, L., Hunt, B., ... & Li, Y. (2023). Early life exposure to broccoli sprouts confers stronger protection against enterocolitis development in an immunological mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. Msystems, 8(6), e00688-23. Article
• Holcomb, L. (2025). Anti-Inflammatory Interactions between Gut Microbiota and Broccoli Sprouts.
• Houghton, C. A. (2023). The rationale for sulforaphane favourably influencing gut homeostasis and gut–organ dysfunction: a clinician’s hypothesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(17), 13448.
• Jakobsson, H. E., Rodríguez‐Piñeiro, A. M., Schütte, A., Ermund, A., Boysen, P., Bemark, M., ... & Johansson, M. E. (2015). The composition of the gut microbiota shapes the colon mucus barrier. EMBO reports, 16(2), 164-177. Article
• Kinney, M. (2025). Using Broccoli Sprout Diets to Understand Gut Bacterial Glucosinolate Metabolism to Resolve Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
• Salem, A., & Salem, M. (2022). Epithelial lining of gastrointestinal tract. The Arab Journal of Scientific Research, 6(6), 13-26.
• Sharma, S., Sharma, R., & Verma, A. K. (2025). Sulforaphane and gut-brain axis: An overview of its impact on intestinal inflammation, microbiota composition, and neurodegeneration. ACS Food Science & Technology, 5(10), 3645-3661.
• Zhang, T., Holman, J., McKinstry, D., Trindade, B. C., Eaton, K. A., Mendoza-Castrejon, J., ... & Li, Y. (2023). A steamed broccoli sprout diet preparation that reduces colitis via the gut microbiota. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 112, 109215. Article