PEITC for Health & Longevity - Quick Reference Sheet

PEITC for Health & Longevity

Created on 08/22/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5 – Audit

A reactive sulfur compound released from raw watercress. A defined daily amount in divided doses for one to two weeks measurably raises excretion of several harmful inhaled chemicals, far more so in adults lacking two detoxification genes. In rats the same reactivity promotes bladder tumors, never looked for in people. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard investigational dose
40 mg daily
Purified PEITC, as 10 mg in 1 mL olive oil four times daily with food
Whole-food alternative
~40 mg daily
Freeze-dried watercress drink, three divided doses; larger effect than the isolate
Culinary alternative
85 g raw watercress daily
Two cups of loose leaves; raw, since boiling destroys the converting enzyme
Time to effect
Detoxification endpoints
1–2 weeks
The shortest dosing period tested
DNA-damage endpoints
8 weeks
Duration of the raw watercress trial
Clinical endpoints
12 weeks
Measured in one trial only

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Bladder cancer history, incl. non-muscle-invasive
  • Active interstitial cystitis, recurrent hematuria, chronic retention
  • Active oxidative chemotherapy or radiotherapy, except in a supervised trial
  • Untreated hypothyroidism, iodine deficiency (<100 µg/L)
  • Kidney disease stage 4+ (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m²)
  • Decompensated liver disease (Child-Pugh C), transaminases >3× upper limit
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • Children and adolescents under 18
Key Interactions
  • Warfarin and vitamin K antagonists
  • CYP1A2 substrates (theophylline, caffeine)
  • CYP2E1 substrates (chlorzoxazone, ethanol)
  • Narrow-therapeutic-index agents (tacrolimus, digoxin, lithium)
  • Antithyroid drugs (methimazole), levothyroxine
  • Over-the-counter acetaminophen
  • Over-the-counter proton-pump inhibitors, antacids
  • N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, high-dose antioxidant supplements
  • Sulforaphane, other isothiocyanate supplements
  • Iodine and kelp supplements
  • Milk thistle, curcumin, resveratrol, other NRF2-activating botanicals

Risk & Side Effects

  • High: Altered metabolism of co-administered drugs
  • Medium: Bladder and liver tumor promotion in rodents
  • Low: Gastrointestinal irritation and poor tolerability; glutathione depletion and pro-oxidant stress at high doses; thyroid effects where iodine is insufficient
  • Speculative: Blunting of treatments that depend on oxidative stress; reduced exposure to drugs handled by cellular efflux pumps; skin sensitization from concentrated material

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
GSTM1 / GSTT1 genotype Double-null predicts strongest response Determines whether the protocol does anything
TSH 0.5–2.0 mIU/L Thyroid suppression from iodide competition
Free T4 1.0–1.5 ng/dL Actual hormone output when TSH drifts
Urinary iodine 100–200 µg/L Deficiency state in which thyroid risk appears
Urinalysis with microscopy No blood or casts, specific gravity <1.020 Earliest analog of the rodent bladder injury
eGFR and serum creatinine eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73 m² Clearance sets urinary metabolite concentration
ALT and AST <25 U/L (men), <20 U/L (women) Liver signal seen in rodent promotion studies
Urinary mercapturic acids of acrolein and benzene No target; track change from own baseline Confirms the compound is generated and working
INR (if anticoagulated) Individually prescribed target Destabilization from vitamin K in watercress
hs-CRP <1.0 mg/L Systemic inflammation endpoint unmoved in trial

Cadence: Baseline before starting. TSH, free T4, urinalysis at eight weeks, then each cycle end or six-monthly. Narrow-index drug levels four weeks after starting and stopping. Mercapturic acids before and after two weeks of dosing.

Qualitative Assessment

  • Tolerability: burning, nausea, reflux, or aftertaste severe enough to threaten adherence
  • Urinary symptoms: urgency, frequency, discomfort on voiding, change in urine color
  • Energy and cognitive clarity: no effect is expected; change in either direction warrants investigation
  • Adherence: whether four daily doses are actually being taken
  • Thyroid symptoms: cold intolerance, unusual fatigue, or hair thinning