Can a watercress drink help flush out Cancer-Causing chemicals?

NCT ID NCT03978117

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tested whether two specially prepared drinks, one made from freeze-dried watercress, can help the body get rid of harmful environmental chemicals that may cause cancer. Three hundred healthy adults, including smokers and non-smokers, drank the preparations three times daily for two weeks. Researchers measured detoxification byproducts in urine to see if the drinks boosted the body's natural cleansing process, especially in people with certain gene variations.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Freeze-dried watercress preparation (providing 2-phenethyl isothiocyanate, PEITC)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple dietary drink that helps the body remove cancer-causing chemicals from the environment.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial in healthy people, not patients. The drink may not produce meaningful detoxification, and results may not apply to the general population.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEALTHY

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55405, United States

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