DIM (diindolylmethane): The Estrogen Connection
A Personal Commentary
By Karen Kaufman, MS, CCN
For the past 10 years I have paid close attention to medical research concerning the benefits of the phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are composed of the Brassica vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts. Over time, it became apparent that eating large quantities (1 to 2 pounds per day) of these vegetables could be beneficial in the prevention of a number of cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, invasive cervical cancer, other hormone-related cancers (1,2,3) and perhaps other hormone-related conditions such as PMS, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and weight gain.
Actually, some recently published research suggests that these phytonutrients can actually cure invasive cervical cancer caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). (4)
A metabolite of estrogens — 16 alpha hydroxy estrone — is apparently the carcinogenic metabolite implicated in propagating and promoting these hormone-sensitive cancers. While numerous researchers and pharmaceutical companies attempted to develop ways to reduce the levels of this carcinogen, subsequent research showed that it was not the absolute amount of it, but the ratio of 2 hydroxy estrone to 16 alpha hydroxy estrone that was the more important predictor of cancer risk. The 2 hydroxy estrone has become known in lay terms as the good or protective estrogen, and the 16 alpha hydroxy estrone has been deemed to be the bad or carcinogenic estrogen. One of the most efficient and healthiest ways to increase the ratio of these estrogen metabolites in favor of the good estrogen, is to eat large quantities of cruciferous vegetables.
As a nutritionist in private practice, I counsel clients daily to increase the number of servings of vegetables they eat each day as well as the type of vegetables. The problem with increasing the amount of cruciferous vegetables in the diet is that many people cannot easily digest these vegetables, especially in such large quantities. There is also the embarrassing and antisocial side effect of flatulence that comes with eating these vegetables.
Since a large number of my patients as well as the population at large could benefit from the phytonutrients in these vegetables, I have sought a nutritional supplement that would provide these nutrients in therapeutic amounts. About 10 years ago, the active ingredient was finally isolated. That phytonutrient is Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C). VRP was proud to be among the first nutritional supplement companies to offer this exciting cancer-protective nutritional supplement. Continuing biochemical research has revealed that when ingested, I3C combines with stomach acid to form 3,3-Diindolylmethane (DIM). It appears that it is actually DIM (TM) that accounts for the favorable shift of estrogens that is seen when people ingest large quantities of cruciferous vegetables. Recently, DIM (TM), in a special patented delivery system formulated with vitamin E, has proven to be an effective way to achieve the beneficial hormonal balance: increasing the levels of the “good” estrogen. In a continuing effort to offer our customers the highest quality supplements, backed by the best scientific research, VRP is now carrying this new bioavailable DIM (TM) called BioDIM (TM).
Two recent articles in Vitamin Research News (October 1999 and August 2000) have addressed the complex issues of endogenous and exogenous estrogen and its role in many cancers, including breast, cervical and prostate cancer. Hormonal imbalance is also implicated in more benign yet bothersome conditions such as weight gain, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and in men taking testosterone or other anabolic steroids. A hormone balancer such as BioDIM (TM) may be helpful in all these conditions. There is every reason to believe other cancers such as colon cancer and lung cancer may also respond to nutritional supplementation with BioDIM (TM). In fact, I have seen such an increase of people with these complaints in my own practice that I would be hard pressed not to include BioDIM (TM) as a recommended nutrient for everyone.
References:
1. Pereira, MA and Khoury, MD (1991) Prevention by anticarcinogenic protective enzymes from broccoli. Cancer Lett, 61, 27-33.
2. Wattenberg, LW (1992) Inhibition of carcinogenis by minor dietary constituents. Cancer Res, 52, 2085s-2091s.
3. Graham, S (1983) Toward a dietary control of cancer. Epidemiol Rev 5:38-50
4. Bell, MC, Crowley-Norwick, P, Bradlow, HL, Sepkovic, DW, Schmidt-Grimminger, D, Howell, P, Mayeaux, EJ, Tucker, A, Turbat-Herrera, EA, Mathis, JM (2000) Placebo-Controlled Trial of Indole-3-Carbinol in the Treatment of CIN. Gynecol Oncol. Aug;78(2):123-129.