DIM – diindolylmethane – is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and certain greens. It is said to not only promote better estrogen metabolism in both women and men but also has strong cancer-fighting properties. If you’re thinking “I don’t have hormonal issues so this doesn’t concern me”, think again. With all the toxic load we get from our environment (plastic bottles, shampoos, personal care products, pesticides and animal hormones), many of us have “bad” estrogens called xenoestrogens.
Unfortunately, a lot of people do not process these well, which can in turn cause health issues, disease and cancer in the long run.
I started taking this supplement when I found out that I have some small genetic issues in my detoxification pathways. It did sit on my shelf for a while before I started taking it because I don’t like messing with my hormones – but when I did, I was surprised to see how much I benefited from DIM. That’s why I thought this would be a good one to share with all you ladies.
Why does one take DIM?
It helps metabolize excess estrogen
Explained above – you get it. This is how it has majorly worked for me. Because of its estrogen-metabolizing qualities, it also helps with conditions associated with excess estrogen, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids and fibrocystic breasts. It is important to note that DIM is not a silver bullet – the body is complex, as is the toxic estrogen issue. Improving gut health, diet, staying away from toxic environments and decreasing fat mass also play an important role in this. But DIM is definitely one of the very useful supplements you can use to help you metabolize it.
Weight loss
DIM isn’t a weight loss pill – but when your system gets rid of the stuff that makes it inefficient, it just becomes more effective, which is why I think I lost some weight when I first started supplementing – and if I stop for a few weeks, it starts coming back. So if you suspect that hormones are causing your weight gain, ask your doctor about DIM because chances are it could help. Keep in mind that some gynecologists/endocrinologists don’t even know what it is but the forward-looking ones should.
If you have IBS
According to this study, “DIM administration dramatically decreased the number of colon tumors in AOM/DSS mice. These results suggest that DIM-mediated anti-inflammatory action at colorectal sites may be therapeutic in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated colon cancer.” My personal view on this is that IBS has to be managed through a host of things, including diet, probiotics and stress management – mine was already under control by the time I started it so I can’t say for sure how it helped me in that respect.
Acne
I’ve heard of many people using this for adult acne and it seems to work. My guess is that acne is often hormone-related so if DIM can help regulate your hormones, it can in turn clear up your acne.
Shows promise for cancer
In-vitro studies and numerous studies conducted on mice find that DIM arrests various stages of cancer development, in numerous types of cancer, including breast, prostate and cervical. There is anecdotal evidence that this can work, however, none of these studies were done on humans – they were either on mice or in vitro – so the jury is still out on this.
How to supplement?
You could just eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables, but the quantities would need to be huge in order to get enough DIM, which is why I also supplement. You really have to test in terms of the dosage, it can be anywhere between 100 and 250 mg per day to be taken with meals. Also, make sure you also supplement with milk thistle or other liver support supplement while taking DIM because like all cleanses that flush out your toxins it can tax your liver.
Where to buy it?
I have tried many on the market and my favorite is BioResponse DIM, because it has the best absorption rate. Get it on Amazon.com.
