What is DIM?
DIM (diindolylmethane), an organic compound found in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and prosciutto. Studies have shown that it has the ability to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, especially those that affect excessive estrogen levels, such as breast, uterine, and prostate. DIM can also stimulate fat breakdown and encourage an increase in muscle mass. DIM effectively alters estrogen metabolism based on user experience – preventing the onset of unpleasant symptoms of PMS, perimenopause, and prostate problems. So, using DIM for hormonal balance can be very effective.
Dr. Scott Rollins, MD, founder, and CEO of Center for Integrative Medicine of Western Colorado, gives an excellent and comprehensive overview of the effects of DIM and states how best to use this add-on to get the most out of its amazing benefits:
“Reduce the risk of cancer, lose weight, and build muscle – all the great benefits of a simple food supplement called DIM. DIM is something to consider for men or women as part of an overall supplement program.
DIM, or diindolylmethane, is an organic compound found in vegetables such as prosciutto, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Studies have shown that DIM reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, especially those that cause abnormally high estrogen levels, such as breast cancer, uterus, and prostate cancer. DIM can also promote fat breakdown while stimulating muscle development.
DIM for hormonal balance and excessive estrogen production
The hormone estrogen is naturally present in both men and women, and it offers many benefits such as maintaining arterial health and brain function while at the same time fighting oxidative free radical damage. Higher estrogen levels found in women are responsible for the shape of a woman’s body when it comes to breast and hip development. However, many women have higher estrogen levels, which means that they have too much of this hormone accumulated in the body for complementary progesterone to be in balance.
The natural dominance of estrogen occurs in women near menopause, starting as early as ten years before menopause when they often do not produce as much progesterone to balance estrogen. Symptoms such as chest pain, water retention, profuse and painful menstrual cycles, or irritable anxiety are typical symptoms that can be upsetting. Excessive stimulation of the breast by estrogen and uterine tissue can lead to breast cysts or adenomas. Worrying mammograms and hysterectomies often accompany uterine growth – and unpleasant and potentially dangerous medical findings.
Some women have a predominance of estrogen throughout their lives for various reasons, such as low thyroid hormone levels, high cortisol levels, exposure to estrogen-like chemicals, or disturbed estrogen detoxification patterns.
Men often suffer from high estrogen levels. Testosterone levels fall as estrogen conversion increases with normal aging, leading to a drop in testosterone to estrogen ratios. Higher estrogen levels in men lead to weight gain, muscle loss, the feminization of the body, further reduction of testosterone levels that are already falling, and increased risk of heart disease and prostate cancer. The enzyme that normally converts testosterone to estrogen is most present in fat, so men gain weight when testosterone drops, and then estrogen grows even more.
How does DIM work?
There are two main liver pathways for estrogen to be mainly metabolized and excreted. One pathway leads to very good metabolites called 2-hydroxy estrogens. The second pathway leads to bad metabolites called 4 or 16-hydroxy estrogens. DIM stimulates a favorable 2-hydroxy pathway to estrogen metabolism, and thus DIM works to improve overall health. DIM is not a hormone, nor is it a substitute for a hormone. It is an organic compound that improves our hormonal balance. By improving the metabolism of natural estrogen, DIM will help reduce estrogen levels in the body.
This way, it can help regulate dominant estrogen states and restore a healthy estrogen/testosterone ratio in men and women. The beneficial 2-hydroxy metabolites promoted by DIM are powerful antioxidants and help prevent muscle breakdown after exercise, confirmed by female athletes who have less loss of muscle tissue after intense exercise than men. By reducing estrogen dominance and reducing the accumulation of 4/16-hydroxy metabolites that support cancer, DIM can help reduce the risk of cancer. 2-hydroxy metabolites help increase active testosterone levels in men and women by replacing inactive protein-bound testosterone into the active “free” part.
This leads to significant improvements in building muscle and enjoying the benefits of testosterone, including better mood, increased endurance, sex drive, and erectile function. The accumulation of fat around the abdomen, hips, and buttocks is partly a consequence of excess estrogen levels combined with a drop in testosterone levels. DIM will help reduce excess estrogen and stimulate 2-hydroxy metabolites that burn fat. This can help you achieve a leaner body with less body fat.
How to enter DIM
How to supplement DIM, and what is the dose? First of all, only the DIM within the micro-capsules is well absorbed. For women, a 100-200 mg daily dose is common, and after menopause, whether taking hormone therapy or not, a 50-100 mg daily dose will improve estrogen metabolism. For men, doses of 200-400 mg per day are sufficient during intense training or during the weight loss process. For general, healthy aging, a dose of 100-200 mg per day is sufficient. Doses up to a thousand times higher are safe in animal studies, and no complications with the use of DIM in humans have ever been reported.
How do you know if DIM has an effect?
In addition to an improved clinical picture, we can measure good and bad estrogen metabolites with a simple blood test. An increase in good 2-hydroxy metabolites using DIM is routinely observed. Besides, the correction of low thyroid gland levels also improves metabolism estrogen. DIM is recommended instead of the compound known as I3C or indole-3-carbinol, its precursor. Two I3C molecules combine in the body to make DIM. But I3C is variable in its absorption, reacts with other supplements such as vitamin C, and can turn into an unhealthy compound.
It is almost 10 times the amount of I3C that needs to be entered to obtain levels comparable to direct DIM intake. A large number of women started taking DIM after the age of 40. years when there are signs of declining progesterone levels in early perimenopause. For many, this can only help estrogen dominance while increasing low testosterone levels. Sometimes we add progesterone to balance estrogen further. We also routinely add an adrenal hormone known as DHEA during this time to help reduce weight, increase strength, and more.
Combining dim with other preparations
Strategically, DIM is combined with other supplements that help maintain sports fitness or comprehensive healthy detoxification. During weight loss or sports training, it is possible to add creatine and a diet with high protein levels, combined with targeted training and recovery drinks that maximize insulin production and muscle building. Among the favorites is the DIM plugin that contains and curcumin, green tea, and wasabi for a broad detoxifying effect.
DIM can be used at any time as part of a weight or strength reduction program. DIM promotes a healthy hormonal balance that can help you achieve maximum exercise efficiency and healthy aging. Hormonal balance can help you stay healthy, slow down aging, and maximize the benefits of exercise or speed up weight loss.
Therefore, adding this supplement to your current regimen cannot make a mistake, especially if you tend towards estrogen dominance, which mostly happens as menopause approaches. As for the specific DIM supplement that can be taken, one of those that is recommended is Douglas Laboratories DIM Enhanced. You can look at the DOUGLAS LABS DIM specifications. It contains 125 mg of DIM per capsule and a host of other ingredients that support breast metabolism and hormone metabolism, including curcumin. You can buy DIM from your online distributor.
