Prostate enlargement and prostate cancer can be significant issues for men as they age.ĭIM appears to help prevent a condition called PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia)…which causes prostate enlargement and is a precursor to prostate cancer. In one study, women being treated for breast cancer showed a significant increase in their 2-hydrozyestrone/16-hydrozyestrone ratios when given 150 mg of DIM daily. This is thought to protect against breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Recent studies suggest DIM supplements can provide significant health benefits including:ĭIM supplements increase the ratio of “good” to “bad” estrogen metabolites excreted by the body. To receive the maximum benefit from DIM, researchers recommend 600-900 mg of DIM per day. That would be an awful lot of raw broccoli to consume. Also, DIM production is most effective from uncooked vegetables. And you would need to consume those cruciferous vegetables every day…because DIM breaks down in your body within 24 hours. However, you would have to consume several servings of broccoli or its cruciferous cousins to see a significant increase in DIM levels. It’s always a good idea to include more vegetables in your diet…especially cruciferous vegetables. Simply eat more cruciferous vegetables, right? Since DIM is produced when you digest cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, you might think it would be easy to reap its benefits. DIM helps to reduce cancer risk by encouraging the body to metabolize estrogens out through safe, non-carcinogenic pathways, resulting in more “good” estrogen metabolites fewer “bad” estrogen metabolites. High levels of “bad” estrogen metabolites have been tied to elevated risk factors for breast cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer, and other hormone-related cancers. This form of estrogen metabolite is less potent than the “bad” estrogen metabolite known as 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone. Specifically, the beneficial estrogen metabolite known as 2-hydroxyestrone.

In particular, DIM helps your body to produce more of estrogen’s “good” metabolites. When you eat cruciferous vegetables, your stomach breaks down indole-3-carbinol into…you guessed it…DIM.īut what does DIM actually do? It turns out DIM does something important in terms of estrogen metabolism that may have some very positive consequences.

One of them, indole-3-carbinol, has long been linked to reduced risk for certain types of cancer. What is DIM?Ĭruciferous vegetables contain compounds called indoles. It may be the key to healthy estrogen metabolism in both men and women. If you haven’t heard of it before now, you should pay attention. It’s called diindolylmethane…DIM for short. It turns out there’s a unique compound created by your body when you eat these leafy green vegetables…and it has important benefits with regard to cancer prevention. Not to mention other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts.Īnd it’s not just for the vitamins, minerals, and fiber these vegetables contain. It’s okay.)Īs it happens, there’s actually some solid science to support eating broccoli. (We all become our parents at some point. Your parents probably said that to you more than once when you were young…usually followed by “or no dessert!” You’ve probably said it to your kids, too.

Dim health benefits