Side effects of I-3-C and DIM?

Sakura, DIM doesn't block estrogen, it metabolizes estrogen, there should be no side effects at all from taking DIM or 13C, you should actually feel much better taking either of these because they will metabolize the bad estrogens and up the good estrogens.

L

No, its not all the same "estrogen" estrogen is a class of hormones, so they are all different.

DIM can help increase the specific aerobic metabolism for estrogen, multiplying the chance for estrogen to be broken down into its beneficial or "good" estrogen metabolites.  Many of the benefits that are attributed to estrogen, which includes its ability to protect the heart and brain with its antioxidant activity, are now known to come from these "good" metabolites.

A slow metabolism of estrogen can result in too much active estrogen known as estradiol in the body; this can be problematic for both sexes.  In women, elevated estradiol levels have been shown to cause weight gain (waist, thighs, hips), moodiness, and breast pain.  Men tend to suffer from weight gain, loss of sex drive, prostate enlargement, and male patterned baldness, to name a few. 

When supplemental DIM increases the ‘good' estrogen metabolites that are known to be antioxidants, there is a simultaneous reduction in the levels of undesirable or ‘bad' estrogen metabolites which are not antioxidants and can actually cause cancer.

Taking DIM not only promotes healthy estrogen metabolism, it can also promote a more desirable action from testosterone.  Testosterone supports energy and mood and helps sustain interest in sex for both men and women.

DIM has a unique ability to affect estrogen metabolism, as mentioned above.  Normally, estrogen metabolizes along one of two very distinct pathways, one pathway leads to tumor growth, and the second leads to tumor suppression.  One physician hypothesizes that this second pathway may prevent estrogen from entering certain cellular receptor sites causing tumor growth.

As DIM works to regulate hormones by increasing the body's production of healthy estrogen by decreasing the undesirable forms, cells are protected and tumor growth is inhibited.  It is important to remember that there are different forms of the three main estrogens that are important to women and they are estradiol, estrone, and estriol.

Research involving DIM has identified two good estrogens, 2-hydroxy estradiol and 2-hydroxy estrone. These are the antioxidants of the estrogen world and induce the self-destruction of tumor cells. When these two estrogens are low, tumor growth is more likely to occur. DIM increases the body's production of these healthy estrogens.

Supplementing with DIM helps reduce the estrogen metabolites now known to be responsible for the cancer initiating and cancer promoting effects of estrogen by lowering the two bad forms, 16-hydroxy estrone and 4-hydroxy estrone, which are linked to tumor growth.  These so called "bad" estrogens can have a negative impact by allowing oxidation of cells, damage of DNA, and the promotion of cancer.  It can be said that DIM interferes with cells that are prone to divide and grow in the presence of these two particular forms of estrogen. 

In short, DIM increases the good estrogens, and decreases the bad estrogens. Research suggests DIM may reduce the risk of breast, uterine, cervical, and prostate cancers. These cancers are estrogen related and that is why it is so important to reduce estrogen dominance in both women and men. 

For women, estrogen is a good thing when metabolized correctly.  It improves  mood, memory, assists with overall function, and lowers the risk of breast and uterine cancer, all of which are associated with estrogen dominance, as mentioned above.  Furthermore, properly metabolized estrogen can also produce beneficial effects from testosterone which helps support moods, as well as libido and energy.

In menstruating women, estrogen may not be metabolized due to many different factors, such as stress, diet, poor liver function, obesity, xenoestrogens from environmental chemicals, and pesticide residues in food.  DIM's conversion of unhealthy estrogen metabolites into the beneficial forms will not only help protect against hormone related cancers, it can also help with the symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance, including PMS.

In premenopausal women, the first age-related hormonal imbalance involves a decreased production of progesterone.  This reduction in progesterone output during the second half of the menstrual cycle, can cause irregular periods and contribute to premenstrual mood disorders.  The "good estrogen" metabolites stimulate increased progesterone production from ovarian cells.  Hormonal imbalances in premenopausal women can also be attributed to the same factors as menstruating women listed above.

Another cause of hormone imbalance in menstruating and premenopausal women is birth control pills.  Taking DIM can have a balancing effect benefiting disorders and symptoms associated with estrogen-progesterone imbalance, including but not limited to:

• Fibrocystic diseases
• Fibromyalgia
• Endometriosis

 Ovarian cysts

• Irregular periods
• Chronic, recurring breast pain
• PCOS (polycystic ovaries syndrome)

In Menopausal women with prolonged exposure to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), DIM can help decrease estrogen-related breast cancer and other estrogen related disorders.

It was once believed that women who are menopausal/postmenopausal have low levels of estrogen.  However, this may no longer be the case.  While it may be true that women in this phase of life are no longer producing as much estrogen as they did in prior years, many are still remaining estrogen dominant due to the long term use of hormone replacement therapies, exposure to environmental estrogens, obesity, poor liver function, and declining progesterone production.

DIM supplementation is an effective means to insure positive estrogen metabolism, especially for those who are or have used long term HRT, as it can provide a margin of safety while reducing the negative consequences of "bad" estrogen metabolites.

DIM is generally recommended for those who are menstruating (early thirties), premenopausal (mid-thirties on) with high estrogen levels.  Menopausal women using HRT, as mentioned above can also use DIM to help counter balance the negative effects associated with this type of hormone therapy.

Menopausal women who are not using HRT can use Myomin which is a Chinese herbal formula that can help reduce excess estrogen, as well.  This product is not as strong of a metabolizer as DIM and is often suggested for those who are menopausal to post-menopausal because they are not producing as much natural estrogen.

Myomin and DIM can also be used safely by women in their twenties and thirties.  Because DIM has actions that differ from Myomin, many women who are not menopausal choose to take them both for a more aggressive approach. 

Sakura! I am so glad you are feeling better! You will start to feel fabulous once your hormones are all in balance and YAY for the iodine!  hang in there! Got to love Dr. Lee!

L

ox

Fairy: Thank you for this comprehensive explanation of how DIM works. I was hesitant to take it, but now I think I should go ahead and include it among my supplements.

How many pills/day is the norm for DIM?

Yasmin - I just have to say that I love your avatar. I crack up everytime I see it!

Yazmin, I take 400mgs of DIM per day, 200mg in the morning and 200mg in the evening, but I don't think it matters when you take it.

L

ox

Fairy...Awesome explanation...thx could not have said it better myself!

Okay... I can't find the answer even though I KNOW it has been asked before.  So, I apologize for re-asking.  Is I3C more for post menopausal women and DIM more for pre menmopausal women?