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Diindolylmethane (DIM) supplements are said to promote improved hormone balance in both men and women. This natural product is used to support weight loss, increase testosterone levels in men and combat signs of excess estrogen levels, including acne and more.
Medicinally, DIM supplements are used for estrogen metabolism, cancer, the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and benign prostatic hypertrophy (a benign enlargement of the prostate).
Additionally diindolylmethane pills are taken for the symptoms of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, which is characterized by the development of tumors in the upper respiratory tracts.
What are the effects of taking diindolylmethane capsules and how does this dietary supplement work? This article will discuss some of the current research into DIM particularly for cancer treatment and cover the side effects and safe usage.
Estrogen
Testo- sterone
Body- building- Aids healthy hormone balance for men & women
- Mitigates some effects of excess estrogen
- Anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory benefits
Top DIM Products* ❯Diindolylmethane Supplement Guide
Related Topics
DIM is produced when indole-3-carbonyl (I3C) interacts with digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines. I3C is a compound contained in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
DIM supplements are observed to exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and various other medicinal properties.
The National Institutes of Health has funded research on the use of indole-3-carbinol in the prevention of breast cancer.
Indole-3-carbinol is not a bioactive substance and only exerts an effect on the body when it is metabolized (broken down) in the stomach to produce diindolylmethane and indolylcarbazole. As a result, researchers are also interested in the anti-cancer effects of DIM.
This article profiles some of the preliminary research available on DIM supplements and cancer. While some studies have been promising, more research is needed to understand what effect DIM has on the prevention and/or treatment of cancer in humans.
Diindolylmethane and Cancer Research
DIM supplements are used for cancer, especially breast and colorectal cancer. Although DIM exhibits many anticancer properties in laboratory tests, it is not known if these effects will occur in humans.
Thus, DIM has not been approved by the FDA for the treatment of prevention of cancer. Human trials on its parent molecule (indole-3-carbinol) are being funded by the National Cancer Institute of the United States.
In animal and laboratory studies, DIM has been observed to encourage cellular apoptosis (cell death) in tumor cells as well as impede cancer cell growth, mutation and progression.
Again, clinical trials (studies involving human populations) are necessary before any claims can be made about the affect of DIM supplements on human cancer. Following are some of the data that has been published to date regarding animal and laboratory experiments.
Diindolylmethane and Breast Cancer
Diindolylmethane is being studied for its capacity to prevent and treat breast cancer. DIM has been observed to inhibit tumor cell proliferation, encourage cellular apoptosis (cell death) in tumor cells and affect estrogen signaling. The capacity of DIM to disrupt cancer cell growth appears to be both time and dose dependent.
DIM has been observed to stop the progression of breast cancer cell cycling. In laboratory and animal studies, DIM has been observed to impede estrogen signaling and inhibit estrogenic receptor-alpha expression.
It has also been observed to alter the genetic expression of miRNA (microRNA), limit mutations in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), suppress AKT/ERK pathway signaling, slow angiogenesis in tumors (the development of blood vessels) and disrupt the synthesis of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor).
All of these characteristics may contribute to DIM’s observed ability to slow tumor growth and development in laboratory experiments.
In animal studies, DIM supplements have been observed to slow metastasis rates in breast and lung cancer cells. General reductions in inflammatory cytokines have also been observed.
Diindolylmethane and Cervical Cancer
DIM may exhibit direct effects on cellular apoptosis as well as on cyclin D in cervical cancer cells. These actions result in suppression of the natural cell cycle and may lead to indirect effects on the metabolism of estrogen.
Diindolylmethane supplements have been observed to affect CA2+ signaling equilibrium in prostate and cervical cancer patients.
Diindolylmethane and Colon Cancer
DIM has been observed to exhibit effects against colon cancer cells. Both DIM and its parent molecule, I3C, have been observed to bring on apoptosis and CYP1A1 in colon cancer cells from human subjects.
DIM seems to induce cytotoxic and cytostatic actions with low-dose administration. It also seems to stimulate the breakdown of Class 1 HDAC (histone deacetylases) agents.
Diindolylmethane and Lung Cancer
DIM use is associated with mitochondrial apoptosis in lung cancer cells. In a study on mice with lung cancer, diindolylmethane aerosol supplements were administered and observed to increase the anticancer actions of docetaxel via the activation of multiple pathways.
Further, it seemed to reduce the expression of cyclin D1, survivin, Mcl-1, VEGF, Akt, NF-kappaB and IkappaBalpha.
Using DIM in conjunction with myo-inositol supplements may reduce the onset of smoke-induced lung cancers. Further, this combination may reduce the activity of Akt extracellular signal-regulated kinase, as well as nuclear factor kappaB.
There are numerous other clinical findings concerning the anticancer and chemopreventive properties of diindolylmethane supplement usage.
Negative Effects of Diindolylmethane Supplements
DIM supplementation seems generally well tolerated when used for short periods at low doses. The average diet provides between 2 and 24 mg of DIM on a daily basis and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates DIM supplementation as “Likely Safe” at levels normally consumed in the diet.
Doses of 600 mg per day for up to 28 days have been used in a trial related to prostate cancer. Noted side effects included headaches and nausea in a small number of cases.
DIM supplements may interact with certain prescription medications used to treat some hormone-sensitive conditions.
Medications taken for breast cancer, cervical cancer, endometriosis and other estrogen-sensitive conditions may be rendered more or less effective if combined with DIM. Not enough is understood about DIM’s hormonal effects to determine any specific contraindications.
Be sure to get the permission of your doctor before taking diindolylmethane supplement to make sure it is right for you.
- Dent P. Crosstalk between ERK, AKT, and cell survival. Cancer Biol Ther. 2014 Mar 1;15(3):245-6.
- Natural Medicines. Diindolymethane: Professional Monograph. Reviewed 2013 Feb 10, Updated 2015 Feb 14.
- Ye Q, Cai W, Zheng Y, Evers BM, She QB. ERK and AKT signaling cooperate to translationally regulate survivin expression for metastatic progression of colorectal cancer. Oncogene. 2014 Apr 3;33(14):1828-39.
- Prabodh K, Sanjay K. Diindolylmethane suppresses ovarian cancer growth and potentiates the effect of cisplatin in tumor mouse model by targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) BMC Med. 2012; 10: 9.
- Sun S, Han J, Ralph W, Chandrasekaran A, et al. Endoplasmic reticulum stress as a correlate of cytotoxicity in human tumor cells exposed to diindolylmethane in vitro. Cell Stress Chaperones. 2004 Mar; 9(1): 76–87.
- Castañon A, Tristram A, Mesher D, et al. Effect of diindolylmethane supplementation on low-grade cervical cytological abnormalities: double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. Br J Cancer. 2012 Jan 3; 106(1): 45–52.
- Qian X, Song JM, Melkamu T, Upadhyaya P and Kassie F. Chemoprevention of lung tumorigenesis by intranasally administered diindolylmethane in A/J mice. Carcinogenesis. 2013 Apr; 34(4): 841–849.
Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment