DIM For Weight Loss Results & Combatting Estrogen Dominance

Using DIM for weight loss purposes may be effective, primarily due to its actions concerning hormonal balancing.

However, there have been no studies examining the results of taking this supplement to lose weight and much of the research cited is based on theoretical mechanisms of action.

DIM (3,3′-diindolylmethane) does help to balance testosterone and estrogen levels and both of these hormones are linked to metabolism and the body’s preponderance to store fat or to burn it.

It is believed by some that this means DIM will help to support weight loss effects by normalizing a healthy hormone balance.

While some users may report positive effects on fat metabolism and weight management when taking DIM, it should not be relied upon on its own to lose weight. A health diet and exercise should be used together with diet pills like DIM to promote weight loss results.

DIM

Hormone Supplement

Estrogen

Testo- sterone

Body- building

How It Works:

• Aids healthy hormone balance for men & women
• Mitigates some effects of excess estrogen
• Anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory benefits

Dosage:

Between 100 - 600 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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DIM For Weight Loss

DIM (3,3′-diindolylmethane) is made in the body when cruciferous vegetables are broken down via mastication and digestion.

It is known primarily for its anticancer and chemoprotective effects, however research is shedding light on diindolylmethane as a versatile medicinal agent.

DIM for weight loss is being studied to determine its precise effects on lipid metabolism, diabetes, heart disease, fat loss, obesity and more.

Diindolylmethane is known to affect estrogen balance. It modulates this hormone in a way that may keep estrogen levels from spiking, or from falling too low.

It is well known that estrogen synthesis is primarily performed in the ovaries of females. However, less understood is the fact that adipose tissue (fat) is very integral for the proper manufacturing and utilization of estrogen.

Maintaining a healthy range of estrogen to testosterone levels is important for maintaining proper body composition, especially as we age.

Estrogen Balance and Body Composition

Adipose tissue, formed of adipocytes (fat cells), acts as energy storage centers for the body. Throughout most of human evolution, the body relied on adipose tissue to reserve the fuel necessary for survival and procreation, especially in times of famine.

Today, the ready availability of high-calorie foods in developed societies makes famine a non-reality. Most humans no longer need to worry about famine; and many consistently ingest more calories than are required for survival.

However, overcoming the natural programming of our bodies to store excess calories is difficult for many and can lead to weight gain.

Using DIM for weight loss may help to reduce the risk of becoming overweight and/or obese by helping to naturally balancing estrogen levels. There are more than two dozen known forms of estrogens the body uses for numerous biological and psychological functions.

Some, like 2-hydroxy estrogen are considered “good” because they perform their actions without causing toxic buildups in adipocytes. Others, like 4-hydroxy and 16-hydroxy estrogens are considered “bad”, as they are difficult to detoxify when stored in adipocytes.

Chronically excessive levels of “bad” estrogens are associated with the development of estrogen-sensitive cancers and other adverse health conditions.

How Estrogen Affects Fat Storage

Supplementation with DIM for weight loss and management may help to balance estrogen levels. Estrogenic balancing is important for stimulating fat loss and we know that this hormone is responsible for the way that the female body stores fat. Fat tissue itself also produces estrogen.

In one study, it was found that excess estrogen can cause or worsen symptoms of hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a gland that is responsible for regulating metabolism. When hypothyroidism occurs, thyroid activity is low which can result in weight gain and obesity.

Other studies have shown that high levels of estrogen may interfere with weight loss by preventing the body from oxidizing fats to be burned for energy. In some studies, women whose ovaries were removed (and who subsequently experienced lower estrogen levels) lost weight.

These same women, when put on an estrogen replacement therapy, gained weight. The use of a DIM supplement to prevent excess estrogen may therefore be able to support weight loss efforts.

Estrogen actually possesses both pro-fat and anti-fat properties. It is known to be insulin-sensitizing, which means it can reduce insulin resistance and may improve blood sugar control. This can help to address Metabolic Syndrome risk factors, as well as pre-Diabetes and Diabetes.

Better insulin sensitivity is important for managing weight because too much insulin can lead to the body storing more calories as fat as opposed to burning them for energy.

Estrogen also seems to promote a safe pattern of fat storage in the premenopausal female body. Women who have not gone through menopause and have normal estrogen levels tend to store fat in their hips and thighs, which is considered to be healthier than fat stored around the stomach (visceral fat).

But if you need to lose weight, the fat-storage promoting effects of estrogen can be problematic.

Why Estrogen Dominance Develops

DIM can also address a number of other problems associated with high estrogen levels.

When levels of this hormone remain elevated for too long, estrogen dominance may develop and cause the following symptoms:

• Water retention/bloating;
• Pelvic pains and/or cramping;
• Painful breasts;
• Uterine fibroids:
• Chronic tension and/or irritability;
• Mood swings;
• Headaches;
• Acne;
• Obesity;

Estrogen can only accumulate in the body in two different ways: overp-roduction and over-acquisition. Our bodies may produce too much estrogen, or we may gain too much from the foods we eat and our environment.

In many modern societies, estrogenic compounds are found in many sources; including pesticides, herbicides, birth control pills, household cleaners, food chain growth hormones, fast foods, processed foods and various others.

Because of this, it is not difficult to accumulate estrogens. Taking DIM for weight loss may help alleviate the effects of high estrogen levels.

DIM Effects on Men and Women

In women, the fat cells produce estrogen, as well as the adrenals, the ovaries and other reproductive tissues.

Women with estrogen dominance are likely to experience difficulties losing weight, carry too much weight around the hips and thighs, experience strong PMS symptoms, and may have a history with:

• Gallstones;
• Cervical dysplasia;
• Uterine fibroids;
• Varicose veins;
• Ovarian cysts;
• Endometriosis;

In men, estradiol is synthesized from testosterone via aromatase. Having too much aromatase in the system will cause elevated estrogen levels accompanied by lowered testosterone levels. Historically, estrogen was believed widely to only affect women.

However, since 1996 when full blood screens became mainstream, and men began being tested for estrogen levels, much new data has been generated clinically concerning the complete array of estrogen effects on men.

In both men and women, having elevated estrogen levels is linked to increased rates of cancer. It is thought by many healthcare professionals that estrogen imbalances are the most prevalent causes of prostate, uterine and breast cancers.

Should you Take DIM Supplements?

Research to show that using diindolylmethane may be effective at balancing hormonal activity, and thereby helping to manage risks of developing conditions like estrogen dominance. Consumer trends seem to indicate that more women are using DIM to combat PMS symptoms and uterine fibroids.

Men seem to favor diindolylmethane because it naturally elevates testosterone levels and may promote gains in muscle mass, fat loss and improved sexual performance.

Using DIM for weight loss may work to improve lipid profile, thereby reducing the long-term risks associated with developing heart disease, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus type II and obesity to name several.

Supplementing with DIM for weight loss requires properly selecting the right dosage for you. Slight changes in dosage may yield large effects on therapeutic performance. Diindolylmethane supplementation is considered safe at low dosage amounts for short time periods.

Talk with your doctor about using DIM for weight loss, hormone balancing and its various other potential health benefits.

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