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Heard about it recently and was wondering if it helps achieve hormonal balance as it alleges. It seems like it could be helpful considering all the xenoestrogens in our environment. Here's a link if you're curious: http://www.dimfaq.com/site/articles.htm

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Yes, I took DIM after I stopped birth control. I read that it can help bring hormonal balance faster. It was a mistake, I had a very strange reaction to it and couldn't take it for more than a few days. I felt like I had been drugged, really lightheaded and dizzy with extreme dry mouth and lips. A supplement should not do this, and it was definitely the DIM, no other factors were involved. The side affects would hit about 30 min after taking it and last awhile.

I don't think enough research has been done about this particular supplement and I think it's very problematic to isolate one compound in a plant and take only that. Nature works through synergy.

I understand your worries about xeno-estogens, but first there are things you can do to limit exposure. I don't ever drink from plastic containers and plastic wrap is banned in my house! I don't buy food that comes in plastic except my meat, which is unavoidable. If you can buy organic produce, you don't need to worry about synthetic pesticides. Unless you 're seeing real signs of hormonal imbalance, you shouldn't worry too much. A healthy body can process a lot of toxins.

Since we often can't help being exposed to toxins, the best way to help the body IMO is to support the liver and kidney. I take Burdock, Dandelion and Milk thistle tinctures. There are also herbs specifically for balancing hormones in men if you do a little research. I take Chaste Tree and Dong Quai which are classic hormone balancing herbs for women. Don't take herbs in pill form, they are usually garbage and waste of money. High quality extracts are the most potent. Good Luck!

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I think I'd rather eat real food and balance out my hormones that way, thanks.

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That may work. I am beginning to think however that a few chronic conditions like acne that remains unaffected by diet may have something to do with all the excess estrogen we are exposed to in our lives. Pesticides can have an estrogenic effect as well as chemicals in plastic and water may also be contaminated with it from contraceptive waste not to mention phytoestrogens. It also seems that we may have historically eaten more testosterone from bull meat than we do nowadays (donmatesz.blogspot.com/2010/12/…) hence the question. – JML Jan 25 2011 at 2:58
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I agree with both of you. Getting your diet right is the most important, but unfortunately it doesn't magically fix everything. Once hormonal balance goes awry it is a bitch to correct. – Hannah Jan 25 2011 at 15:38
I just try to do the best I can to remove exogenous endocrine disruptors from my diet/lifestyle. If that means all organic and no BPAs, then so be it. I always go as far away from "magic pill syndrome" as possible, especially when it comes to hormones. There are far too many complex feedback loops that can go nuts if you try to override something. – Travis Culp Jan 25 2011 at 18:44
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Of course it's better to eat food. But the foods that do what DIM does are not so good for the thyroid. Also if you have fibroids, bleeding and high estrogen with a history of estrogen based breast cancer, I feel that intervention beyond food may be indicated. Do you think that women might need something different than you would as a man? – wood Jun 9 2011 at 18:46
Your other comment about removing exogenous endocrine disruptors from diet and lifestyle is spot on! I have been working on that for a few years now. I think I've gotten rid of 80-90% of the worst offenders. – wood Jun 9 2011 at 18:53
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I have heard a lot about DIM. They sell it on iherb.com and it gets really good ratings by the users. It makes you wonder. It is suppose to ward off Breast Cancer.

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I started taking it as a way to optimize my livers handling of Estrogen as I am estrogen dominant and getting hormones balanced is a breast health protocol. – wood Jun 9 2011 at 18:47
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I started it less than a month ago due to concerns about peri-meni-pause and the changes your body goes thru including the dreaded Meni-pot! (new fat on your stomach you NEVER had before) I found articles on a high grade - I won't mention it because I am not 'promoting' anything - I have lost the extra abdominal fat, honestly haven't felt better in long time.. was it the supplement? I don't know for sure.. I think this article is really interesting- I think like THIS and any supplement that isn't pharmaceutical grade and not adhering to the 'good manufacturing' guidelines is the question of quality. The first comment made could be someone that took a 5 dollar bottle of crap claiming to be the product with low to no levels of it in there.. http://www.natural-progesterone-advisory-network.com/the-cruciferous-choice-diindolylmethane-or-i3c/ Do your research and I would highly recommend you give it a try.

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I've had chronic adult acne for years now with no relief from changing diet, greens skin plus supplements, Accutane, no oil hair products. Finally I realised I'm very high in estrogen and low in progesterone (by having problems concieving-they measured my hormone levels). Estrogen is my problem. As soon as I started taking progesterone creme day 21-28 and taking primerose oil supplements to help balance hormones I achieved clear(er) skin. It's such a relief. I also realised I've been terribly deficient in Vit D. So now with primrose, vit D vit C and greens for skin. I hope now I've lessened my chances of cancer, with high estrogen, low vit D its a catastrophic combination. This supplement is vegetable based so unless you're allergic to veggies, I can't see it being adverse. I haven't tried it however I am willing to. We need to support more tests for natural remedies. Unfortunately the Conservatives in Canada and the Republicans in the USA have stifled research of natural remedies by allowing pharmaceutical companies to monopolise the health care industry, both parties have prohibited products on the market that don't have "pharmaceutical" labelling into the market.

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Guys, the fact that DIM is extracted from cruciferous veggies makes me think it could have an effect on the thyroid. When I eat cruciferous veggies I get low energy and dry mouth and eyes.

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(And I have been diagnosed with autoimmune low thyroid.) – Meli Jun 20 at 20:24
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I used it, and it brought my menopausal hormone levels back into normal range, and all hot flashes are basically gone, I use it in conjuction with B vitamins. I also, don't eat sugar or hot spicy foods, it seems to trigger hot flashes, but not as bad, since I take the DIM. I love DIM!!!

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I tried ActivaMune which was put together by the original scientific discoverers of DIM at UC Berkeley and it was very helpful for me.

ActivaMune DIM Immune Support Formula

Another resource that I found to be helpful was the following website with a lot of published studies on DIM.

Diindolylmethane Information Resource Center - UC Berkeley

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I took it, and am still taking it. It balanced my hormones out, took my hot flashes away, and cleared up the dark spots on my skin.

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Per www.vrp.com, Vitamin Research Products: Individuals would have to consume prohibitively large quantities of raw cruciferous vegetables in order to achieve the known effects. Studies suggested that 1-2 pounds of these vegetables must be consumed in order to achieve this clinical effect.13 While consuming large amounts of fruits and vegetables is sound health advice, cruciferous vegetables in particular are difficult to digest for many people, especially 1-2 pounds’ worth. Furthermore, eating large quantities of cruciferous vegetables is known to be goitrogenic (enlarging the thyroid gland) and can lead to thyroid problems. Interestingly, while cruciferous vegetables have been found to be goitrogenic, DIM has actually been found to inhibit the growth of primary goiter cells by 70 percent compared to untreated controls. The same study found that DIM inhibited a number of different thyroid cancer cell lines.14

For individuals who want to confer protection against hormone dependent health conditions, supplementation with DIM is therefore preferable to eating large quantities of cruciferous vegetables.

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I recently visited a neurologist for migraines who informed me about DIM in an effort to get me off of estradiol which I have been taking for over 20 years due to early menopause and a hysterectomy and might be a contributing factor to my headaches. Each time I have tried to get off the estradiol I have literally gone insane from the hot lashes (floods) during the day and the consistent night sweats (every 45 minutes) leading to sleep deprivation, mental confusion, and lack of concentration. Since there is a history of breast cancer in the family I have been searching for alternatives but was presented with very little before now. I plan on trying it since research shows you would have to eat "2 lbs" (not cups) of raw cruciferous vegetables every day in order to have the same effect. The other surprise is the actual benefits for men as they age. There has been studies showing how it can prevent prostate and colon cancers. Overall it sounds like a great anti-inflammatory.

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Warning DIM is a neurotoxin. I also thought hey why not try this for balancing my hormones seems harmless Several reputable doctors are even recommending it. Well by the 3rd day I couldn't think straight like being in the fog it never happened too me before very frightening. Come to find out it is a toxin for your brain and when I got off of it my endo came back worse than before because I feel it did lower my estrogen while I was taking it.

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Never heard of this. Got any pointers to studies? – raydawg 2 days ago
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I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and started taking DIM 4 weeks after my double masectomy for stage 1 invasive breast cancer. Within one week not only did I feel better but now, after 3 weeks of DIM, I feel fantastic. My body is warmer (I used to walk around freezing) and I notice I have more energy. I am highly sensitive to all medications so I am thrilled that I am responding so well to DIM. Other than a 2-second dizzy feeling the first night I took it I have had no side effects at all.

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Cee Cee, Maria, et al - how much DIM did you take a day? I've been taking 200 mg a day for about a week and have felt no effect. I believe in it though but don't want to overdose. So how much did you take and when? I have hypothyroidism and overstressed adrenals plus i'm menopausal, or post. I find the thyroid med that i take causes my body to heat up as does tyrosine. And i hated being overheated when i was cold all the time!

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