There is a lot of talk about dietary supplements and how they can improve your health and well-being while compensating for the lack of nutrients in your everyday meals. DIM supplements are one such option that is believed to help adjust the effects of estrogen hormone on the human body. In fact, research suggests DIM has several potential benefits for both men and women.
If you do some research, you will find several options for DIM supplements in the market. But before you pick the best DIM supplement for yourself, it is important to learn a few things about the compound itself, as well as its uses and benefits. Also, you need to know whether it is worth taking with your current diet.
What Is Diindolylmethane (DIM)?
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and others. It is derived from glucobrassicin, which breaks down into indole-3-carbinol (I3C) when these vegetables are chewed or cut. When these vegetables are digested, I3C turns into DIM in the human stomach.
DIM has been shown to aid the detoxification function of the liver and regulate estrogen metabolism to help balance hormones. It is also believed to have anti-cancer properties.
What Are DIM Supplements?
If your body is not getting the recommended amount of DIM from your current diet, your nutritionist may ask you to take DIM supplements. These supplements offer a higher dosage of DIM than what you would normally get from consuming vegetables.
Researchers are studying dim supplements to learn more about their protective effects against certain types of cancers. These supplements also have the potential to reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause symptoms, prevent prostate enlargement, aid weight loss, and treat acne.
However, these supplements generally lack all the other beneficial nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber, that you may get from consuming vegetables. That means even after adding DIM supplements to your diet, you will still need to consume vegetables.
Why Choose DIM Supplements?
Even though cruciferous vegetables are the primary source of DIM, adding those vegetables to your diet won’t be enough. That is because the impact of DIM lessens when it is heated. So, when you cook, boil, or microwave these vegetables, your body gets to absorb a very limited amount of glucobrassicin and DIM.
On the other hand, if you take away the heat and consume the cruciferous vegetables raw or fermented, you may get a heavy dose of goitrogens. These vegetables are naturally high in goitrogens, which can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones and eventually lead to goiter.
With DIM supplements, you get the recommended amount of DIM without any of these substances that may impact your health negatively. Besides, there are multiple potential health benefits associated with DIM supplements if they are consumed as per the recommendation of your nutritionist or doctor.
Major Potential Benefits of DIM
Researchers have observed lower cancer risks in people who eat a significant amount of vegetables. Moreover, studies suggest that DIM may have a number of estrogen-related effects on the body, including:
- Slowing the growth of some cancer cells
- Helping prevent the effect of estrogen on cells
- Lowering toxins produced by the natural metabolism of your body
- Aiding weight loss
- Boosting antioxidants in your body
- Improving memory
- Boosting mood
- Improving cardiovascular health
- Reducing symptoms of PMS
- Improving prostate health for men
- Promoting good muscle development
While the effects of DIM on the human body still require more research, scientists have found plenty of promising details in their studies.
The Bottomline
Before trying a supplement, it is important to talk to your doctor. Even though researchers have found positive effects of DIM on the human body, there can be a few side effects as well. While there is no harm in adding more cruciferous vegetables to your diet to improve your DIM intake, you need to consider the dose of DIM supplements carefully, as DIM may reduce the effectiveness of some medications.
