Numerous studies have shown that specific compounds isolated from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli or cabbage, including di-indolylmethane or DIM, and its precursor, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), have beneficial oestrogen-modulating and anti-cancer effects.

¤ These compounds alter oestrogen metabolism in both men and women, providing protection from hormone-dependent cancers such as cancer of the breast, uterus and prostate. DIM and I3C increase the 2-hydroxylation of oestrogens, raising the 2:16 ratio of oestrogen metabolites. In a prospective study of 5,000 Italian women, this ratio, also known as the "good-to-bad" balance of oestrogen, was shown to be a predictor of future breast cancer Those women with the highest 2/16 ratio had a lower risk of developing breast cancer. Research has shown that supplementation with DIM can raise this ratio.

¤ In middle-aged or older men, it is important to reduce the conversion of testosterone into oestrogens. It is well-documented that oestrogens begin to accumulate in the prostate as men approach their fifties and that they are associated with the degree of prostate enlargement. In men, DIM prevents the acceleration of testosterone metabolism and in particular, its conversion to oestrogens. In older men, it improves prostate function and reduces the need to get up at night to urinate.

¤ The properties of DIM have been studied for over 30 years.

¤ In 1975, DIM was identified as a natural indole with the ability to affect the metabolism of carcinogenic chemicals. Other studies have since confirmed these early findings and have demonstrated DIM's capacity for protecting against environmental carcinogens.

¤ The ability of DIM to inhibit tumour growth has been the object of scientific study since 1978.

¤ Administering DIM to animals with DMBA-induced breast cancer halted tumour growth.

¤ In 1999, a study of human breast cancer cells showed that DIM blocks oestrogen receptors in the absence of oestradiol and that it inhibits growth of oestrogen-dependent cancer cells, thus demonstrating its anti-oestrogenic properties.

¤ Several other studies suggest that DIM inhibits growth of human breast cancer cells and induces their apoptosis.

¤ One study of menopausal women suggests that DIM may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

¤ In women with PMS, DIM helps maintain testosterone in its active free form which encourages a healthy libido and positive mood.

¤ Levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a growth factor for prostate cancer, are usually measured in order to establish a man's risk of prostate cancer. In prostate cancer cells, DIM reduced intracellular and secreted PSA levels caused by DHT.

¤ A number of studies published in 2006 suggest that DIM inhibits proliferation of human prostate cancer cells and induces their apoptosis: this effect was also shown in mice.

Women should take one to two capsules a day, and men - three to four.