DIM from Cruciferous Vegetables for Men’s Health By: Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT The following article is not endorsed and/or supported by The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. The purposes of this publication do not imply endorsement and/or support of any author, company or theme related to this article.
Cruciferous vegetables belong to the Brassica genus of plants and include foods such as broccoli, arugula, Brussels sprouts, mustard and collard greens, cabbage, and watercress. Known for their cancer-fighting biological properties and support of the body’s natural detoxification system, these veggies contain sulfur-containing chemicals called glucosinolates, which are responsible for the vegetable’s pungent aroma and bitter flavor.1 During the digestion of cruciferous vegetables, glucosinolates are broken down to form biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates.2 One of these compounds, indole-3carbinol (I3C), is then converted into 3,3’-diindolylmethane (DIM) in the stomach; both compounds are known for their health supportive characteristics.3 24
Studies investigating these unique nutritional bioactives, I3C and DIM, have found that I3C is unstable in the acidic stomach acid environment and is rapidly converted to DIM.4 To simplify the discussion, some of the observed effects of I3C will be assumed for DIM, except for any dose-specific references.4-6 I3C and DIM are best known for their use in cancer prevention applications and female hormone balance, with DIM regarded as a go-to support for reducing excess estrogens in the body.78 While it’s predominantly regarded as a women’s health ingredient, DIM is not a compound just for women.
DIM FOR MEN Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer in American men, with a lifetime
ANTI-AGING MEDICAL NEWS | FALL 2020
