DIM isn’t one of those supplement names you hear tossed around every day, but it should be because there are many health benefits of DIM.
According to our research, most supplements either come from food or are created by our bodies. This happens when we eat something that contains a compound that triggers it to be created.
DIM supplementation is not meant to replace those compounds, but to increase them. This is effective if you’re not getting them from the particular food source they come from.
As always, we aren’t providing any medical advice here.
It’s very important that you talk to your healthcare provider before you begin taking any supplements.
A doctor will advise you on DIM’s specific use in your diet as well as potential adverse side effects. This is always the case, but especially if you are taking any medications that supplements could possibly interact with.
What is DIM?
What is DIM? DIM, or diindolylmethane, is made in the body by a chemical called indole-3-carbinol.
Indole-3-carbinol is found in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and broccoli. It’s in an absorbable formulation that encourages active and healthy estrogen metabolism. In other words, DIM helps adjust estrogen levels.
DIM is not something that most people have to take a supplement for. However, the use of DIM may help if you have any hormonal health issues. In this case, a supplement is useful.
You can get much higher levels of DIM at once from supplements than you may be able to get at one time (or in one day) by eating vegetables.
It would take pounds of cruciferous vegetables to get the same concentrated amount of DIM found in the supplement form.
Health Benefits of DIM
DIM has potential health benefits for both men and women and can play a significant role in hormone health.
Keep in mind that studies of DIM in humans are very limited. Some of the claims of health benefits of DIM are basically guesses that are determined by animal studies.
Animal studies are helpful, but they are not human studies. So there is still very limited information regarding DIM as a supplement, its benefits, and its side effects.
Research has shown that diet plays a big role in cancer deaths. Improving nutrition can drastically reduce the risk of developing cancer to begin with.
DIM is interesting because scientists have seen a much lower risk of cancer in people who eat a lot of vegetables. This is why DIM is thought to be the reason for that lower risk.
The DIM supplement works with your hormones and adjusted their action to avoid hormonal imbalance. This contributes to a better metabolism in the most natural way possible.
According to WebMD, DIM has the following estrogen-related impact on the body:
- Helps prevent the effects of estrogen on cells.
- Slows the growth of some cancer cells.
- Lowers toxins produced by your body’s natural metabolism.
- Boosts antioxidants that fight the free radicals in the body which play a role in the development of cancer.
- Promotes weight loss.
- Enhances memory.
- Improves mood.
- Reduces PMS symptoms.
- Supports cardiovascular health
- Promotes good muscle development
- Improves prostate health for men
It’s a common misconception that estrogen is only a female hormone.
Estrogen is a human hormone that is more prevalent in women than men, but still present in men.
Some of the testosterone in men is changed into estrogen and then metabolized in the liver. Levels of a certain kind of bad estrogen can increase the risk of cancer in men, just like it can in women.
DIM is a helpful dietary supplement for both genders.
After visiting with our integrative doctor, my husband and I both take it.
According to studies, DIM also produces significant anti-inflammatory activity in the bodies of both males and females. For this reason, it has been used to help manage pain in RA patients and can contribute positively to anyone with inflammatory pain.
In addition to hormone balance, DIM has been shown to help control viral infections and support overall immune function.
How Long Does it Take DIM Supplements to Work?
DIM begins working immediately in your body, but the impact may not be noticeable to you for around 6 weeks or even longer.
You can think of DIM as working behind the scenes, cleaning up the messes you can’t see during the time you can’t tell any difference.
You can boost its effects and perhaps speed them up by also eating a diet rich in vegetables, specifically cruciferous vegetables.
For best results, it’s suggested that you will need to take DIM every day for at least 30 days or longer before deciding if it helping you or not.
After 30 days, if you aren’t having any adverse side effects, experts say you can continue taking it. You may, however, may need longer to show noticeable signs of effectiveness for your unique needs.
Does DIM Work For Weight loss?
Excess estrogen can cause weight gain in women.
Since too much estrogen, or an estrogen imbalance , can cause weight issues, it’s clear why it’s important to get hormone levels under control. Because of this, DIM is assumed to be helpful for weight loss.
Beyond that, studies have found that DIM increases lipolysis, which is fat burning in the body.
Although there are no human studies to show that DIM helps with weight loss. the correlation is relevant. It is important to note you should not rely on this supplement for your weight loss.
It’s likely that DIM will only help you shed a few pounds and this process can take six weeks to six months.
According to the experts, a healthy diet and exercise should be part of your regimen with or without DIM supplementation.
Potential Side Effects of DIM Supplements
DIM sounds great, but anything we put into our bodies has potential side effects to go along with its benefits. A DIM supplement is no exception.
According to research, DIM has not been shown to be toxic or have serious side effects.
There are some who say that we haven’t seen all the possible side effects, because there hasn’t been enough research done.
Due to the lack of studies on DIM use in humans, there isn’t a lot of information regarding the long-term effects of DIM on human health.
A study published in 2014 found that DIM does, in fact, interact with hormones and genes, but that it could be a good or bad thing. Not necessarily all good.
The study found that the results would depend on the amount of hormones and the amount of DIM in the body.
The general public is taking DIM on a regular basis without any actual knowledge of their hormone levels or how much DIM is in their system, it could have adverse effects.
When there aren’t a ton of studies done on something, the best way to decide if it’s worth taking or not would be to do your research. Read everything you can find, good and bad, about the supplement.
Talk to your doctor about the supplement and find out with blood work if it’s something you might benefit from.
There’s always the change it’s not actually necessary for you. It may be better for you to just eat more vegetables in order to increase DIM in levels that are known to be safe in the body.
Side Effects to Watch For
According to WebMD, if you take the supplement, there are some things to watch out for that will let you know that it might not be right for you:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Gas
- Diarrhea
We searched the internet for stories from people who used this supplement as well.
Some people said that it completely cleared up their hormonal acne. Others said that it caused hormonal acne that they never had before.
Some said DIM helped regulate their periods, while others said that it totally messed up their regular periods.
We thought this was a good example of how DIM can affect people differently according to their specific hormone levels.
Dosage Recommendations
According to the experts, since research for DIM is so limited in humans, proper dosages are actually not known.
Most human studies on DIM are only related to cancer and prostate enlargement treatment. Those doses ranged from 108-900 mg per day, but doses over 300 are not widely recommended for general use.
A study on 24 healthy people found that doses of up to 200 mg per day were tolerated well and didn’t cause any adverse side effects.
One person in that study experienced nausea, headache, and vomiting after a 300 mg dose, which indicated that higher doses might cause unwanted side effects.
Although some human studies have been done, they aren’t comprehensive. A study of 24 people is extremely small and doesn’t offer reliable information to base recommendations for people in general.
It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if you think you need DIM and get their advice on dosage for your specific needs.
Who Should Use DIM Supplements?
DIM has been widely used for many years without any reports of serious adverse side effects as a dietary supplement. Overall, it is safe for anyone to take DIM for a healthy hormonal balance.
Consult your Dr. before taking DIM,.
DIM can be beneficial to anyone, but especially people with:
- Estrogen dominance or estrogen imbalance
- A high risk of breast cancer
- A high risk of prostate cancer
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes
- Excess oxidative stress
- A high risk of uterine cancer
- Prostate enlargement
- Other prostate issues
- Menopause symptoms
- PMS symptoms
- Thyroid proliferative disease
- Low estrogen production
Should You Take DIM Supplements in the Morning or at Night?
Many people say that taking DIM in the morning with a small meal and a glass of water is best for them.
Some women, on the other hand, find that when they take it at night they seem to sleep better and stay asleep longer.
This could be due to the fact that estrogen dominance, perimenopause, and menopause may cause insomnia and DIM may work against that.
DIM may be creating that healthy balance of hormones that are needed to cure insomnia.
Like many other supplements, whenever you take it, you should take DIM with food.
Due. to the high concentration of supplements, they tend to cause an upset stomach in many people if they take it on an empty stomach.
How Often Should You Take DIM?
DIM should be taken daily in order to be effective.
You’ll need to take DIM every day, but for most people, it shouldn’t be taken more than 6 months.
Most experts recommend limiting it to once a day for a max of 6 months, but some say you can safely take it daily for up to a year.
How to Increase the Bioavailability of DIM
Bioavailability is how well your body is able to absorb and use supplement when it enters the body.
You can increase the bioavailability of supplements by making sure they are made with certain compounds that assist with absorption.
Some supplements can be taken with other vitamin supplements or foods that increase that particular supplement’s bioavailability.
For DIM, it was found that certain formulations of the supplement were not absorbed in the digestive tract.
We researched the most popular DIM supplements for bioavailability, with lots of great reviews which can all be found on Amazon for easy access!
Most Popular DIM Supplements on Amazon
1. Nutricost DIM (Diindolylmethane) Plus BioPerine
2. Nature’s Way DIM-Plus Supplement, Diindolylmethane
3. DIM Supplement Diindolylmethane for Men
4. Zhou DIM Active Metabolism Supplement
5. SMNutrition DIM Supplement, Vegan
When it comes to supplements, there seems to be consensus in the medical world that if the research is limited, you should err on the side of caution. If possible, get that nutrient or compound straight from a food source. Overall, people seem to find DIM to be helpful,
As always, we strongly recommend consulting your doctor for safety before starting this supplement.
Before you go, here are more posts you’ll enjoy:
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