Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDoes It Balance Hormones?What Is DIM?Other Health BenefitsWhere to Find ItHow Much Is OK?Precautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Does It Balance Hormones?
What Is DIM?
Other Health Benefits
Where to Find It
How Much Is OK?
Precautions
Diindolylmethane(DIM) is a compound derived from the chemicalindole-3-carbinolfound incruciferousvegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
DIM plays a role in estrogen metabolism and has been studied for its role in reducing the risk of certain hormone-related cancers.
However, there is growing interest in DIM for its potential role in supporting hormone balance, and more DIM-containing supplements are becoming available. Still, additional research is needed to fully understand its role in hormonal balance.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it does for prescription drugs. This means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for third-party-tested products and consult a healthcare provider, aregistered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or a pharmacist.
OKrasyuk / Getty Images
Does Diindolylmethane (DIM) Balance Hormones?
Some research indicates DIM influencesestrogenmetabolism. While the effects of that shift may have implications for cancer risk, its ability to address hormonal changes associated withperimenopauseormenopauseis unclear.
Further research is needed to fully understand DIM’s effects on estrogen metabolism and hormonal balance. However, its potential role in enhancing SHBG levels and shifting estrogen ratios may offer promising avenues for reducing cancer risk.
DIM is a plant compound with potential health benefits (phytonutrient).
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts containindoleglucosinolates(also known asglucobrassicins). These are chemicals with potential health benefits. Once eaten, indole glucosinolates break down intoindole-3-carbinol(I3C).
Another series of reactions in the body converts I3C to DIM. Yourgastrointestinal(GI) tract’s acidity facilitates this conversion. I3C is an unstable molecule, so the conversion to DIM happens relatively quickly.
Other Health Benefits of DIM
Researchers are still trying to fully understand DIM’s health benefits. Most research on DIM focuses on its potential anticancer benefits. However, as research evolves, more benefits of DIM may emerge.
Where Can I Find DIM?
DIM naturally exists incruciferousvegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are rich inglucobrassicins, which can convert to DIM.
The following cruciferous foods contain DIM:
Cooking cruciferous vegetables increases the amount of DIM in the food.
DIM can also be found in supplements. Supplements contain DIM or I3C, which is converted to DIM once ingested.Encapsulatedsupplements may be more effective. Encapsulation protects the supplement until it reaches the stomach, where the acidic environment helps convert I3C to DIM.
How Much DIM Is Good for Me?
Dosages up to 300 milligrams (mg) appear safe and well tolerated among females. However, 200 mg is a more commonly recommended dosage.
DIM dosages may be larger for males than females.
One preliminary clinical trial used 900 mg of DIM to improveprostatic intraepithelial neoplasia(PIN), a precursor to prostate cancer. Study participants taking 900 mg of DIM exhibited improved markers of PIN, leading researchers to suggest that DIM may be beneficial for reducing prostate cancer.Still, additional research is necessary.
Some supplements contain only DIM, while others use a proprietary blend that includes DIM. Studies evaluating DIM use 150 mg of DIM, so look for a supplement close to this amount. Many supplements do come in 200 mg doses.
Few studies on DIM exist outside of cancer research. As always, and due to limited research, exercise caution when starting a DIM supplement.
Summary
Diindolylmethane is a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables that has potential health benefits. Although DIM influences estrogen metabolism and appears to have a role in reducing the risk of certain hormone-sensitive cancers, it does not balance hormones.
Adding cruciferous vegetables to your diet provides numerous health benefits, including any associated with DIM. However, before starting a DIM supplement, please consult your healthcare provider to ensure it will be safe and effective for you.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thomson CA, Ho E, Strom MB.Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(7):432-443. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw010Thomson CA, Chow HHS, Wertheim BC, et al.A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of diindolylmethane for breast cancer biomarker modulation in patients taking tamoxifen.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;165(1):97-107. doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4292-7PubChem.4-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.16alpha-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.3,3’-diindolylmethane.Reyes-Hernández OD, Figueroa-González G, Quintas-Granados LI, et al.3,3'-Diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol: potential therapeutic molecules for cancer chemoprevention and treatment via regulating cellular signaling pathways.Cancer Cell Int. 2023;23(1):180. doi:10.1186/s12935-023-03031-4Godínez-Martínez E, Santillán R, Sámano R, et al.Effectiveness of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane supplements on favoring the benign estrogen metabolism pathway and decreasing body fat in premenopausal women.Nutr Cancer. 2023;75(2):510-519. doi:10.1080/01635581.2022.2123535Vermillion Maier ML, Siddens LK, Uesugi SL, et al.3,3'-diindolylmethane exhibits significant metabolism after oral dosing in humans.Drug Metab Dispos. 2021;49(8):694-705. doi:10.1124/dmd.120.000346Morales-Prieto DM, Herrmann J, Osterwald H, et al.Comparison of dienogest effects upon 3,3'-diindolylmethane supplementation in models of endometriosis and clinical cases.Reprod Biol. 2018;18(3):252-258. doi:10.1016/j.repbio.2018.07.002Reed GA, Sunega JM, Sullivan DK, et al.Single-dose pharmacokinetics and tolerability of absorption-enhanced 3,3'-diindolylmethane in healthy subjects.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17(10):2619-2624. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0520Paltsev M, Kiselev V, Drukh V, et al.First results of the double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of DIM-based therapy designed as personalized approach to reverse prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN).EPMA J. 2016;7(1):5. Published 2016 Apr 2. doi:10.1186/s13167-016-0057-3
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thomson CA, Ho E, Strom MB.Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(7):432-443. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw010Thomson CA, Chow HHS, Wertheim BC, et al.A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of diindolylmethane for breast cancer biomarker modulation in patients taking tamoxifen.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;165(1):97-107. doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4292-7PubChem.4-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.16alpha-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.3,3’-diindolylmethane.Reyes-Hernández OD, Figueroa-González G, Quintas-Granados LI, et al.3,3'-Diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol: potential therapeutic molecules for cancer chemoprevention and treatment via regulating cellular signaling pathways.Cancer Cell Int. 2023;23(1):180. doi:10.1186/s12935-023-03031-4Godínez-Martínez E, Santillán R, Sámano R, et al.Effectiveness of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane supplements on favoring the benign estrogen metabolism pathway and decreasing body fat in premenopausal women.Nutr Cancer. 2023;75(2):510-519. doi:10.1080/01635581.2022.2123535Vermillion Maier ML, Siddens LK, Uesugi SL, et al.3,3'-diindolylmethane exhibits significant metabolism after oral dosing in humans.Drug Metab Dispos. 2021;49(8):694-705. doi:10.1124/dmd.120.000346Morales-Prieto DM, Herrmann J, Osterwald H, et al.Comparison of dienogest effects upon 3,3'-diindolylmethane supplementation in models of endometriosis and clinical cases.Reprod Biol. 2018;18(3):252-258. doi:10.1016/j.repbio.2018.07.002Reed GA, Sunega JM, Sullivan DK, et al.Single-dose pharmacokinetics and tolerability of absorption-enhanced 3,3'-diindolylmethane in healthy subjects.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17(10):2619-2624. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0520Paltsev M, Kiselev V, Drukh V, et al.First results of the double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of DIM-based therapy designed as personalized approach to reverse prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN).EPMA J. 2016;7(1):5. Published 2016 Apr 2. doi:10.1186/s13167-016-0057-3
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Thomson CA, Ho E, Strom MB.Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(7):432-443. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw010Thomson CA, Chow HHS, Wertheim BC, et al.A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of diindolylmethane for breast cancer biomarker modulation in patients taking tamoxifen.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;165(1):97-107. doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4292-7PubChem.4-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.16alpha-hydroxyestrone.PubChem.3,3’-diindolylmethane.Reyes-Hernández OD, Figueroa-González G, Quintas-Granados LI, et al.3,3'-Diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol: potential therapeutic molecules for cancer chemoprevention and treatment via regulating cellular signaling pathways.Cancer Cell Int. 2023;23(1):180. doi:10.1186/s12935-023-03031-4Godínez-Martínez E, Santillán R, Sámano R, et al.Effectiveness of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane supplements on favoring the benign estrogen metabolism pathway and decreasing body fat in premenopausal women.Nutr Cancer. 2023;75(2):510-519. doi:10.1080/01635581.2022.2123535Vermillion Maier ML, Siddens LK, Uesugi SL, et al.3,3'-diindolylmethane exhibits significant metabolism after oral dosing in humans.Drug Metab Dispos. 2021;49(8):694-705. doi:10.1124/dmd.120.000346Morales-Prieto DM, Herrmann J, Osterwald H, et al.Comparison of dienogest effects upon 3,3'-diindolylmethane supplementation in models of endometriosis and clinical cases.Reprod Biol. 2018;18(3):252-258. doi:10.1016/j.repbio.2018.07.002Reed GA, Sunega JM, Sullivan DK, et al.Single-dose pharmacokinetics and tolerability of absorption-enhanced 3,3'-diindolylmethane in healthy subjects.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17(10):2619-2624. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0520Paltsev M, Kiselev V, Drukh V, et al.First results of the double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of DIM-based therapy designed as personalized approach to reverse prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN).EPMA J. 2016;7(1):5. Published 2016 Apr 2. doi:10.1186/s13167-016-0057-3
Thomson CA, Ho E, Strom MB.Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies.Nutr Rev. 2016;74(7):432-443. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw010
Thomson CA, Chow HHS, Wertheim BC, et al.A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of diindolylmethane for breast cancer biomarker modulation in patients taking tamoxifen.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;165(1):97-107. doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4292-7
PubChem.4-hydroxyestrone.
PubChem.16alpha-hydroxyestrone.
PubChem.3,3’-diindolylmethane.
Reyes-Hernández OD, Figueroa-González G, Quintas-Granados LI, et al.3,3'-Diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol: potential therapeutic molecules for cancer chemoprevention and treatment via regulating cellular signaling pathways.Cancer Cell Int. 2023;23(1):180. doi:10.1186/s12935-023-03031-4
Godínez-Martínez E, Santillán R, Sámano R, et al.Effectiveness of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane supplements on favoring the benign estrogen metabolism pathway and decreasing body fat in premenopausal women.Nutr Cancer. 2023;75(2):510-519. doi:10.1080/01635581.2022.2123535
Vermillion Maier ML, Siddens LK, Uesugi SL, et al.3,3'-diindolylmethane exhibits significant metabolism after oral dosing in humans.Drug Metab Dispos. 2021;49(8):694-705. doi:10.1124/dmd.120.000346
Morales-Prieto DM, Herrmann J, Osterwald H, et al.Comparison of dienogest effects upon 3,3'-diindolylmethane supplementation in models of endometriosis and clinical cases.Reprod Biol. 2018;18(3):252-258. doi:10.1016/j.repbio.2018.07.002
Reed GA, Sunega JM, Sullivan DK, et al.Single-dose pharmacokinetics and tolerability of absorption-enhanced 3,3'-diindolylmethane in healthy subjects.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17(10):2619-2624. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0520
Paltsev M, Kiselev V, Drukh V, et al.First results of the double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of DIM-based therapy designed as personalized approach to reverse prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN).EPMA J. 2016;7(1):5. Published 2016 Apr 2. doi:10.1186/s13167-016-0057-3
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
