The short answer is yes the long answer is KNOW YOUR OESTROGEN LEVEL before you mess with supplementation! DIM is a compound found mainly in the brassica family, mainly broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts & kale.
It has strong effects on oestrogen levels within the body, it has both an agonist & antagonist effect, therefore if levels are high it can reduce and if levels are low it can increase. It’s quite a product but when taken without advice and/or testing it can have negative effects on the female menstrual cycle.
For the majority (but not all female hormone issues) oestrogen dominance and its preferential routes are the main drivers of most hormonal symptoms including:
- PMT
- Menstrual migraines
- Fluid retention
- Irregular cycles
- Mood swings
- Heavy Bleeding
- Weight gain (particularly hips & thighs)
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Fibroids
- Fibrocystic breast tissue
- Acne (chin area)
Within the body, we have three main oestrogen metabolites and these are metabolised down three main pathways:
- 2 OH pathway
- 4 OH pathway
- 16 OH pathway
Our 2OH pathway is the most protective route that our body can use to metabolise oestrogen, and when our main ratio of oestrogen is metabolised in this way it reduces any potential symptoms mentioned above and also has some anti-cancer & anti-proliferative effects.
DIM works predominately by shunting oestrogen down our 2 OH pathway and also by reducing our aromatase enzyme (converting our testosterone into oestrogen). For the majority of people consuming DIM in the form of functional foods mentioned above works quite well if oestrogen levels are not hugely out of range, however for reasons including diet, stress, genetics & toxins/plastics etc some may benefit from DIM supplementation.
A very important aspect with DIM is that without knowing what your levels of oestrogen and overall female hormones are you run the risk of further affecting ratios and also pushing too much oestrogen down one pathway leaving very little else. IF oestrogen levels are already low we can also run into problems as it can deplete oestrogen reserves and can halt menstrual cycles In their tracks.
This is why we champion the DUTCH test in our clinics at Nadura, whether you are curious as to which pathway your body is using and wanting to take a more preventative approach towards female health and potential family history risks, middle-aged female with any of the symptoms above or peri or post-menopausal to investigate your levels and identify areas of support, the DUTCH test is your most comprehensive functional test.
Test don’t guess and know who YOU are and not some google article that’s touting DIM supplementation.
For more information of our gold standard hormone analysis email hello@nadura.ie or call our practice manager Lisa Tobin-Leech on 087 3492991. This test can be completed from anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home.
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