In a study published May 16 th 2019 in the journal Science, reported by the New York Times on Tuesday
May 21, 2019, a dietary supplement called Indole 3 carbinol, an extract from cruciferous vegetables, has
been shown to counter a certain type of cancer. The cancer relates to a mutation called pten. This gene
keeps cells from dividing too quickly, but in its mutated form, it doesn’t work as well to stop rapid cell
division, leading to cancer. Strangely, these people also have enlarged heads! Anyway, the indole 3
carbinol or (I3C) blocks an enzyme that inhibits the activity of the pten gene (sort of a double negative).
This causes the gene to work better-controlling cell division. [1,2 ]
The Ptne Gene and Cancer
This is really good news for those with the pten gene! But cancer caused by this gene occurs in one out
of 200,00 people. What about the rest of us? Well, the article says it only works in this setting. Everything
else is wild speculation. That’s disappointing. But is this really true? Well, here’s an article by Maria Bell, et al. entitled, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Indole-3-Carbinol In the Treatment Of Carcinoma in situ. Gynecol Oncol 2000;78(2):123-9. – which states that Indole 3 carbinol, from cruciferous vegetables, can reverse and possibly cure the most common form of cervical cancer! How remarkable is that? And the study happened 20 years ago. I guess the authors of this NY Times article must have missed this.
Here’s the extract of I3C
30 women with stage 3 cervical cancer were involved in the study which lasted only 12 weeks. 10 women took a placebo, 10 took 200 mg of I-3-C/ daily, and 10 others took 400 mg of I-3C daily. After 12 weeks, none of the women who took the placebo had any regression of their cancer. Of the 10 women taking 200 mg of !-3 C daily 4 women had complete remission and 4 women taking the 400 mg dose also had complete remissions. At the conclusion of the study, all women were given pap smears and biopsy to verify these findings. This was a double-blind placebo-controlled study.
The conclusion of the study was that “Oral supplementation of I3C has been shown to reduce tumor
development of the endometrium and cervix”. Dr. Bell mentions that we now know than di-indolemethane has the unique ability to modify the metabolism of estrogen. Dr. Bell and her colleagues focused on the extracts of these vegetables for the treatment of estrogen-mediated cervical cancer.
What does I3C (DIM) do?
What I3C does is modify the detoxification of estrogen so that the damaging 16 hydroxy estrone metabolites are reduced. So for 20 years, we’ve known about indole 3 carbinol curing cervical cancer but somehow these authors missed it. Progress is slow. We’re told that it takes 50 years after discovery for it to be implemented. Maybe in another 30 years, the medical establishment with recommending I3C for endocrine cancers, who knows if progress is rapid, maybe in only 20 years.
Progress is slow. We’re told that it takes 50 years after a discovery for it to be implemented. Maybe in another 30 years, the medical establishment will recommend I3C for endocrine cancers, who knows if progress is rapid, maybe in only 20 years.
DIM or Diindolylmethane is the active ingredient of I3C and so the terms are used interchangeably but it is generally agreed by most doctors and supplement companies that DIM is safer and has a better effect because it is limited to the active ingredient instead of having many other ingredients that may not have the clinical effects of DIM and some may even be harmful.
I3C (DIM) Supplement
You can order a product called Dim-Evail™ which I highly recommend to manage proper estrogen detoxification as mentioned above. For more information, please feel to contact me.
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