“Chalk up another one for broccoli! Chemical in vegetable shown to halt growth of breast cancer cells”; that was the headline of a press release following a study at The University of California at Berkeley.  Researchers at Berkeley have shown that the chemical indole-3-carbinol, a component of broccoli and other members of the Brassica genus, halts the growth of breast cancer cells.  The researchers concluded that “indole-3-carbinol (I3C) may make it a good cancer therapy in combination with other drugs and an important and exciting dietary supplement to be used on its own even in the absence of any cancer. “

I3C, derived from broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, helps rid the body of estrogens and environmental estrogens, thereby reducing the risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer for women, prostate cancer for men, and melanoma for both sexes.

Where Do Estrogens Come From

Aside from the estrogens produced by our body, we are constantly bombarded with environmental xeno-estrogens (synthetic chemicals that have estrogen-like effects in the body).  Since the 1940’s, there have been more than 40,000 synthetic chemicals developed to be used in pesticides, herbicides, food preservatives and plastics.  Some of these chemicals are carcinogenic agents that eventually get into our water supply, through agricultural run-off, or our food supply in the synthetic growth hormones found in our dairy and beef products.  Unless you are eating organically grown fruits and vegetables, organic beef and dairy products and drinking pure water, you are getting these environmental estrogens in your diet.

I3C  Helps Reduce The Risk Of Cancer And Eliminate Body Fat

There is overwhelming evidence that I3C enhances the clearance of excess estrogens (the bad estrogens) from the body.  Scientists believe I3C can induce the activity of various enzymes in the liver thus assisting the body in the elimination of the bad estrogens. By doing so, I3C allows both men and women to use the proper amounts of estrogen (mostly estrodiol) for required physiological processes, while at the same time eliminating the unnecessary and unwanted xeno-estrogens and estrogen by-products that have been linked to an increase in cancers.

By reducing the harmful estrogens in the body, I3C not only reduces the chances for cancer to take hold but also strengthens the body by stabilizing the proper ratio of testosterone to estrogen in both men and women.  This in turn reduces the percentage of body fat since estrogens hold onto body fat and testosterone reduces body fat.  According to research scientist Dr. Robert Berger, “I3C supplementation promotes a “good metabolic cycle”.  I3C causes reduction of estrogens which causes a reduction of body fat while this reduction of body fat causes a further reduction of estrogens”.  The regulation of proper testosterone to estrogen ratio is also responsible for increasing virility in men and enhancement of sex drive in both sexes”. 

Let’s look at why I3C is important to men (especially aging men).  The primary enemy of men as they age is the increasing levels of estrogen and the lower testosterone to estrogen ratio.  There are seven main reasons for excessive estrogen levels in men.  Age related hormonal changes (estrogen to testosterone ratio), altered liver function, zinc deficiencies, obesity (fat cells increase estrogen levels), alcohol abuse, pharmaceutical drugs, and the ingestion of environmental estrogens.  Of these seven, four can be ameliorated by the use of I3C.  I3C can potentially improve or work to correct liver function alterations, correct alcohol damage, help to improve estrogen imbalance (by riding the body of excess estrogens) and will help the liver detoxify estrogen from environmental substances.  For men, these properly functioning systems will help to increase the testosterone to estrogen ratio which is required for cardiac vascular health, sexual virility, and prevention of prostate cancer and melanoma (both are highly correlated with high estrogen levels or imbalances). 

I3C Is a Must for Women

I3C is a must for women, especially those on Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT).

I3C works on the female hepatic (liver) P-450 system just as it does for men – to rid the body of excess estrogens, and environmental estrogens.  Women who have produced estrogens before menopause, if on ERT post-menopausal are now literally bombarded by those excess estrogens, and environmental estrogens to an even greater extent.  The female body contains a wide array of receptor sites for estrogenic compounds on breast tissue, uterine and cervical tissues. The scientific evidence of the bad effects that estrogen has on these types of tissue is overwhelming and very scary.  Environmental or xeno-estrogen receptors are especially prevalent in the breast tissue and this may be the reason for the high correlation between estrogens and breast cancer.  Thus, this is why, due to its powerful protective properties, supplemental I3C is so important for all women. 

Excess estrogens significantly increase the risk for breast cancer, cervical cancer, as well as prostate cancer in men.  There is a growing body of evidence that I3C supplementation decreases the risk of these deadly diseases.  A significant study conducted by The National Cancer Society shows that dietary supplementation with I3C “induces major hepatic (liver) metabolic pathway (2-hydroxylation) to rid the body of harmful estrogens, while at the same time hindering the harmful uptake of environmental estrogens.  As the complete chemistry and pharmacology of I3C has been thoroughly reviewed in the medical literature, we are now seeing that I3C is showing success in clinical trials against estrogen sensitive cancers”.  

Many leading integrative physicians are recommending that all their patients take I3C. We are all exposed to the xeno-estrogens in our food supply, the water we drink and even in the air we breathe.  In this modern society of technological advances, we must take a pro-active role in protecting our health from known environmental enemies.  Alternative doctors recommend 350mg (1capsule) per day for everyone.  For women with fibro cystic breast or uterine fibroids take 1-3 capsules per day.  Women on breast cancer drugs like Tamoxifen take 1-2 capsules per day.