A plant-derived chemical produced when your body digests green vegetables such as broccoli and kale can inhibit the growth of human prostate cancer cells, according to research.
Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and cauliflower are rich sources of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which the body converts into 3,3'-diindolylmethane DIM during digestion.
DIM acts as a powerful anti-androgen that inhibits the spread of human prostate cancer cells in culture tests. Androgen is a necessary hormone for the normal function of the prostate, however it also plays a role in the early stages of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer in the early stages is typically treated with anti-androgen drugs.
In later stages of the disease, cancer cells typically develop resistance to androgen.
In the study, the researchers compared the effects of DIM on androgen-dependent human prostate cancer cells as well as on cancer cells that were independent of androgen.
It was found that androgen-dependent cancer cells treated with a solution of DIM grew 70 percent less than untreated cells. However, androgen-independent cells were not affected by the DIM solution.
Further tests showed that DIM inhibits the actions of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the primary androgen involved in prostate cancer. DHT works by stimulating the expression of prostate specific antigen (PSA). PSA acts as a growth factor for prostate cancer, however when androgen-dependent cells were treated with DIM, the level of PSA decreased, which suggests that DIM functions at a gene expression level, according to researchers.
The findings support previous research that has shown this class of chemicals to be a potential therapeutic agent for breast and endometrial cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. One in 10 men in the United States will develop signs of prostate cancer in his life, and more than 100,000 new cases are reported each year.
Researchers noted that there are already plenty of health reasons to consume more vegetables such as broccoli, and their findings add another potential benefit when it comes to preventing prostate caner.
Prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer among American men and over 100,000 new cases are reported each year.
Journal of Biological Chemistry June 6, 2003
We now have one more natural tool to add to the list of what to use for prostate and breast cancer. Although this study focuses on prostate cancer it is important to remember that causes and treatments for most prostate and breast cancers are very similar.
So does this mean that we should all go out and eat tons of broccoli? Of course not. I for one do not care for broccoli, and that is a giant clue. I am a protein Metabolic Type and broccoli pushes my biochemistry in an unhealthy direction so it helps me to avoid it and that is what my body tells me to do.
However, the DIM found in broccoli is also in other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, which happens to be good for protein types.
So it is very important to understand your body at a deeper level because if you were to eat broccoli and you were a protein type, the other effects of broccoli might push your metabolic biochemistry in the wrong direction and thus override the benefits of the DHT inhibition.
The best way to understand specifically what foods are ideal for your body in particular is to learn your metabolic type. Properly eating for your particular nutritional type will lead to increased daily energy, improved emotional well-being, a feeling of satisfaction and, of course, optimized health and weight so you live longer. You’ll also understand how beneficial eating generally healthy foods like broccoli really is compared to other foods that might be even better for you.
However, even if you were a mixed or vegetarian/carb type and broccoli were good for you, there are likely better ways to get the benefits than eating whole broccoli.
I first wrote about this six years ago when I posted information on using broccoli sprouts. They are an inexpensive and more effective cancer-treating alternative to eating the whole vegetable. When I wrote the article, broccoli sprouts were not being grown commercially.
Growing broccoli sprouts yourself is easy and inexpensive. You can purchase organic broccoli seeds from Johnny's at (207) 861-3901. Reference item #148, four ounces are $9.00, or one pound is $26.15.
For sprouting instructions call Jaffe Brothers at (619) 749-1133. Your local library or health food store may also have some instructions on sprouting seeds.
The other major benefit of the sprouts is that they don't smell, as you don't have to cook them. They are eaten raw, usually as an addition to salad. I have already ordered my sprouts. I suspect that there are similar benefits for many of the other vegetables when eaten as sprouts.
Below is the most current list of tools to avoid and treat prostate and breast cancer:
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