Dr. Eric Li's Blog
As man ages, one of the first sign is an increase of estrogen and an increase of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). This, even without reduced total testosterone level, will change the key ratio/balance of testosterone/estrogen. It's a known scientific fact that this is the start of andropause - a steady process of male hormone decline and out of balance, a major cause of aging. (Read more YBM Hormone) When this happens, instead of immediately jumping into bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, a herbal approach should be first tried. This includes reducing estrogen conversion, blocking estrogen receptors, reducing DHT conversion, and stimulating testosterone production. An effective tool for reducing the estrogen effect is a high concentration extraction from cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) of key ingradients, such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), DIM (diindolymethane), ascorbigin, sulphoraphine, indoles, isothiocynates and glucosinolates. Animal studies have shown that the cruciferous vegetable extract modulates estrogen hormones by favorably changing the ratio of protective 2-hydroxyestrone versus the damaging 16-hydroxyestrone. Indole-3-carbinol also induces phase I and II detoxifying enzymes that can help neutralize estrogen metabolites and xenobiotic estrogen-like environmental chemicals. Human studies support the beneficial role of I3C in positively altering estrogen metabolism. Di-indoyl-methane (DIM), a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, has been shown in animal studies to help maintain normal levels of a potentially damaging estrogen called 4-hydroxyestrone.
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