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Indole-3-carbinol, abbreviated I3C and also known as
indole-3-glucosinolate, is a breakdown product of glucosinolate
glucobrassicin. Glucosinates are primarily found in cruciferous
vegetables including cabbage, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, bok choy, and kale.
Indole 3 Carbinol
Health and Medicinal Benefits
Indole-3-carbinol and
other glucosinolates (e.g., other indoles and isothiocyanates such
as sulforaphane) are antioxidants that can stimulate natural
detoxifying enzymes in the body. Indole-3-carbinol and similar
glucosinolates are also believed to be responsible for the lowered
risk of cancer in humans who consume regular amounts of broccoli and
other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and
kale.
In animal studies, the administration of
indole-3-carbinol or broccoli extracts rich in indole-3-carbinal
have shown to markedly reduce the frequency, size, and number of
tumors caused by exposure to carcinogens. Indole-3-carbinol appears
to be especially protective against breast and cervical cancers due
to its ability to increase the breakdown of estrogen. However,
although many animal studies show indole-3--carbinol to protect
against cancer, other studies indicate that indole-3-carbinol may
actually promote cancer formation in certain situations, depending
upon the chemical initiator of cancer, method of exposure, and
species of animal studied.
Dosage and
Administration
Because of indeterminate information
and inconclusive data, some medical researchers recommend proceeding
with caution when using indole-3-carbinol as a nutritional
supplement. The areas where its use has currently been documented in
humans are only preliminary, but the results are
promising.
In human studies using indole-3-carbinol in
connection with early-stage cancer, dosages of 200 or 400 mg of
indole-3-carbinol have been administered with positive results. No
recommended dosage is available.
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