So, as you may know, Estroblock (aka. DIM, or Diindolylmethane) is a supplement I simply adore.
This is because it completely got rid of the mild, but stubborn, hormonal acne around my chin, save for maybe one or two tiny pimples right before my period that go away super quickly and hardly make me blink an eye.
I also think it played a big role in smoothing out my forehead, which used to be fairly clogged up. As well as evening out my skin tone.
Overall, I am extremely happy with my skin now and Estroblock is to thank. For me, it really brought my skin to the next level. And for me, at least, has caused absolutely zero side effects. So, I obviously have been singing its praises.
Read my two previous articles about Estroblock to get up to speed on what it is and what it does (please read first if you haven’t already):
Estroblock does seem to be working a dream for many people with no problem at all, but unfortunately, it turns out it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.
It seems that some people are experiencing unpleasant symptoms when they are starting either Estroblock or other DIM supplements. What these symptoms are differs for each person, but seem to be including headaches, fatigue, and typical hormonal symptoms like mood swings, increased breakouts, etc.
Most people have reported that the symptoms passed after a few days, but for others, they lingered. Understandably they are confused as to why the supplement that is supposed to be helping their hormones is doing the opposite.
Why would this be?
Well, first of all, there is absolutely no guarantee that this supplement will work for you to get rid of your acne. However, it shouldn’t be causing you to feel like this. If you’re experiencing unpleasant hormonal or detoxy kind of symptoms after taking it, there could be a very good reason for it.
There are a couple possible explanations:
Explanation #1 – Your Body is Just Adjusting
It’s possibly just a natural reaction to a sudden change in the synthetic xenoestrogens in your body, and is simply a reaction that will happen until your body gets used to it. The reason I say this is because I noticed the same thing is happening to the ladies in the comments of this post about weaning off the birth control pill.
They are gradually lessening their dose of the birth control pill (which mind you, is also full of strong synthetic estrogens), by cutting the pills into quarters. For 2 to 3 months they take 3/4s of a pill, and then 1/2 a pill for several months, and then 1/4 for several months, and then they’re done.
This gets your body gradually used to the lower levels of hormones, as to not shock the system. It’s purpose is to prevent post-pill acne breakouts, and for the vast majority of them, it seems like it works.
But anyway – I’ve noticed that it’s quite common that they end up with a few hormonal symptoms – including things like migraines – for a little bit after they drop down a dose. And then their body gets used to it and it’s all good.
Explanation #2 – Your Liver Needs More Support
A lovely reader named Ness explains very clearly what I feel is another spot on reason for why this may be happening for many of you (thank you Ness!):
Just wanted to give some advice on taking DIM (diindolylmethane) as a now qualified nutritionist, woohoo!
In order to effectively clear the “bad estrogen” from the body, a Phase II liver support is required such as the Thorne SAT liver support supplement. Phase II nutrients include amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, herbal remedies such as milk thistle.
And Phase III detoxification (as it’s now termed) needs to be supported through bowel clearance. So eating plenty of organic fruits and vegetable with the skin, exercising, pure water, having psyllium husk and slippery elm can aid with this.
Using Estroblock alone, ‘ramps’ up Phase I which can cause headaches and a re-circulation of toxins into the blood stream, if this is not supported by Phase II.
In the first stage of estrogen metabolism, Phase I liver detoxification converts estrogens into three different intermediary metabolites – one of which is good, and two of which are bad and cause possibly lead to estrogen related problems in the body. DIM helps your liver change those estrogens into the good metabolites that are far less likely to cause issue.
Once that is complete, in Phase II of liver detoxification, the estrogen metabolite is then joined with sulfur, amino acids, or other organic molecules which can then be excreted through the kidney or bowel.
However, if Phase II isn’t working so well, both the good and bad estrogen metabolites formed by Phase I can be converted into highly reactive molecules that can be damaging to the body.
And then if Phase III (which is the clearance of said toxins out through the bowel and kidneys), as she says, isn’t working, then it’s all going to be a big mess as all the toxins and hormones get reabsorbed and recirculated in the body. So take note here if you suffer from constipation and irregular bowel movements.
Anyway – this all explains quite clearly why some people may not be experiencing positive outcomes from DIM, and even getting worse from taking it.
So what we can do to fix all this and make sure that your detoxification pathways are supported and working, so that Estroblock might work for you like it has for me?
Well, to start off, please go read this article that I already wrote about supporting the liver for acne free skin. It already pretty much explains a lot of what you need to know about supporting all the phases of liver detoxification.
And here are a few suggestions and specifics I want to throw out there:
- I would now not recommend even taking Estroblock, or DIM without also taking a liver support supplement along side it. As you may know, I take Thorne SAT Liver Support, which is a high quality blend of liver supportive herbs including milk thistle. It was recommended by my naturopath. I take just one per day.
- While I haven’t specifically tried this myself, N-acetylcysteine sounds like a great supplement to take alongside Estroblock, as it boosts gluthianone levels produced by the liver. Gluthianone is the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier. It is helpful because it prevents the oxidation of the estrogen metabolites formed by Phase I detox. Other antioxidants will help here too, like Vitamin C and selenium.
- Calcium D-glucarate is a supplement that I always hear of people taking along with DIM. Calcium D-glucarate assists the detoxification pathway of glucuronidation, which is an important part of the Phase II system.
- Apparently the body needs a huge amount of the amino acid Taurine to be able to sweep the estrogens out of the liver. Most of the time you get enough of this in your diet, but it is suggested that high estrogens might tax this pathway, and a Taurine supplement might come in handy.
- Supplements aside, remember that if you have not made any headway with improving your diet, digestion, exercise, and stress levels, then it’s probably far less likely that liver supplements like Estroblock or Thorne SAT Liver Support or anything else will provide miracles on their own. A healthy lifestyle is one of the biggest things that will support your body to properly detoxify itself. I imagine the reason Estroblock and Thorne SAT Liver Support have worked so well for me with no such side effects is that I was already pretty healthy, and obviously just needed that one little boost. If it’s not going well right off the bat, work on improving your health for a few months and try again. Check out my book, Ultimate Secrets to Acne Freedom, if you need help with this step.
- If you suffer from constipation (you should have at least one good bowel movement per day), then that needs to be worked on. Improvements in diets will help, more fruits and veggies and fibre, drinking water etc. Eating less processed foods. Getting exercise. As Ness says, psyllium husk or slippery elm are things you could try. Constipation can be caused by sensitivities to certain foods, like gluten or dairy for example (although could be caused by any food, really). Stress is another huge factor with constipation and gut troubles that is often overlooked.
- Perhaps try introducing Thorne SAT Liver Support or other liver support supplements for a while before starting Estroblock in order to let your other liver detox pathways catch up first.
- Go slow. Instead of jumping straight into Estroblock Triple Strength, start with the regular Estroblock. Work your way up from one pill to three per day over the course of a month. If things are going well, switch over to two per day of the triple strength. Going slow will minimize potential detox reactions.
Anyway, I hope this helps! Just to reiterate, no one supplement is right for everyone. Always do your own research, come to your own conclusions, and if something doesn’t feel right to you, listen to yourself.
Also just to note – it’s not advised to take DIM (Estroblock), milk thistle, and possibly some of the other supplements here while pregnant or breastfeeding simply because not enough studies have been done on pregnant or nursing women.
Have you tried Estroblock or other DIM supplements? What happened?
I just got my order of Estroblock yesterday and decided that I was going to take 1 pill at night for two weeks before going up to two pills, so hopefully my body can adjust. However, this may be the first time taking the Estroblock brand but I have had nature made brand DIM, which doesn’t have IC3, so we will see how it goes.
Also, would like to know your thoughts on this milk thistle brand:
http://bit.ly/1ia2XXK
Thanks!
Hey Drea, hope it goes well for you 🙂
I don’t see anything wrong with that milk thistle supplement that I can tell
Thanks for checking it out.
Hi Tracy! I cannot tell you how I nearly cried from joy last night after coming across your blog. After coming off birth control (suddenly, not weaning off), I’ve been battling the whole year with hormonal acne and all sorts of other terrible symptoms including weight gain, anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia. I’ve also moved countries in the last 6 weeks and the acne spiralled out of control. Like you said its all connected, so the stress and anxiety only made the insomnia worse which made the skin worse etc. Anyway, in the last 2 weeks I discovered I might have estrogen dominance. I’ve ordered a good DIM complex from the States which has N-acetylcysteine and calcium d-glucarate in it so I’m hoping it supports liver function at the same time and I don’t get any side effects (I’m very headache prone, that’s why I went off the birth control). I’m going to look for Vitex berry and milk thistle here in France as well, although I’m not sure the Vitex berry is necessary as well? Anyway, the point is your blog really cemented everything for me and more than anything, HAS GIVEN ME HOPE THAT I CAN FIX THIS! It’s really gotten me down and instead of enjoying my experience overseas I’ve been depressed about my skin. Thank YOU!
Really glad to hear this Sivan! 🙂
Hi, Tracy! I’ve been a quiet — but very grateful — reader of your blog for quite some time as I’m still battling hormonal acne at 44. Ugh! I just wanted to let you and your Canadian readers know that Rx Balance Liv-Tox is also available through Well.ca! Yay! I order from them all the time. They have excellent service and free shipping within Canada for orders above $25. And it looks like their price for a 60-capsule bottle beats Amazon!
Hi Lisa! Thanks for coming out of the comment closet 🙂 I link to amazon.com because most of my readers are American – I usually don’t order from them myself if I can get the stuff somewhere from a Canadian site! Unfortunately you can’t with Estroblock, but I get Liv-tox from http://vitashop.ca – they also have a good price (it seems to be perpetually on sale)
You have readers from all over the world! Greetings from Estonia! Wish you The best!!
Thanks Happy Reader! 😀
Greetings from Brisbane, Australia!! My first comment too….. after about 3 years being a follower.
My naturopath has me on kidney and liver support supplements, and she encourages me to take I3C (DIM) which I take as Estroblock, I also try to do vegetable juicing. Estroblock seems to stop the chin acne, and the liver support seems to stop the upper cheek acne. I’ve never had anything on my forehead though! If I run out of these things for a couple of weeks, depending on which one, that area on my face starts flaring up again. But damn my skin is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I’m shocked how SMOOTH my jawline has become! I’m aaaaalmost there >.<
Yah!! 🙂 That’s great Esther!
How long did it take the DIM to work for you?
I’ve been taking Estroblock Triple Strength for about a month now. I started off with taking 2 capsules a day + milk thistle but felt quite ill. I had pain in some of my joints too. I changed the dosage to 1 Estroblock and slowly worked my way up to 2. I don’t have any symptoms now and my skin has definitely improved. No breakouts and just generally looking better. I have also changed all my body products to organic products as I believe that skin absorbs the preservatives and chemicals in these products and the chemicals in them can affect your hormones (also linked to cancer). It irritates me that all these chemical filled products gets shoved down our throats!
Hey Glenys, oh that’s great to hear that the symptoms passed and everything is working out for the better! 🙂
As for body products – yes. You are spot on there. I’ve actually written an article about this very thing that I will post.. I don’t know when, but sometime soon. I’m not sure people realize just how harmful beauty products can be to your hormone system!
Hi Glenys,
How long did you take one pill until you moved up to two? I just started taking Estroblock and I’m taking one pill but I was going to give myself maybe a couple of weeks before going to two pills.
Thanks
Tracy,
Just wanted to say THANK YOU for putting together such great information in an easy-to-understand format. I have suffered from cystic hormonal acne for years and am so through with antibiotics, birth control, and other hormone altering medications!
Hi Marina, thanks so much for reading the stuff I write 🙂 I hope it ends up being really helpful for you in getting rid of your hormonal acne!
I suffer from hormonal acne on especially my jaws and pre-menstrual acne on cheeks mostly, but my period is quite balanced. I read the articles about Estroblock, which i definitely consider buying. However, I am living in Europe and as it seems there is no company selling it here. Although there is another DIM product available here, called Dim-Plus. I would like to know if someone has experiences with this particular product and could give me a small review on it in comparison with Estroblock.
Thanks in advance,
Anneli
Hi Anneli 🙂
The reason I recommend Estroblock is because it’s what I use, and I know it works, and supposedly the ingredients are of high quality and in a formulation with high absorption rate. I tried a less expensive brand of DIM before and it didn’t really work, but then again, I don’t think I took it for long enough, or in a high enough dose. Other people have definitely had success with different brands of DIM, so go ahead and try a different one that you can get easier! Hopefully it works just as well!
Hi Anneli,
I had the same problem as you, since I also live in Europe. I used the Dim-Plus for 3-4 months, and it did nothing for me, except giving me really bad headaches. Now, I have been taking Estroblock for 3 weeks. I think my acne has gotten better, although it is too soon to tell. The good news is that I haven’t had ant side effects. Yay!
You can order Estroblock from Fran: http://www.highonhealthstore.com/physical-products/
I hope this was helpful 🙂
Hi Tracy,
Thank you for writing this article. I have tried to take Estroblock several times in very small doses and I always get a really strange painful headache after that lasts all day. It makes me also feel very foggy and out of it at the same time. It actually cleared up my skin for the brief period I took it, but the unpleasant symptoms were comparable to a prescription drug for me.(I even took accutane a few years back). I seriously couldn’t figure out why, and even contacted the company and they didn’t have an answer. I think I will try to support my liver and attempt to take it again. Although I am wondering if the Liv-tox(or a similar supplement) has any side effects as well?
It could have some detox effects, but I haven’t heard anyone complain about the hormonalish symptoms with Liv-tox
Is it possible to take estroblock whilst weaning off the pill?
Yep you can take it while on the pill too
I had a similar question to this one…I had read about Estroblock on your blog, and ordered some (as I identified with many of the skin woes voice here), however I also recently decided that I am going to get my IUD taken out next week. Obviously this will spur some changes to the hormones in my body, and I just want to make sure that taking Estroblock at the same time as this transition will not totally confuse my body? Any info/thoughts you have on this would be appreciated!
Hi Molly,
I can’t say exactly what will happen with your hormones during this transition, but I don’t think taking Estroblock at this time should be a problem
I tried taking Estroblock Triple Strength for maybe a couple of weeks, but I had two nigtmares during this time, which is unusual because I never had before. The only thing I had done differently was the Estroblock. This kinda scared me so I stopped taking it. I really want to give it another shot though! Maybe take the liver supplement more seriously, as well as start the estroblock at the lower dose.
Hopefully it’ll go better the second time! Nightmares.. that’s scary!
Hey Tracy!
As someone who had trouble with Estroblock (migraines), I just wanted to report back that I am now taking it with no side effects! I had been taking a liver supplement for a long time (either live-tox, liquid milk thistle, or an ayurvedic product). Now I am careful to take it at the same moment of the day as Estroblock. And I also started taking NAC at the same time, which you mentioned on your blog post on liver health. Maybe that made a difference. And I was able to start drinking a little goat kefir, which helped with over all digestion and getting the toxins out more quickly, I suppose.
I still take two a day (morning and night (if I remember)). Three is still too much even after months of taking it!
Chin acne is getting smaller and goes away faster, yippieh!
Thank you for your support!
Hi Florence, that’s awesome 🙂 Super glad to hear the symptoms went away and your skin is on the mend now!
Hey Tracy!! Thank you I love this blog! I have a question, so I’ve ordered bio kult, liv- tox and estroblock and I’ve only been taking bio kult right now.I’m taking half a capsule because my head would hurt with a whole one, and my head still hurts once in awhile. Anyway I’m just wondering how to inculude live-tox and estroblock in my body?? Do you think it be a overload of supplements?
Hi Stephanie,
Sounds like a detox reaction… I don’t think those are an overload of supplements but if you are prone to detox reactions, then it’s best to start slow with introducing them. The slower you go, the fewer detox reactions you’ll meet!
Hi Tracy!
I am on of your PCOS gals, and I was just wondering if you agree that DIM is also anti-androgen? I was reading on a PCOS site that it not only helped rid you of bad estrogens, but of androgens (which are usually the problem with adult hormonal acne, especially for us pcos-ers.)
What do you think? Maybe I haven’t read thoroughly enough and you’ve already mentioned it. I’m just curious about your opinion because I trust it a lot. Also, have you heard of the effects of DIM wearing off? Of the body becoming immune to it over time?
Thank you very much for continuing to help us, Tracy 😀
Hi Cheryl,
Well, I never really heard about people talking about it’s anti-androgen effects before, but I have been doing lots of research lately for my new hormone book and this study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12665522) suggests that it is competes with DHT receptors (the strong form of testosterone responsible for acne), essentially blocking DHT’s effects. And apparently a better ratio of good to bad estrogens (and it being in the right ratio with progesterone) will keep down DHT conversion as well… from my understanding most PCOSers have high androgens as well as a estrogen dominant (higher estrogen than progesterone) thing going on. So I think this supplement should be very effective for those with PCOS.
As for whether it wears off… I’m not sure about that! I know that’s what the people at acne.org say… that anti-androgen, or androgen blocking substances always wear off after a while. Whether that’s true or not, I’m not sure. If the DHT blocking part of it is in fact the main way in which it works, then perhaps. It hasn’t worn off for me though. I also think it’s important to support your liver in other ways too, as mentioned in this article.
I can confirm that DIM effects wear off with time. I enjoyed acne-free bliss for 5 months while on DIM and my chin acne came back with vengeance. 🙁 Trying D-glucarate alone at the moment but it is not doing a thing. I do take milk thistle as well.
I have used this liver supplement with great success!
http://www.pureessencelabs.com/liveressence_liver_health.html
The liver’s most valuable tool is an antioxidant called L-Glutathione, which protects liver cells from the constant poisons it processes. While every health enthusiast knows that Milk thistle is the liver’s best nutritional friend, few realize that one of the ways it works is by increasing L-Glutathione. However, it can work only as well as it is absorbed, and it is notoriously poor in this regard. Because of this, the Milk thistle extract in LiverEssence™ is bound to phospholipids. This increases its bioavailability by over 800%. LiverEssence™ also provides Schizandra and Artichoke (a close cousin of Milk thistle), which are also extremely beneficial to the liver.
To further increase L-Glutathione, LiverEssence™ provides N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, a building block from which the body produces its own L-Glutathione, and Alpha Lipoic Acid, which rebuilds L-Glutathione that has been broken down as it works.
Cool, that does look like a good liver supplement 🙂 Thanks River for the suggestion
After a rather unusual huge acne flare up, I started to try and research different ways to fix my problem and came across your website. I have always tried the topical way and of course not had much success. Any type of brand from over the counter to expensive top rated products worked minimally and then frustration would return as well as the acne.
I read through your webpage and thought “well why not try internal, what have you got to lose”. I ordered all the 3 products and so fare what an AMAZING improvement they have made with my skin. I will definitely continue this regimen and hopefully this will solve my acne issues. Thank you so much for the helpful information.
Woohoo! Great news JoAnne 🙂
Thanks for this article! I started taking estroblock 2 weeks ago and I’m breaking out way more ever since 🙁 I didn’t had cystic acne, my acne is more with whiteheads who flare up. I do not have the money to buy all the supplements, but I bought a herbal tea that says liver support, could that do the trick to? Also, do you have any advice for drinks/foods that will support my liver?
My acne is androgen related I think, because I started breaking out so bad after I stopped taking diane 35. I had to get back on the pill. I’m now on a pill called ‘Mercilon’ which works fine. I just hoped that estroblock would clear up the last pieces… hopefully it will
Hi Celine,
Here’s the article that talks about foods that support liver function: https://thelovevitamin.com/4604/gentle-liver-support-acne/ – I don’t know what’s in the tea so I can’t say if it’s good or not!
Anyway I can’t guarantee Estroblock is definitely the supplement for you; if you have high androgens due to getting off Diane, maybe saw palmetto might be a better
Hi Tracy,
I love your blog, and though I didn’t/don’t suffer from acne, I started on DIM this past summer due to extremely heavy and painful periods. I also thought I possibly had cysts (I didn’t/don’t). When I started DIM, it felt like I was going on the pill for the first time: headache, either no appetite or ravenous, dizziness, night sweats, hot flashes, queasiness, and fatigue. As soon as I felt the symptoms, they reminded me of how I felt every time I tried to take the bcp. I figured this is okay since DIM/Estroblock should be affecting my hormones. I cut back to taking one pill per day and only at night. It probably took my body two weeks to “detox.” I nearly almost quit the pills. But I noticed in the second week, my symptoms weren’t as bad. Eventually, my symptoms stopped altogether and I upped my dose to 2x a day. After a month or two I started noticing how clear my face was – not that it was bad at all when I started taking this – but the transformation was amazing. My periods now are light, and I rarely take medicine. I don’t have to take a day or two off of work every month. Estroblock is amazing.
I just wanted to tell your readers who are thinking of it or experiencing issues with it at first to hang in there. It’s worth it!
Hey there, that’s so great! I’m so happy for you it ended up being a success, thank you very much for sharing your story. I think that will be very helpful for many people going through detox in the beginning.
Hi,
I have been taking Estroblock twice a day for over two months now which I worked up to slowly. I also have been taking a liver support supplement not Liv-tox another one. My whole face, neck and even behind my ears has broken out in small bumps and clogged pores. It’s a mess! I used to get bigger acne in my chin, neck and jawline so this is quite different for me. I ordered liv-tox and I am hoping that will make a difference. Do you think it’s just a detox reaction? I am so frustrated my face is just covered it’s awful!
Aw Lucy I’m so sorry to hear you’re breaking out like this 🙁 I can’t say for sure whether it’s a detox or not. The fact that it is different than your regular acne sounds like detox, but the fact that you’ve broken out two months in is strange. Sending strength and love.
Update, my skin is still really bad I am going to have to get off the Estroblock I feel like I have given it a good shot and it’s only made things way worse. I am super depressed about it not working and how my skin looks just hope it clears up when I stop. Guess it doesn’t work for everyone. I know it’s not the best idea but I am considering going back to benzoyl peroxide and such until my skin calms down. What do you think am I just going to make it even worse?
Hi Lucy,
yeah, there’s no one miracle substance that works for everyone. It could be a detox reaction, but who knows? When my acne was that bad I was hoping that benzoyl peroxid would fix it, but it just made things a lot worse. Then I tried diluted apple cider vinegar (1 part vinegar/ 2-3 parts water). It has a similar effect (glycolic acid), but is way less aggressive. I left it on for 10 minutes, then rinsed with clear water every morning. It was a slow process, but it definitely helped.
I finished BCP in May 2012, before that i had already been cutting pills into smaller amounts(few months)..after that i was ready that my skin will get worse..and it did. But after May i started a very healthy diet. I cut out the dairy, dont eat sweets, sometimes littlebit honey.. drink tea and water, eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables. Try do eat organic. No white flour, white rice. Eat Healthy fats. Minimum alcohol and if i drink, then only littlebit pure vodka instead of ciders and other sweet alcohols full of sugar. Bigger breakfasts, smaller dinners..started with vitex and fish oil, zinc.. training myself..July-August my skin was the worse, after that it has improved slowly. But i continue with my healthy lifestyle, which i think is a very good preparation before estroblock and everyone should start with healthy diet and life before taking the estroblock!!! Now im on my third week on estroblock and everything seems going only better. Tracy, you started also with a healthy lifestyle first and then you started with estroblock?! I hope im right and that people dont rush too fast and start with little steps
Hi Flower, that’s great to hear! yes I did start with a healthy lifestyle first, which may be why it’s worked so well for me. There’s no miracles I don’t think :/
Hi, Tracy!
I’ve been following your blog for awhile (quietly, like some other commenters I read above), and I *so* appreciate your advice. I wanted to share my experience with Estroblock, as I know several others mentioned this happened to them,too. I began Estroblock and stuck with it for nearly a full four weeks. To provide a little background: I also took (and continue to take) Milk Thistle to assist my liver in the cleansing process. And I drink Dandelion tea and ACV in water twice daily, as well as enjoy a green smoothie with lunch each day. Sadly, the Estroblock caused me break out pretty badly in multiple places within a few days of taking it (at first, things were fine, but then it got suddenly and progressively worse). I stuck with it for awhile longer because I believed I was experiencing an initial breakout attributable to detoxing. Yet the lumps and bumps continued to worsen in character (not just little breakouts, but big ol’ scary ones), so I felt I had to stop taking it. I’m thinking that either my liver was just having trouble keeping up or DIM just doesn’t like me. I just wanted to share my experience in case this is happening to anyone else…they’re not alone! 🙂 Also, I wanted to tell you that I am so, so grateful for your Manuka honey recommendations (so fantastic!), the cod liver oil, and the castille soap (which I now use as a cleanser in the house and on my dishes). I am trying to cut as many unnatural things out of my husband’s and my life as possible. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us!! It is truly appreciated. Savannah
First, thanks Tracy for all the help you offer on this blog. My skin really started acting up this fall and I appreciate the clear steps you give on how to make changes.
I started on Estroblock a few weeks ago and am wondering about how it changes the color of urine to orange. Is this to be expected? I’m concerned that the nutrients are not being fully absorbed.
And, have a wonderful time in India!
same here! 😀 i thought its from the new tea what im drinking now
“If cases of liver problems or liver disease, the liver can not do its job of red blood cell metabolism and is not able to help in the excretion of byproducts. Bilirubin is a byproduct of red blood cell metabolism and when it accumulates, it is sometimes eliminated through urine and creates orange urine.”
Thanks Flower!
Though I’m not sure exactly what this means. Does it mean that the estroblock is helping me eliminate the bilirubin byproduct?
Yes, is that what it means? I too get the orange urine (I have simply forgot to ever mention this when talking about DIM!), but apparently it’s normal with DIM, but I never really looked into what it meant exactly
Hi Tracy,
I was wondering if you still get orange urine. I’ve been taking dim for 6 months, and am still experiencing the orange urine. The estroblock people seem to indicate that orange urine is most common when people first start taking it, because of the detoxing.
I’ve also been drinking too much coffee lately, which is probably part of the problem. It’s just a bit disconcerting to see orange urine – hard not to wonder if it could be something more serious, like blood in the urine (which I know is really overly paranoid).
Thanks!
Hey Colleen, it’s off and on!
Hi, Tracy! I don’t know why my comment did not go through, I left it here couple hours ago and now it is gone. Anyway, I wrote you on another thread but did not receive an answer, so I will repeat here.
here it is:
Hi, Tracy!
Thank you for your work and for giving me hope to get rid of my adult acne (40yo!).
I will appreciate if you can answer my questions.
2 weeks ago I started on Estroblock Pro with two pills (I know, stupid), got detox symptoms, started reading your articles again and now third day I’m on one pill and already feeling good. For about 2 months I’m taking Gaia Liver cleanse and Gaia Deep Liver Support. Wondering if they can be taken instead of Liv-Tox. Ingredients differ a lot but since I already have pills… Shall I order Liv-tox or finish Gaia pills? Do you know anything about how important Schisandra fruit, Picrorhiza root and Niruri herb that Gaia pills do not have?
I got all the rest to help with liver detox (N-acethyl Cysteine, Calcium D-Glucarate, selenium and taurine). I think my diet is good: organic as much as possible, no processed foods, no GMO, no dairy except plain yogurt (gotta have my dips), no sugars, breads or other flour products, no chemicals (at least trying), etc. Basically all I eat is veggies, green smoothies, quinoa and backwheat (for grains), eggs, meat, fish. I also take lots of supplements, probiotics and vitamins which I know are good quality and what I need (none of them interfere with my acne, checked).
And since I’m at it, do you have anywhere on your blog recommendations for face skin care? I seems to produce a lot of certain fat that clogs pores. I’m not using anything on my face except very mild natural scrub in the shower. Pores on my nose are pretty good size and once I clean them it takes about 2 days to fill them up. I suspect hormonal imbalance has something to do with it but it is so strange how they fill up so quickly.
Also, since I started taking Estroblock and all related supplements I have very low blood pressure (94 and 96 systolic). I’m wondering if you heard about this before.
Well, anyway, sorry for a long detailed post, poor English and lots of questions.
And thanks again! Hope this time it will go through.
Hi Tanya,
I don’t know what’s in Gaia liver products, but Liv-tox is not like THE liver supplement you HAVE to take. It’s just an example of a good one I like. I’m sure yours are fine 🙂 Keep taking them.
For skin care, lots of recommendations.. I usually recommend manuka honey and jojoba oil. click on the articles tab at the top on the menu bar and scroll down to “natural skin care” and you’ll get lots of ideas of things to try
The blood pressure… I don’t know about that, sorry. Never heard of it causing low blood pressure?
Thank you, Tracy!
I’ve decided to try Liv-Tox and we will see what happens.
Will definitely take your advice on skin care. Thanks!
Hi Tracy,
I was wondering if you could recommend alternatives to Liv-tox that are comparable in quality or just as good/potent? I live in the US and it’s not easy to find without significant shipping costs from Canada or long estimated delivery times. Looking forward to pairing a liver-detox supplement with Estroblock to combat my acne!
Thanks!
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
You can get it on Amazon.com in the US. Alternatives.. there’s lots of alternatives.. the reason I use and recommend that particular one is because it was recommended by my naturopath so I know it’s good. Perhaps maybe this one? http://amzn.to/1bNV4q6 – I don’t know for sure if it’s the same quality, but generally I think Thorne make pretty good supplements. You can also go to a local health food store and ask for a liver support herbal blend that contains milk thistle, they will probably be able to help you
Thanks Tracy! What do you think about this one? http://www.amazon.com/NutriGold-Milk-Thistle-Extract-Pharmaceutical/dp/B004IJ2Q24/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1386388074&sr=8-4&keywords=liver+detox
I appreciate your opinion! I think the product above is really just silymarin and milk thistle, so I’m not sure if it’s as ideal as Liv-tox that has more of a combination.
I have finally been trying out estroblock. I’m 38. Have 3 kids. No hormones for the past 10 years. I tried 2 copper IUDs but my body expelled them. I had 2 benign uterine tumors taken out 5 months ago and I have experienced heavy to very heavy periods for a number of years now. As a side note, if you have heavy periods, the copper IUD is more likely to move and become ineffective. Ask me how I know. One baby survived the 2nd did not. Anyway, my skin is so temperamental. I’ve done 3 courses of accutane. Each time lasting 1-2 years of clear skin. I have tracked my periods for a few years now and since starting the Estroblock last month I have not gotten my period for 34 days. I haven’t gone longer than 32 days for years. I have cramps and some breast tenderness, crabbiness, etc, but no period. This is so strange. Has anyone else experienced this?
Also, my urine at first and sometimes still comes out a brighter orange color. I wrote to the company and they said it was normal as my liver is detoxing. I try to drink extra water.
Everything is so strange and I worry it’s not good for me.
Hi Courtney, not sure what to think about reports of it elongating the period cycle. It might be a bad sign, or it might just be a sign that you know… things being shaken up with the hormones so that it might cause some weird stuff in the beginning, but as it goes on, the balances will be found. I saw someone describe DIM as a pendulum being released… it will swing all over, but eventually slow into balance in the middle. Anyway – long story short, I don’t know. If something doesn’t feel right to you, then please do not take it. The orange urine is normal though by the way, they say that’s just a very normal side effect, I get the orange urine too.
Hi. I got my period about a week late. So strange. My hormones are definitely mixed up. I’m going to keep taking the Estroblock for now. I hope it does regulate out. 1 month of taking the pills and my skin is basically unchanged. Not really worse, but still not good at all.
Hi, Courtney~
Based on your description and some similar experiences of my own, is it possible that you’ve started perimenopause and this is perhaps causing some of your symptoms? I’ll be 39 in a few days, and I am fairly certain that I’ve been in this phase for a year and a half, if not a bit longer. As noted in my previous post, Estroblock didn’t seem to work for me (in fact, it made my skin freak out a bit, but things–thankfully–have calmed down a bit since I’ve stopped taking it). But I so, so sympathize with what you describe!
Have anyone stopped taking Estroblock and remain Clear?
Thank you so much for this! Do you know if DIM can be taken once or twice a week for those that get migraines from it? Or will that mess hormones up even more? Thanks!
Hi Dianne, well.. if it’s a detox, then the migraines should go away if you keep using it… but I don’t know. If you only take it once or twice a week, I don’t know if it would actually do anything
Hi Tracy
I have been on estro block for a while approx. 1 – 2 per day for about 2 months. I am on the pill and I have my period each month. However this cycle my ovulation was strange and I spotted for a week last week, and when my period was due Tuesday it didn’t arrive. Is this normal on Estro Block? I thought is regulated your cycle.
Regards
Claire
Hi Claire, see what I said to Courtney above about the subject 🙂
Hello Tracy,
I have been a silent reader of yours for many years now and have been struggling with acne for a while and I am to the point of being just plain tired of it. I am very interested in trying Estroblock and Vitex and am wondering where you buy your Estroblock? You said you spend $20/mo but I can’t find the Estroblock Pro for any cheaper that $40. Also is there a kind of Estroblock that is organic? I read somewhere that it has soy and sunflower in it and they are both usually GMO. I would love to have an organic kind, if at all possible. I’ve found a place to get the Vitex for a very good price (I will buy in bulk then grind and capsulate my own pills) and now just need the Estroblock to try and see if it will work for me.
Keep up the great work! We all love your tips and info!
Hannah Beth
Hi Hannah, it’s because I now take only one of the triple strength, so one bottle lasts me two months = $20 a month. Actually I’ve recently dropped down to half a triple strength, by separating them into two pills, so one bottle will last me 4 months now. I don’t think there’s an organic version – it doesn’t have soy in it anymore, but it has sunflower lecithin. Anyway – good luck 🙂
hi tracy! some questions for you:
1) it seems that Estroblock contains “phosphatidylcholine” which happens to be in Nature’s Way DIM Plus as soy. does this mean that Estroblock contains soy?
2) and whats the deal with soy anyway? how is it “harmful” for acne prone skin?
3) these are the supplements i am taking to help fight my acne:
– DIM Plus (Nature’s Way)
– Burdock Root for liver support (Nature’s Way)
– Zinc Picolinate (Sprouts Farmers Market brand)
What is the best way to take these supplements throughout the day?
for example, what time, with what foods, can i take any of these together, etc. ?
your advice would be much appreciated! thanks!
Where do Canadians order Estroblock from? I was going to order it from Amazon.com but I thought my fellow Canadians might have experience with a cheaper option in terms of shipping and duty 🙂
You can get either get it from the Delgado Protocol website, or Amazon… Amazon shipping is definitely cheaper! Also, I never had to pay duty on it
Thanks 🙂
I started estroblock about six months ago and it helped quite a bit, then I ran out and didn’t take it for a few days. When I started again I started breaking out horribly, unlike I have in years. After reading this I feel like maybe I should have eased into it again. I am hoping it will start working again, but it is freaking me out that after missing just a few days things took such a turn for the worse. It doesn’t feel like a long term solution. I am pretty discouraged and tempted to try accutane again, or go on birth control. Has anyone had this happen? Does it get better with time?
I took DIM Plus for a couple months. It seemed to help with my skin but it made me get brain fog, dizziness, and shortness of breath. I felt like I was DYING! It was scary. I hated having to stop taking it but I had to. My skin has stayed fairly clear but I did get a large but not quite cystic chin bump this month. but it’s already healing up. I’m still wanting to avoid birth control cuz it is so toxic and I’ve tried many and had bad experiences with all of them. Thanks for your website tho. I’m glad I found something that helped for a little while. and do believe in natural healing a lot but this didn’t work for me. and yes I did try to stop taking it and starting again to see if it was the cause of my problems and it was. :/ Tho maybe it is liver issues. who knows!
Hi Just wondering do you still take DIM. After having amazing results with DIM I suddenly started getting dizzy, fatigued, night sweats and an enlarged thyroid. I really want to continue with this product but am having a break.
I became really dizzy after taking dim for about a month or so for pcos. I didn’t have anything for liver support though. I want to try it with that. I’m still dizzy though, and it’s been over a week. I am planning to take the liver support supplement for awhile first. Then I’ll add dim back in. Did you two have prolonged dizziness too? Kourtney, were you taking a liver support supplement too?
Did u take Estroblock pro 1 capsule in one time per day or u splitted it into half and took one half in the morning and one at night?
Just one time per day!
Hey Tracy!
I have a question for you, I hope you can help me out. I have signs of androgen excess (facial hair/excess body hair, thinning hair on my scalp), and high estrogen (mid-section weight gain, melasma). I had success with vitex & EPO in the past, but it made my hirsutism worse. Anyway, I decided to go back on vitex again, and so far my skin is worse. I added DIM (Olympian Labs brand) a few days ago, and my breakouts seem to be getting worse! Should I stick it out, knowing that vitex has worked in the past?
Btw, I tried saw palmetto and other DHT blockers with no luck, so I know that it’s not the way to go for me.
I also had a nasty allergic reaction to milk thistle, so I’m scared to take any detox supps/ liver support while taking DIM and vitex. Do you think I can go without the liver detox supplements while on this regimen? I really don’t want to take too many supplements, and I already know I react badly to anything that causes a detox reaction too quickly.
Hi Lisa,
it sounds as if you’re having a detox reaction. You don’t necessarily have to take milk thistle supplements: burdock, dandelion, stinging nettle, turmeric and artichoke are very potent liver detoxifiers. You can combine and rotate them as you please. Regular sweaty exercise is another good way to detoxify your whole body, especially from excess hormones. Moderate weight lifting to develop a little more muscle mass is helpful too. A healthy vegetable based whole foods diet (including the consumption of a good amount of raw foods) pays off as well.
Right now, you could lower your dose of DIM. You can up the dose later as soon as you get used to the supplement and you have done some detox work to your liver.
Personally, I don’t like vitex. Here’s why: http://unicornandi.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/vitrex-beware/
Hi,
Thanks for responding. I am taking around 50mg of DIM right now…which seems really low (I break open the capsule and empty half of it) but I have had new breakouts since taking it. I tried all the liver detoxifiers you recommend and they all gave me worse acne, fever, and hives even at very low doses…I think my body just doesn’t like anything that is for detox. Even calcium d-glucarate caused those detox symptoms.
Vitex was the only thing that worked when I came off birth control, and it kept my periods regular, even 5 years after my initial course. However, it gave me more facial and body hair, and once I stopped taking it I got more hair loss.
Does DIM help with DHT decrease? I need to lower my androgens but haven’t had luck with things like saw palmetto or spearmint tea. In fact, those make me bloated and moody (estrogen dominance?)
Well, DIM works indirectly by lowering androgen levels. High androgen levels can be a reaction of your body to balance high estrogen levels, so lowering estrogen levels with DIM might lower your androgen levels as well. At least that’s the theory behind it…
However, if you are noticing that you don’t get along with supplements and/or herbal concoctions, simply don’t take them. You don’t have to take anything, even if everybody seems to say so, especially on the internet. Instead, add exercise to your daily routine. Exercise floods the body with oxygen and rids it of toxins via the lymphatic system. Many tissues depend on the lymph to provide nutrients and oxygen and carry off wastes. No supplement on earth can ever be so powerful. It’s one of the best things you can do for your body. Really. Instead, stop reading about supplements and stop experimenting with them. It’s so stressful, and stress can wreck havoc on your hormones. Stress has recently been discovered to have a great deal of influence on many conditions that are considered medical problems such as heart, blood pressure problems and digestive problems in addition to hair loss or thinning. Listen to your body. And get yourself checked. Hair loss and hormonal imbalances could result from diseases like circulatory problems, diabetes, thyroid, lupus and other medical conditions. Don‘t try to find out everything by yourself. Find yourself a good doctor and, if possible, a good naturopath.
Ah, I wish it were that easy! I suffered from PCOS since the age of 14 and am now 30. Have seen countless doctors – gynecologists, endocrinologists, dermatologists, herbalists, naturopaths, integrative, acupuncturists – and noone has been able to offer me long-term solutions. They just go by trial and error because, truth is, most doctors know nothing about the inner workings of PCOS. In fact, some of the remedies these doctors gave me did more harm than good. I exercise daily, eat very healthy, and try to keep stress levels at bay. I had some success with inositol (B8), have you heard of it? There are some promising European studies on it.
Hi Lisa, yes apparently Inositol can be extremely helpful for PCOS. I talk about it a little bit in my new hormonal acne guide https://thelovevitamin.com/female-hormonal-acne-guide/ – are you still taking it?
Yes, inositol is helpful….I found out about it on acne.org and some people are taking it with good results. But I need something in addition because I still breakout during PMS especially. Do you think DIM would work well with inositol?
Also, how do you feel about evening primrose? I used to take it to help my skin complexion, but this time around it didn’t work and only upset my stomach. I’m trying not to take more supplements than I need, so now I just take inositol, digestive enzymes and dim.
Hi Lisa, yes you can take DIM with inositol, as far as I know there’s no problems there
Hi There,
I do not have typical symptoms of estrogen dominance but I just finished a round of very comprehensive dried fine testing for hormones and was surprised at how high my estrogen, progesterone and testosterone all were. I too am having really bad issues with thinning hair on my head, excess facial hair and body hair etc. It’s been this way for years, even while I was on birth control ( i think the nuvaring made it worse) and i feel like i’m at a loss to control it. has there been anything you have tried (supplements or topical treatment) that has helped with your hair loss?
Estroblock worked like a dream for me for about 3 months, and then just stopped working! It was very shocking to start seeing large hormonal breakouts, nearly all month long too. (Not limited to just the pre-period week.) I’m taking liver support supplements, and just ordered Calcium D-glucarate to see if that helps but I’m sort of at a loss as what to do. I was so happy with it that I ordered a bunch of the product so I feel like I want to continue at least with the bottles I have. I had started with a different DIM product and then moved to regular strength (3 a day) and now take the extra strength (2 a day). I also take Vitex, zinc, and probiotics, and eat a fairly clean diet (no dairy, etc.). Have you heard of this happening to anyone or have any advice for me? It is hard to be in my 30s and still suffering from this.
Thanks so much for all your helpful articles and advice.
Hi Katrina,
yes, estroblock doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. I think there is no drug that actually does. Unfortunately.
Is your life very stressful? You might want to work on that! You could download this FREE ebook: http://grossbart.com/ – I’m sure it’ll help you to deal with emotions, to track down the real cause of your acne and how to significantly reduce the amount of stress in your life.
Do you work out regularly? Exercise is super important! It helps your lymphatic vessels to flush out toxins and boosts your immune system. It‘s the most powerful health tonic EVER. Go for it!
And personally, I wouldn‘t insist on taking the supplements any longer…
Thanks Svea. I do workout, at least four to five times a week. I run, I spin, I do pilates, and occasional weights. My life is quite healthy and balanced. I appreciate the input!
Katrina,
The same thing happened to me (and I have a suggestion!)
For about 4 months EstroBlock (I took the triple strength) gave me the clear skin I had longed for my entire adult life. Then–BAM!–that shocking return. It was crushing.
I had paid for an online consultation with Fran Kerr (www.highonclearskin.com ), who had originally prescribed me the EstroBlock, & I wrote her about my “relapse.” She asked if I had taken the Daily Wellness FERTILITY BLEND supplement she had recommended ALONG with the EstroBlock, & I admitted I had stopped taking that because of an initial detox reaction (breaking out more). She said it was important I take both, and to just push through the initial stage. (It supports progesterone health.)
Well, this time I introduced the three-pills-a-day of Fertility Blend slowly…just taking one a day for several days, then two for several days, etc. Did not have a detox reaction that way AND my skin cleared up again and has been radiant ever since. I’m back on the “dream train!”
So I recommend trying the EstroBlock again (I’d suggest Triple Strength) IN ADDITION to Daily Wellness’ FERTILITY BLEND. OR writing to Ms. Kerr & getting her recommendation for you.
I know the shock & sadness upon having thought one had found the miracle cure, and then having it ripped away like hope itself…but I encourage you to consider you may have been on the right track, as I was, but just need to add an extra supplement.
Hope this helps!
TCW
I so hear you, Katrina. I am 39 and still dealing with this acne nonsense, which I’ve been battling since I was 12…ugh. Estroblock had this effect on me, too, but I didn’t have a honeymoon period with it, as you had for the 3 months. I thought mine was an initial breakout and I tried to perservere, but it was pretty much non-stop for me–each day, bringing one or two new, deep ones. The kind that take a long time to scoot. Super depressing. I’m thinking my body chemistry just doesn’t respond well to it for whatever reason. I just wanted to speak up and let you know that you are definitely not alone. Retinol seems to help a ton. I use Life-Flo Retinol A 1%, which doesn’t have bad things in it. There was some purging for about two weeks, but things are slowly improving with the kind of progress I haven’t seen for awhile.
Thanks Savannah. While I don’t relish in the suffering of others, it is somewhat nice to know that we don’t have to deal with this alone. I’m also using a retinol product as well. Fingers crossed. I find it helps with smaller outbreaks, but not the bigger, deeper ones as you mentioned. I am thinking about going to an endocrinologist to see if I can get more information about my hormone balance. I’m ok with using the retinol cream that my dermatologist suggested, but I won’t use antibiotics or other strong drugs. I have in the past (many years ago), and was left with a lot of work to rebalance my gut flora.
I just saw that Life-Flo Retinol A 1% has glowing reviews on iherb. I can’t figure out how much retinol it actually has, but it seems to be helping a lot of people. That’s great!
On the upside, maybe this means we’ll maintain our youthful glows until we’re 100. 🙂
Yes, I so agree with you about the antibiotics. They have, in the past, created a whole host of funky issues for me from prolonged use. In my 20s, I was on every kind of ‘cycline’ known to man. Now I know to steer clear of them, too.
*laughing* I look at using the retinol the same way you do…I’m hoping to be mostly wrinkle-free when I wear my red hat at 100,too. 😀
I started taking DIM a week ago, after a vitex-induced breakout 2 weeks into going back on vitex (after 1.5 years’ break). So far so good. Pay attention to the capsule ingredients and fillers. Those might be more problematic than the actual DIM. I avoid any supplements with gelatin, gluten, dairy, corn, and colorings. I currently take Olympian Labs DIM and it seems to agree with me.
So, i’ve been taking 3 estroblock triple strenth tablet with livtox daily for about a month now and have seen no results. I was prescribed spiro yesterday and am not sure if i should start.
Any advice?
If estroblock isn’t working, maybe high androgens/DHT are your issue. Have you tried inositol? Check out the studies on it with regards to acne and testosterone. It’s very promising.
Hey Suzanne,
I had a similar issue with taking 3 pro strength Estroblock a day for a month with little to no results. I called the company to see about increasing my dosage and what levels are safe. Over the course of two weeks, I have increased to 3 pro strength in the AM and 3 in the PM with significant results. My energy is back and my skin is clearer than it’s been in a long time. I know it’s expensive, but depending on what you’re taking it for, it’s worth trying before stopping all together. It took me 6-7 weeks to see results but I am really, really glad I stuck it out. I feel confident and in control again. Best of luck.
Sam
Hi Samantha,
What did the company tell you when you called? I hadn’t considered taking a higher dose but it’s an interesting idea. I still have quite a few bottles left, and I was actually considering dropping my dose since I had more success with the normal strength than the pro strength. But your comment made me curious about upping instead…
Hey Katrina,
When I called and explained I had been taking 4 Pro Strength Estroblock per day (2 in the AM and 2 in the PM, sorry about that, I forgot it was 4 per day and not 3) for over four weeks with no results in my acne, the rep supposed I have more stubborn symptoms and that I try upping my dose. I had some severe symptoms last year in response to taking Yasmin, and since I’ve been taking BC for over a decade, I figured it was a gradual buildup of xenoestrogens, with Yasmin being the final straw. She suggested not going over 6 per day, since, according to the Estroblock company, that was the maximum dose. Apparently this isn’t due to safety concerns but due to that just being the max dose of a detox supplement, and taking more than that would be a waste of money. I’m not entirely sure if that’s true, but I decided to cap it at 6.
Between Estroblock and using the Evan Healy skincare line (“Farm to Face,” literally as natural as you can get), my skin is miles ahead of where it was 8 weeks ago. I went from simultaneously having 15+ active spots with any number of dark scabs from others healing… to some barely noticeable tiny bumps (not active acne) and three, yes only three, spots scabbing and healing. I see improvement everyday.
My energy has totally changed. In part it may be due to not being as depressed about my skin, but I have better sustained energy throughout the day and feel like I’m finally keeping up with my peers and matching the energy I used to have. I’m in graduate school and have a lot to do and prove, so being constantly tired despite a clean diet (vegan, non-processed) and exercise (crossfit, spin) was a major concern. My coffee levels were reaching critical mass (which I’m sure was not helping with hormones).
I haven’t been taking Estroblock for weight loss, but have noticed that I’m maintaining my current weight more easily while not exercising recently (I sprained my ankle about a month ago, and indulged a lot over the holidays, back in the swing now though.) I typically would have put on more weight given the circumstances. I might be able to speak to that in a month or so.
I hope that things keep improving and that Estroblock continues to work and I can scale back in a few months. My other additions are: 50 mg Zinc at night, and 1000mg D3 and 1000mg sublingual B12 in the AM. I also drink a cappuccino in the morning with a fortified soymilk for an extra boost (Eden Organic).
I’m toying with the idea of taking some milk thistle, but I’m afraid to stimulate a larger detox than my body can handle at this pace and end up with a huge breakout and headaches/fatigue. So just Estroblock for now.
Wish you the best of luck! I’ll update in another few weeks but check back here often if you want to chat further.
Samantha
This is helpful! Do you think soy milk can make estrogen dominance worse, or can it actually help acne? I’m on the fence about it.
Also, did any of you ladies experience increased excess facial hair growth when taking estroblock? I already have mild hirsutism, and don’t want to make it worse in any way.
I’m interested to know about hair loss and DIM as well, please share your experiences.
I’m not a medical health professional yet, but I am currently getting my Master’s of Science in nutrition science and policy and do have some opinions on soy and hormones.
According to some of my classmates’ research, I think the effect of soy on estrogen is negligible versus certain medications, i.e. the effect of birth control on estrogen, which is far more pronounced. The effect of soy can depend on the form that you consume and on the quantity (and quality!).
I personally keep soy to a minimum, both in more obvious forms (tofu, soymilk) and sneakier forms, such as soybean-based products. I look specifically for minimally processed products with as few ingredients as possible. I probably have about 1/2 -1 cup per day and sometimes also have 1/2 cup of tofu, tempeh or 3/4 cup of shelled edamame. Some days I take a complete break and substitute homemade almond milk and beans instead of tofu and soymilk. I think moderation and variety are more important than completely avoiding soy products all together.
UPDATE 2/21/14
Since starting Estroblock ProStrength for about three months, the last two months my cycle has actually regulated. I’ve never been regular my entire life, and that was one of the original reasons I went on the pill in the first place when I was 16. Since coming off the pill in August 2013 I returned to irregular cycles, until the last two months. This is definitely a sign that it is working the way it should.
I just started taking a Milk Thistle supplement yesterday with Estroblock, 1 in the morning. Here’s the link to it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IJ2Q24/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Will update to see if this continues to help improve my skin! Slowly but surely, I’m beginning to be able to wear far less makeup and see my skin glowing naturally. Finally, my skin is reflecting my healthy lifestyle.
Samantha
That’s great Samantha 🙂 Stoked for you!
hi tracy!
i just turned 18 recently and although i dont have severe acne anymore (thanks to the BCP i was on for a while) but my acne has definitely returned at a more mild level and still affects my self-esteem
i experience breakouts on my forehead mainly… leaving a really bumpy kind of texture to the skin, cystic like break outs on my chin and a few spots on my cheeks sometimes.
after coming across your website im really keen to try something to improve my condition but definitely dont want to go back on BCP.
what would you recommend? im confused about using Estroblock as it decreases estrogen and increases testosterone? no/yes?
i think i only had success with the BCP (Yaz) because there WAS a synthetic estrogen in them…
im very confused and would like your help
thank you in anticipation!
Hi Shaela,
Estroblock doesn’t decrease estrogen. It helps your liver to metabolize estrogens, so that bad estrogens from the environment (plastics, emissions from cars and factories, pesticides or syntetic hormones from conventional animal produce) can be broken down and eventually be converted into good estrogens. It doesn’t increase testosterone either. On the contrary, with a higher amount of good estrogens available, testosterone levels will decrease naturally: your body tends to balance out bigger amounts of (bad) estrogens in your body with higher testosterone levels.
If you’re not so much into supplements, you could try to add broccoli sprouts to your diet regularly. Broccoli sprouts are especially powerful, but in the end all types of cruciferous vegetables (or even better: sprouts) are great! Think of arugula, cress, horseradish, radishes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, bok choy, wasabi, rutabaga, turnips, collard greens,… Three compounds found in cruciferous vegetables – sulforaphane, indole 3-carbinol and crambene – can activate detoxification enzymes in your liver. Sure, there won’t be an immediate effect, but over time it’ll make a difference. In addition, try to avoid foods wrapped or packaged in plastics, especially greasy and/or hot stuff.
If I am already low in testosterone because of birth control
Hi Tracy,
Does LIV-tox contain milk thistle?
I have read somewhere that milk thistle should not be taken if you have a ragweed allergy. Do you know anything about this?
I have ragweed allergy, I tested an 8/10 which is quite high. I’m talking Estroblock for my acne and thought I’d add something that supports my liver as well. Please advise.
Hi Maria,
I’m not Tracy, I’m sorry 😉 – but yes, Liv-tox does contain milk thistle. You could try other herbs like stinging nettle, turmeric, artichoke, dandalion, burdock root or ginger and lemon instead.
Hi,
Where can I buy DIM if I live outside the USA or Canada? I live in Mexico and don’t know where to find it! 🙁
Hi Lydia, sorry I don’t know! You can order it from the States, but I don’t have any idea where to get it in Mexico. Hope you find out!
I am almost a month into taking DIM and I have been lightly spotting (brown blood) for the past 3 days. Is this normal? My periods are regular, and my next period is not due for another week.
Is spotting normal? I don’t want to mess up my periods because they have been so regular for the past 5 years.
Hey Tracy! i love being on Estroblock but im starting to lose my eyebrow hair, is there anything i can do about it? i hate to stop taking it. i have been it on it for 2 months and last month I orderd the extra strength.
Yikes, I don’t know! I haven’t heard of it causing eyebrows to fall out, so I can’t say whether it’s Estroblock or not! If you feel like it is indeed that what is causing it, then yeah I would say stop taking it. Is it helping your acne?
Hi, lovely chats here!
Eyebrows thinning, especially outer parts, are often result of hypothyroidism. DIM, other than affecting estrogen metabolism, also affects thyroid gland (all in good way). There are info on examine.com….
All endocrine systems in body are inter-related and impacting on one hormonal mechanism, always results in others adjusting to “new hormonal conditions”.
As a person who spent over 25 years in various professional sports and dances I would advise:
even exercise helps greatly with everything, if you haven’t started doing sports at young age, intense trainings can “overload” many body’s mechanisms and cause adverse effects on health. One should Exercise to the point of “enough”, maybe a bit more 😉 and rather more often by little, than just sometimes a lot.
Testosterone tends to convert to estrogen and with too much intense exercise you may also suffer with estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance disrupts thyroid T4-T3 hormones conversion etc…
I just started using DIM and am here to read your experiences.
Hi Laura,
I started Estroblock about three weeks ago and I noticed one of my eyebrows seems to be thinning out. Do you still have this problem? Did you stop taking Estroblock?
Thanks!
Marissa
Hi Tracy,
Thank you so much for your advice! It worked! I’ve been taking all three (Estroblock, Liv Tox and Vitex) since end of November and my acne is gone now. In November, I used a different brand of Liv Tox and my acne would still come and go. However, mid January I switched to the Liv Tox brand you recommended and voila! the acne completely disappeared in 2 weeks. Pretty amazing. I am so grateful for the information you have given us! Thank you thank you thank you!
Hey Becca that’s awesome! So happy for you! 🙂 glad to hear my Liv-tox reco was the kicker!
Hey Tracy!
Thanks for everything. Looks like Liv-Tox is not available on Amazon currently. Do you know any good alternatives, or do you recommend I wait? Also, I currently take 4 Estroblock capsules a day (I’m just about a month in) do you recommend I try the Pro formula at 2 a day instead?
I’m about to start combining Liv-Tox with Estroblock, just to really get the most out of it!
Thanks!
-JEssica
Hi Jessica,
You know I heard an unfortunate rumour (confirmed by the company) that they’re discontinuing Liv-tox for some reason that I don’t know why. But I haven’t had a chance to research a suitable replacement to recommend! As for Estroblock, yeah next time you order it I’d say give two of the triple a try 🙂
Hey Jessica,
I researched a lot about Liv-Tox alternatives, and I came up with this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IJ2Q24/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Since I started taking it about two weeks ago, I’ve seen a further noticeable improvement in my skin! Highly recommend.
Samantha
Hey Tracy,
I’m adding in Vitex to complete my trifecta. I’m taking 3 ProStrength Estroblock in the AM/PM, with one milk thistle in the AM, how many and when would you recommend I take the Vitex? (It’s the Gaia brand you suggested).
Thanks!
Samantha
Just to confirm, this is the brand you recommend: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VT3YP0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A354SBSX27H1FF
Also, is “vitex” maca root? It looks like the only ingredient here is maca. Interested on your thoughts here.
Samantha
Hi Samanta, I don’t see what you mean – when I click on the link it says for me the only ingredient is vitex chaste berry. as for how many and when to take it, just follow the directions on the package 🙂
Question, I took estroblock for 3 months and could not afford the bottle monthly. I was taking three in the morning and 2 at night. They recommended that to me since I was showing improvement, but my face was still getting acne everyday. The acne was not forming up neath my chin and neck area. It was gone from my face, but I still had it. I called them asking if this had happened before and they were confused too. I began to switch to dim plus and now I’m starting to get my acne back a little bit. But now everywhere. If I went back on the estroblock and only took 2 a day, how long should I wait for my face to be completely clear? Clear as in not worrying about waking up with a new pimple on my face. I have been dealing with acne for 4 years now and I am 21. I only drink water and I do not eat sugar and I am very conscious about what I eat so I know I don’t have to change my diet.
Hi Lindey,
do you take something to support your liver while on Estroblock? That seems to help very well. You’re probably breaking out due to a detox reaction: DIM is a very strong substance. You can take a liver supplement like Liv-Tox as Tracy suggests (she takes it herself), or you could simply try to add or increase the amount of the following liver cleansing foods to your diet: turmeric (if possible combined with black pepper and olive oil for better absorption – you could use it as a salad dressing or in a stir fry or curry recipe), ginger, fresh lemon, lots of leafy greens with a slightly bitter taste (like arugula, dandalion leaves, radicchio,…), burdock roots and tulsi (Indian basil) leaves or tea. Lots of sweaty exercise helps too! For now, keep you your dose of DIM at a lower level.
Hi Tracy,
I had a question about taking DIM (DIM Plus from the brand Nature’s Way) alongside a very light birth control pill (Nuva ring). Tommorow I will be 2 months on the bcp and I’m taking DIM for a week now because I’ve noticed I gained some weight in my midsection and legs. Is it a good idea to take DIM alongside the bcp to balance estrogen dominance? Or would it maybe decrease my testosterone levels because of the more good estrogen I will be getting from DIM and then I will be more upset because of the higher levels of estrogen (which is not good).
Two years ago I wanted to see how my body reacted if I stopped taking the birth control pill (it was a very light one Nuva Ring) but I really regret this decision because I gained a lot of weight really quickly and it’s very hard to loose it because of my imbalanced hormonal system. That’s why I choose two months ago to go back to my bcp and hopefully by exercising and a healthy diet this weight loss problem will go away. Thanks I appreciate your advise!
Donna
Hi Donna,
DIM doesn’t increase levels of estrogen, but it helps your liver to metabolize it in a better way so that your body has to deal with lesser amounts of bad estrogen (as contained in most birth control pills). The overall amount of estrogen will remain the same, but it’ll be converted into good estrogen that won’t do any harm to your body. DIM most probably won’t decrease testosterone levels in your body either. Considering this, it seems a good idea to rebalance birth control with DIM.
Hi Tracy,
I love your articles! I have just recently been getting into organic foods and natural health products. I’ve dealt with acne for 10 years now. I was taking spironolactone for years throughout high school and most of college and that worked great for me (cleared up all of my back, chest, neck, and most of my face acne). However, it made my menstrual cycle irregular and sometimes I would go a couple months without even having a period so I decided to stop spironolactone because I didn’t really like the idea of taking a medicine for so long and would prefer a more natural route. Going off of the spironolactone has caused my back and neck acne to come back full force. My face has been fine, not perfect, but bearable. I wouldn’t say I have severe cystic acne, but a lesser type. I am desperate to clear it all up! Spironolactone is anti-androgen and worked so well with my acne which makes me think that Estroblock would work well for me too. I plan to try the Estroblock and would also like to try the Liv-Tox but I can’t find the Liv-Tox on Amazon. Do you know where I can get it?
Hi Brittany, I know, they’ve discontinued it 🙁 … my backup suggestion for now is a product called Wise Woman’s Hepacaps.
I bought liv-tox at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago if you live in North America
Thank you. I want to cry right now I’m so happy. I have been taking Estroblock and Vitex for a month and my face is completely clear (short of a few scars that are also healing unexpectedly). I have had horrible cystic acne since I was 12 (I’m 29 now) that got worse after I had my daughter. I’ve taken every medication under the sun excluding Accutane; I’ve tried EVERY crazy natural remedy (some that I laugh about, some I will NEVER speak of, lol). Nothing worked. I ran across your blog a month ago, decided to try this, never expecting it to actually work. I know people without acne don’t understand what the big deal is, but as a professional adult it’s hard to be taken seriously with a face full of acne. You’ve restored my confidence and I cannot thank you enough for being brave enough to post your experience to help others.
Woohoo, so happy for you Tia!! 😀 yes I totally understand what the big deal is so I couldn’t be more stoked this worked for you
I read that DIM can cause birth defects?
Any thruth
Hi Leah,
I guess that depends on the dose. Estroblock reccomends to take only 1 pill / day when pregnant, but if you don’t trust them (they still want to sell their products…), just take the natural route: the best natural source of DIM are broccoli sprouts. Getting DIM from food sources is not harmful at all!!!
Hi,Itś very intresting what i have read last few days. I´m 25 years old lady,I have acne since 17 years and every time then I get frustrated or some huge emotion going on, wich is negative I know that my acne is going to be like ten times horroble to the next day, then it was before, so I think I have problems with hormones. Weird because I was doing some raw food detox diet and eco coffee clistire 3 months in the summer and it didnt help my acne but I lost so many kilos of my body weight that I was really scared, because I tought there wasnt anything to lose anymore I was skinny enough. And at this period I was also doing five tibetean exercises every day, It should also flush the toxins out of body. But now I´m again vegetarian and my skin is still huge problem to me, once I read a book from Luule Viilma, she says acne is coming with down pressed anger inside you and face is seperated , like the nose is proudness and if somebody is insulting you and you take it into your heart then there gonnabe angry pimple, the chin is about feeling selfish, even if you are not, but you think you are and forehead is about dreams and the middle of your face is anger about your self like why I cant do this and this like I want and the cheeks are other people , who you think is disturbing to reach your career or something like that, I think itś very like me. But I don´t now anymore, but itś interesting anyway, even if I believe in this I can´t practise in situatsion allways correctly.I think i need estroblock , now I´m also taking maca and chlorella supplements and I have new face cream with snail slime and itś for scars and acne,very moisturizing. And I´m also from Estonia!:D whoo Greetings from this little place! And sorry about my bad english:P
Hi Tender Baboon,
what you’re writing sounds very intresting! It’s true that emotions matter more than we might think! Did you ever come across the ebook by Ted Grossbart? It’s about skin problems and emotions and it can be very healing, if you are open to actually work with it. You can download it for free!!!
http://grossbart.com/
If you deciede to try Estroblock, make sure to take a liver supplement (milk thistle for example) as well. This way you can avoid a detox reaction, which might lead to even more acne breakouts, headaches and other health disturbances.
I wish you lots of luck! 😉 – And your English isn’t that bad, to me it’s clearly understandable 😉 !!!
Hey gang,
I’ve been following Tracy’s blog for the past 8 months and for the past 2 months I’ve been taking 2 triple strength estroblock with one liv tox a day without much success. I have hormonal acne around my mouth and jawline, usually small red bumps or white puss filled bumps. I also breakout on my chest and back a lot. My skin is pretty dry so I cleanse with manuka honey in the morning and olive and castor oil at night. Also I eat super healthy and drink 3 litres of water a day. My exercise regime isn’t that consistent, but even when I am rigorously working out a few times a week my breakouts remain the same. Any suggestions for better results getting rid of my hormonal acne? Should I just take more estro block pills a day? Compared to some my acne isn’t that bad, but unfortunately my skins scars verrrry easily and even though I try my best not to pick or pop, I’m left with a red hyperpigmention scar after every pimple that lasts 2-3 years :S any tips for lessening hyperpigmention also appreciated! I’ve tried MSM cream but it makes me break out more and I didn’t see any results during the one month I used it.
Thanks all! Love this site 🙂
Hi,Jessica~
I just wanted to chime in, since I discovered something new and good in my experience: I’ve been having success with natural progesterone cream, which you apply to the skin. (Estroblock didn’t work for me either, and in fact, it made me a bit worse, although I know others have real success with it; I tried other DIM brands and they also seemed to have the same effect). In moderation, and following a schedule of cycle day 12/14 to day 26, I know it has helped other ladies with skin issues, as it opposes the androgens at their receptor sites. Also,for me, it gives me a sense of general well-being and stops my cruddy night sweats (I am staring down 40) Fran at High On Health has a really good article about hormone balance here (http://highonclearskin.com/how-to-get-clear/balance-your-estrogen/); paragraph 4 under “Premenstrual Acne” discusses administration of progesterone cream. Please note, too, that it must be natural progesterone (not progestin, a synthetic compound that is bad mojo, can make you feel worse, and may even cause cancer). I use Life-Flo Progesta Care (a white bottle with a purple and pink label). It measures out the dose, and it doesn’t have any parabens or bad stuff in it. It’s a little sticky, but it has made things much better–not perfect, but so much better.
Update: I have been taking EstroBlock since December 2013. My skin has dramatically changed since then, though I still break out just before I start my cycle. I have noticed that these have been lessening each month. I started with regular strength, then moved to pro strength. I recently added in a liver support supplement in the mornings with added success, it has further boosted my clearer skin. I have gone from having incredibly dry and acne-prominent skin (10-15 active spots with several scabbing over at the same time) to balanced skin with much more manageable spots (3-4 active spots that clear up much easier without scabbing). I know this is a long term change and have been patient, and I’m glad I’m sticking it out. I’m giving it a year!
I did try adding in Vitex and my breakouts increased, so it’s important to note that the triple combination of vitex, liver support and estroblock doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. I was successful with trying estroblock first only, then adding in liver support supplements second. Here’s what I recommend since LivTox has been discontinued: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IJ2Q24/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
In my opinion, it’s also important to know that if estroblock isn’t working for you that you can increase your dosage safely . For me, regular strength wasn’t enough, and pro strength in small doses wasn’t enough. I called the estroblock information line and asked about what doses are safe, and was told up to 6 pro strength per day.
I have increased up to 3 pro strength in the AM and 3 again in the PM with wonderful results. I did this by increasing 1 at night from my (then) current dosage of 2AM/2PM by adding in one at night for a week (so 2AM/3PM) then adding in the other in the AM a week later (3AM/3PM).
At this dose level, I noticed a big increase in energy and weight has started to fall off. In a month, I went from a comfortable size 8 to a snug 4. I wasn’t looking to lose weight, but it’s a great added bonus. My healthy eating and active lifestyle went from maintaining my current weight to resulting in losing weight. I should mention that I do eat a plant-based diet, have an active lifestyle (I walk about 2 miles a day for my commute) and do crossfit 3x a week.
For those of you taking Estroblock and not finding success, I recommend increasing your dosage and adding in a liver support in the morning. I was worried it would detox me too fast and I’d break out more, but in fact it helped tremendously. I know it’s pricey, but for me, spending the money each month is worth it to have the confidence (and added power!) of clearer skin in my personal and professional life.
I wish you all the best of luck!! I check back here frequently if you have questions.
Hi Samantha,
thank yoo so much for your helpful insights 😉 . It’s a great comment for everyone already taking Estroblock and those who are still considering to take it!
Samantha,
I’m looking for a replacement for Liv-Tox and the link you provided to Amazon doesn’t seem to work. Can you tell me by name what you used to replace the Liv-Tox? I would greatly appreciate it!
Hi Katie, the supplement I have started recommending to replace Liv-tox is called Thorne SAT. Click on the “things I love” tab on the menu bar, and you’ll find the link to it on Amazon there
Hi,
Do you know where EstroBlock can be purchased in Canada? Not having much luck and Amazon will not ship this product to Canada.
Thanks!!
Hi Carly, you can’t get it from within Canada as far as I know, but I’m surprised to hear Amazon won’t let you order it? I’ve order it through Amazon before! The other option is through the Delgado Protocol’s website, but the shipping is more expensive
Please help! It’s my 3rd month on DIM and so far my skin has been doing well. I am taking 150mg per day (split into 2 doses). However, I have been getting some spotting a week before my period every month, and this month along with the spotting I also broke out a bit. Should I reduce the dose to 100mg?
Hi, Tracy, hi everybody!
Great Blog with very useful info!
I’m pretty sure I have hormonal disbalance… I’ve been for years on BC and a year ago I stopped it… now I’m suffering from acne on my back and jawlines and very often night sweats… I suppose I have low progesterone levels…
So I’m planning to start DIM but I have some issues about it… I’ve read that DIM can cause shortening of the periods, as I stopped BC my periods are really short-not more than 2-3 days and I’m worry that with DIM they will totally disappear?!?!? Are my worries justified?
Any advice will be highly appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance! Sara 🙂
Hi Sara, I’m not sure. I can’t say exactly what will happen for you when you take it… but my feeling is that if your periods were already super short, it probably wouldn’t make them even shorter or disappear. Also if you think low progesterone is your problem, consider maybe taking vitex as well
Hey Tracy! I am still on the journey to better health and clear skin. I have done a parasite cleanse, am currently taking liver detox herbs, and trying to only nourish my body with raw foods/vegan when I crave warm foods. I know diet is huge in achieving clear skin. My skin is better, but I still get massive breakouts. I tried estroblock triple strength before I did all this liver and body cleansing and it made my skin sooooooo much worse. I would like to try estroblock again after I do my first coffee enema. I have really sore breats, they are noticeably assymetrical in certain clothing, and experience mostly hormonal acne (chin and jaw). Do you think after my liver is cleaned up a little I would have better luck with estroblock? Has estroblock helped with breast asymmetry? I want to get my hormones balanced without manipulating my body too much so I’m not very keen about going on vitex or trying progesterone cream. I tried maca root for awhile and although my skin was softer, it didn’t help much. Other than it did balance my boobs a little. Thanks for your help I love your site and you!
Hi Olivia,
Yes, hopefully you should have better results with estroblock now that you’ve cleansed your liver, I’d also advise starting off smaller with it… like taking one regular strength to begin with… slowly building your way up to two of the triple strength. That way you are more likely to avoid any initial reactions.
As for vitex or progesterone cream – well I can’t tell you what to do, but just from your description of having sore breasts and hormonal chin breakouts, the it sounds like those things could help you. Sore breasts are definitely signs of low progesterone.
Hi there!
I started taking Estroblock triple strength a week and a half ago. I take 2 a day. I have missed a day here and there. My period is 2 days late, and it never is normally late. It is always the same day. Consistently. Can Estroblock start working that quickly in my body? Should I keep taking it? It worries me to be irregular. Any advice?
Hi Mackenzie, judging by the comments here, it sounds like it’s somewhat common that (for some people) it can cause little changes with your menstrual cycle timing, I get the feeling it’s just your body getting used to it (with most supplements your body needs an adjustment period), but I don’t know for sure if it is or it isn’t, or if things go back to normal after continuing its use for a while. Haven’t heard much feedback in this regard from those who have mentioned experiencing this issue.
Hellooo 🙂
Just wondering, before I buy estroblock, do you think there is any possible harm for anyone that comes from the testosterone boosting? obviously it has worked really well for you but i am wary of extra testosterone as i’ve read before it might not help acne for some people? its tricky to know what is going to work for me, I’m so worried about making it worse! :/ thanks!! 🙂 would a naturopath be able to tell whats going on with my skin specifically, or just give general good advice about improving skin? thanks!!!! 🙂 xx
Hi Suzanna, yes I understand your concern! Search the comments here, I’ve answered the testosterone question a few times… go keyboard command Control+F, or Command+F (if you’re on a mac) to search the page and find them 🙂
As for a naturopath… depends on the naturopath. They can give you specific advice, but they can only know so much without doing tests… but you can often get tests done through them.
Thank you I didn’t know that handy trick! 😀 okay so basically, it should just balance everything out rather than unhealthy spikes of testosterone and oestrogen? that sounds promising 🙂 so would the main tests to get done by a naturopath be hormone levels and food intolerances? 🙂 i remember seeing that you mentioned them in one of your articles but i can’t remember which one 😛 thank you!! 🙂
Yes! Those would be the main tests I recommend
great thank you so much! and thanks for replying!! 🙂
UK acne sufferers! Wanted to let you know I am selling a bunch of Estro Block PRO… the listing is on eBay. It’s all new and sealed and I ordered it from the Delgado website. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111382611282
I am having the same battle as a lot of you… I’m 26, and I came off the pill Yasmin about a year ago now, and the acne I thought I had got rid of as a teenager has slowly come back. It’s now covering my jawline and cheeks and is really getting me down. I have followed Tracy’s blog for years, and I started on a course of DIM back in January, which although I have persevered with hasn’t done a lot for my acne. Last month I saw a nutritionist to get my hormones and food allergies tested. The nutritionist was a big fan of DIM, said she often prescribed it to acne sufferers, but said it wasn’t working for me, and has prescribed me some other supplements to try instead, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc amongst a few others, because I got tested and apparently I am deficient in all of them… but I had already ordered 4 lots of 60 tablets which have been shipped to me from America, so if you’re from the UK and wanting to try Estro Block – this might be a cheap way for you to do it?
Thanks a lot,
Florence
I have never commented on a website-like ever. But I love your website so much and it has really inspired me through my acne journey.
I started taking Estroblock a month ago now and havent had any chin acne in a week and a half! I cant believe it. I started taking a liver cleanse first with a probitotic every day, for about a week, before I started taking Estroblock. I took 2 Estroblocks seperately every day for 3 weeks and built up to 3 Estroblocks per your regime and it really worked. I am quite sensitive to vitmains such as Zinc and even Probiotics can make me feel bloated, so I took my time and have had no side effects. Plus I wanted to have a healthier gut and liver before starting Estroblock. Thankyou for your continuing support in the community! You have changed lives. Thankyou.
Woohoo Georgia!! That’s awesome 🙂 Congrats on the success (and also your first comment ever!). Thanks for letting me know about how things turned out for you, it always makes me smile to hear success stories.
i started taking estroblock, first the regular strength, twice a day, and though i saw some progress it wasn’t clear skin. i bought the triple strength and started taking it twice a day and saw a HUGE improvement in the clarity of my skin, though there was always one or two little bumps plaguing my face, so i decided to jump up to three a day… and finally! the clear skin i’d always wanted! it was a little expensive, but totally worth it for the confidence of having clear skin. i did notice that my period, instead of its usual 24 days apart, fluctuated, first 25 days when i started w/ the normal strength, then to 28 days when i started the triple strength. i didn’t think much of it because my skin looked so GOOD, and figured whatever it was doing to my body was for the best.
WELL, I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW WRONG I WAS.
mid june my hair started falling out in HANDFULS. i have done nothing differently in my lifestyle, have not in any way changed my diet (if anything my diet has gotten better, more natural, and i’ve largely cut out alcohol). the only conclusion i can come to is that the pills had something to do with it, especially because they’re aimed at altering your hormone levels. i’ve probably lost about 50% of my hair (which was already thin and wispy to begin with) in the span of a month, mostly from the top/crown of my head (thanks, testosterone!), and the stress is so much WORSE than having to stress about acne (which is probably not helping my hair loss either). before estroblock i NEVER had any issues w/ hair loss. i started taking i the regular strength pills in february, moved up to the triple strength in march, and kicked the supplement in late june when i fully noticed how thin and awful my hair had gotten. i’m still waiting for whatever hormone changes this supplement caused to work themselves out– my hair is still falling out at an terrifying pace and, of course, my acne returned about a month after i stopped taking the supplement, so now i have two hideous problems instead of just a single gripe about acne. and i’m not talking a little thinning… i’m talking hair loss to the point where no matter what i do or how i wear my hair, huge sections of my scalp are visible… i’m too embarrassed to leave the house, far more embarrassed than i ever was w/ just my acne.
unfortunately, i really have no choice but to go on the pill (the one thing i was trying to avoid) to get both my hair loss and my acne under control… i’ve gone to the doctor, had numerous blood tests, hair sample tests, skin sample tests and still, nothing conclusive. i’m so frustrated. i took estroblock for only five months and it caused all of THIS… hopefully because i took it for such a short amount of time the effects will wane soon too… 🙁
BE CAREFUL BEFORE TAKING ESTROBLOCK! NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, IT DOES HAVE SIDE EFFECTS! IT RUINED MY HAIR!!! PLEASE BE CAREFUL BEFORE STARTING THIS PILL!
Hi Tanya,
I am so grateful that you posted this right on time. I am in the same boat as yours. I have been experiencing excessive hairfall since I started taking Estroblock in June. It has done wonders for my acne I can’t believe how smooth my face looks but on the other hand my hair has been falling in a manner that I am scared even to touch it. Today morning after seeing a bunch of hair on my pillow I really got thinking. The only possible culprit I saw was Estroblock. I got on the internet to find out more and the first thing I see is your comment. I am really grateful that I came to know of this now rather than two months later. For now though here is the plan, I currently take 1 triple strength pill a day. I am going to make it once in two days for the next month and see how both my acne and hairfall react. In case my hairfall doesn’t stop I’ll have to give up on Estroblock. This also makes me realize that there are no miracles. There is no one pill that can solve all your problems. At this phase in life I hate to say that my biggest problem is acne, infact it has been all my life 🙁
I just hope that I have the strength to fight it till the end.
Thanks,
Richa
Richa,
i’m so glad i’m not the only one who has had this happen to them! i mean, it sucks that it happens to any of us, haha, but it feels better to know i’m not alone!
i’ve struggled w/ acne all my life, and because of that, i’m on nearly a first name basis w/ my dermatologist (my brother also has bad acne so the derm knows my whole family really well), so i called him about my hair as a last minute gesture to see if he had any suggestions before i made an appt at the gyno to go on the pill. he suggested that i take zinc, as it had been part of a vitamin supplement i had been on earlier that worked for me in high school (before my hormonal acne went nuts my junior/senior year of college). i’ve been taking the zinc, 50 mg, once a day for almost 2 weeks and this morning i woke up w/ out a single new blemish, with the old marks starting to heal and fade.
so, even though it takes a couple weeks to stop acne from breaking out, i would suggest you ditch the estroblock asap and try zinc! he advised me not to stay at 50 mg for too long, as it could cause a zinc imbalance, and if i did take it in the long run that i had to be sure to get copper into my diet as well (because zinc can deplete copper). but right now i’m feeling a little better about my situation and i’m hoping the zinc might help w/ my hair too, if i give it some more time! i might still have to go on the pill to give my hair the last kick it needs to finally get growing again, but i’m feeling confident enough to give it time.
i hope you find something that works for both your skin AND hair! good luck!
Tanya,
Thanks for your reply. I have moved quite a bit my entire life and have never been able to stick with a dermatologist. I am also in a way sick and tired of going to different derms because most of them prescribe same antibiotics or pills. I had been on and off antibiotics for a couple of years but soon realized that the problem is internal and I need a long term solution. I guess you are lucky in a way because your doctor knows you and supports you in taking safer/natural routes. I wish you all the best and hope that things work out for you.
Lower your dose of DIM to no more than 125 mg per day for women and no more than 200 mg for men- it’s best the split the dose in two and take it twice daily. If you’re still having issues- lower your DIM amount even further.
Also add progesterone cream daily. Women can take 20 mg and men can take 10 mg per day safely especially if you’re over the age of 30. Rotate it to different parts of your thin skin daily (neck, face, back of wrists, etc). For great information on bio-identical hormones check out Dr. Lam’s website out of California.
Keep in mind if you decide to take pregnenolone or DHEA to never take it orally. It’s okay if you buy the oral supplement, crush it into powder, and make a suppository out of it via coconut oil. Both men and women should take the suppository rectally (women not vaginally). If you decide to take pregnenolone or DHEA- don’t take more than 10 mg of pregnenolone and no more than 5 mg of DHEA.
The progesterone on it’s own is the key here whether you have acne or not. As we age our progesterone level falls off a cliff and it can’t keep estrogen in balance for both men and women, but especially for women. If you find that these added bio-identical hormones are helpful, but not quite enough to get you into a very happy place- do not increase the dosage. You can cause problems without proper monitoring at higher dosages, so make an appointment with a respected bio-identical hormone doctor.
Peace and love everyone,
Andrew Days
The dosage you were taking was far too high.
Taking too much can have a reverse effect.
For a detailed, technical explanation see Dr. Lam’s website out of California. He talks in detail why this occurs.
I wanted to check and see if you got everything sorted out? I just started taking 200mg of DIM- i do not plan on moving up at all. I am wondering if the fact you were taking SO MUCH for SO LONG- 5 months is a while- did it. I will keep an eye out, but this comment def made me not want to take it every day. Besides, i am pretty sure that my skin is reacting to it as i am starting to have some cystic acne. I am using retin a Micro and just started using everyday- so not sure if its that or the DIM…..DIM makes more sense- i continue using for the rest of the week but after that…im not sure lol I am taking liver supplements and i dont eat dairy or gluten or processed food. the only sugar i get is from Honey and Fruit. anyway- hope all is well
Hi Tracy,
I have been taking 3 capsules of Estroblock a day along with one capsule of the Thorne S.A.T supplement for liver support for about 2 weeks. At first I noticed that my skin was looking a little clearer and my mood felt more balanced. My anxiety seemed to have lessened immensely. But suddenly my depression is stronger than ever, I am having crying bouts everyday, and I am feeling a weird dull pain in my head, and I missed my period this month. Do you know why this might be happening?
Thanks,
M.
Hi there I have been struggling with cystic acne since 15. I am 19 now. Before the age of 15 I had just small regular acne and then I went to a dermatologist and was prescribed Accutane. Worst decision ever. Didn’t have horrible acne to begin with and now it is worse. Does Estroblock help large cystic acne? And are the results permanent? Or do I have to continuously take it forever to keep my skin clear?
I am also on birth control so will Estroblock mess with it?
I have been taking DIM for over 2 months now and have seen great effects. eg clear skin, weight loss and no tender breasts at all. Lately I have been getting head spins, my thyroid is enlarged ( but nothing in blood tests show up to say why), fatigue. Has anyone experienced any of these symptoms and if so by taking a liver cleansing supplement did it clear up.
I have a bit of an odd question but ever since Ive started taken estroblock I’ve noticed that my boobs have grew! They haven’t gown a cup size or anything but they are significantly larger and feel heavier. Could this be because estroblock has changed my estrogen levels? Thanks!
So for about a year now I’ve been searching for an answer to this question. Has anyone else taken DIM for menstrual issues such as PCOS (which I have so hooray for adult acne and all that jazz) heavy and painful periods and experienced more severe period pain than they usually would?
I noticed this happening and have tried using DIM twice now only to come back off it because the pain I experience is already debilitatingly severe on occassion and this was that much worse and happening every month while taking the DIM. Wondering if this is a normal side effect and just something I need to work through maybe with the liver support or if it’s so uncommon that DIM just isn’t something I should be taking. I was taking 200mg/day of Olympian Labs DIM if that’s helpful at all. Thanks 🙂
Anyone know if DIM can cause shortness of breath and an increased heart rate?
Where can I buy estroblock, that can be shipped to Denmark/Europe? I have looked everywhere.
Hi Tracy!
I want to know if it’s okay to be having an apple cider drink ever day (ACV helps me with bowel movements=) while take Estroblock and the liver suppport supplement? Also if I am taking, for example the Thorne SAT with Estroblock how many of each should i take a day for full benefit?? I really look forward to hearing from you because I am TIRED of dealing with bad skin.
Hi Tracy,
First of all thanks for making this website. It is soooo very helpful and it is good the read about how others deal with acne – I always used to feel alone with this and feel like a freak (I have hormonal acne with big,red cystic spots all over my body and face) but now I know it is not true! So Thanks!!
As estroblock is not available in my country I tried DIM Plus with liver support supps but I had the most painful and heaviest period I have ever had and I have seen no change to my skin either (I train every day, eat healthy, sleep well….).I only used it for one month but this experience (4.5 hours unbearable pain and D&V with it when I came on) put me off of any estro blockers for sure. So my question would be is there any other kind of supp I could try. I also take Vitabiotics Perfectil triple strength (multivitamin for skin) and Evening Primrose oil, cod liver oil and agnus castus and drink dandelion, burdock tea and do liver detox every 3 month.
I read so much helpful information in your e-books so will start reviewing my diet and cut out caffeine and sugar and those nasty flax seeds too.
Many thanks again and keep up the good work!
Hi Tracy,
I’m a little concerned on taking Estroblock, I was taking Vitex Berry for my acne for about three months and it worked right away, it was amazing. But, after a month and a half I started noticing facial hair around my cheek bones. I thought it was my hormones because that’s what my dermatologist said but after time passed i t became more and more so I started my research on the vitex and on the comments a lot of people complained about facial hair. So, I want to stop taking Vitex and start on Estroblock but I really want to know if this will also cause facial hair growth.
Thanks,
Ana
Hey Fran! After following you for wads I would like to thank you!!! I have come to understand my acne and my body and am able to help other acne suffers fairly well with the knowledge you have provided! Now to my question, I have bought estroblock and have now realized that I would need to get other liver supporting supplemnts as well. Would
Milk thistle be enough and how many mg would you suggest?
While surfing the web I found a article on these and they contain milk thistle and other liver supporting supplemnts already included. I am not sure if that would be a easier alternative as to buying the supplemnts seperatly. That way they are all included and made easier on my bish ( and not to forget taking multiple supplemnts lol ) at least until my body adjusts to dim being introduced. Wondering on your opinion on this supplement!
http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Encapsulations-DIM-Detox-VegiCaps/dp/B0063X0J0O
Hi Tracy,
Love following your journey to clear skin. Just a quick question, do you take the throne sat (liver cleanse) same time of day as estroblock it do you think it really matters?
Yep I take it at the same time as the Estroblock!
But you just take 1 sat right?
If you’re taking more than one, take one in morning and one at night
Do you mean to take one estroblock with sat in am and both in pm?
Currently I take eastroblock in am and my second estroblock with sat in pm.
Yep
Sorry and you take estroblock one in am and one in pm?
Okay I mean one estroblock in morning with one SAT, and one estroblock in evening with no SAT
I am allergic to chamomile ( a ragweed) and am quite afraid to take milk thistle in fear of a allergic reaction. Is there anythingg else I can do for liver detox???
I’ve been taking dim for over 4 months now, and have definitely noticed improvement in my acne. My skin isn’t perfect, but it’s much better. Progress has been sloooow, though. I had been taking bioresponse dim (the same dim that’s in nature’s way), but have just switch to estroblock. I’ve switched because estroblock has more dim in it, and I wanted to see if this could improve my skin even more. I’ll post an update when I’ve been on it for longer.
However, I do have some concerns about taking this supplement:
1) The estroblock company makes many bold claims on their website that have NOT been proven to be true. Not to say that they’re untrue, but just that they haven’t been properly tested in human trials and they are stating them as fact. Furthermore, they are very evasive about what they actually put in their product. It’s difficult to find the ingredient list online, and the one listed on the bottle doesn’t tell the concentrations of the various supplements in it. So, it was only very reluctantly that I switched to estroblock.
2) We don’t really know how it helps acne. Perhaps it’s helping by removing the bad estrogens, but this is speculation, rather than fact.
3) We don’t even know if it is safe to take. Some studies indicate that it can suppress / shrink tumours. Others, like this study in trout (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss06/indole.html), indicate that it may actually CAUSE tumours. Furthermore, the trout study concludes that dim is actually acting LIKE an estrogen. Is it possible that dim clears our skin by acting like an estrogen, in the same way that the pill clears our skin?
For now, I’ll continue to take the supplement. But I’d love to know what others think. Is there new research that I’m not aware of?
Hi Colleen,
I have the same thoughts and concerns as you.
In my case, DIM helps my acne but it also worsened my melasma, which leads me to believe that it could be raising my “good” estrogen along with flushing out xenoestrogens. Have you or anyone else reading this developed melasma after taking DIM for a while?
Hi Malina,
That’s interesting. I don’t have melasma and I never have. Those studies in trout seem to indicate that sometimes dim acts like an estrogen, so maybe that’s what’s happening.
My skin is clearer than it ever has been right now, so I’ll keep taking it. But I do think it’s a powerful supplement that, unfortunately, we don’t know enough about.
Hi Malina,
I don’t know how long ago you posted this about DIM and acne getting better, but melasma getting worse, but I am having the same experience. Of course I don’t know if it is DIM’s fault, but it is really stressing me out and I don’t know what to do because I tried to go off DIM once and I started breaking out quickly. Have you found a solution to your situation and/or was it actually the DIM causing the melasma? Based on what I read about what DIM does, I think it shouldn’t make melasma worse and should make it better, but could it actually be raising the estrogen. I’m honestly so sad about this because for the first time in years I haven’t had a breakout in months but my melasma is taking over my face. If you have any info you have learned since your post, I would love to hear it. Thank you!!
Dear Tracy,
How long were you taking Estroblock when you started to see results? I’ve been taking Dimplus(I couldn’t find estroblock in my country) and milk thistle by Nature’s Way for about a week. I’ve had some minor headaches and moodswings, but have been sleeping much better than before. My cystic chin acne hasn’t changed but I didn’t expect anything to happen after one week already.
I also wanted to ask you if you experienced weight loss on estroblock. I’ve read that Dim is often succesfully used by women who want to lose weight. I’m a very thin person and weight loss is the last thing I need:)
I personally experienced some bloating on DIM, depending on my cycle. I’m normal weight, and have not experienced any weightloss. If you are within the normal weight range, supplements such as DIM and inositol (which I also take) do not aid weight loss and might actually cause some minor weight gain/ water retention based on my experience.
Hi Tracy,
I abruptly stopped taking birth control pills, not knowing the repercussions. I’ve been off of them for a couple months now, and I’ve been suffering with acne around my chin and mouth, which I never used to really struggle with, and acne on my forehead. I am a vegan, so I don’t think diet has too much to do with it. I am planning on starting to take EstroBlock and the Thorne Research SAT. Do you think this will be a good combination for me? Thank You.
I started DIM ( along with other herbal supplement so) 6 weeks ago for my hormones and have been noticing orange coloured urine. I was really worried until I read here that it is a side effect.
At first my acne came on with a vengeance, face, chest, back. But now it all appears to be clearing up. I also increased my liver support, as I was only taking half the dosage.
Thanks for all of the great info.
Hello- just curious if your acne did in fact clear up?
Hi Tracey
I would love to take DIM because I believe it will balance my hormones. I’m 38 years old and have a uterus fibroid. My primary doctor said that according to my blood test my hormones are normal. But I believe this is not accurate. Should I still take DIM even if the blood test states hormone is normal? I have read that they are multiple factors to causing fibroids and “excess estrogens” is one of the causes to uterine fibroid which it makes it grow. As of now I’m in a 2-week total body cleanse and would like to know if I should start taking DIM during or after the cleanse? And if you know what kind of test would accurately prove my hormone status? Thanks
Hi Tracy,
I’ve been on DIM Plus for 3 weeks and my skin started breaking out like within a couple days of using it and right now its the worst it has ever been!! I bought milk thistle today and started taking it, and plan on discontinuing the use of DIM. Do you have any idea as to why this would break me out so badly? Its all around my mouth, jawline, cheeks, and neck!
Hey Justine, I’ve found out that for some people, jumping into high doses (like triple strength) can create a detox reaction that is too strong… if you want to try again, start with one normal estroblock per day, and slowly work your way up to three or four per day over a month, and then if things are going well, you can try switching over to triple strength
Hi Tracy,
I just began taking DIM yesterday, and also bought milk thistle to take with it. But this morning I woke up with itchy watery eyes and sneezes. I have a ragweed allergy so I guess the milk thistle is the culprit. Can you recommend a different liver support supplement that doesn’t contain milk thistle? Thanks!!!
Hi Tracy
I started taking Estroblock in December when I started having really bad hormonal breakouts. My skin completely cleared up and it was great, but just this month I started breaking out again really bad and I can’t figure it out. I have huge cyst like acne all over my chin quite suddenly. I take the Thorne SAT and 1 Triple Strength Estroblock twice a day. Can you steer me in the right direction?
I used DIM Detox for ten months with amazing results, taking two tablets a day. However, after that I started to break out again…. Maybe I was too lax on my diet, I did start eating cheese and bad things more frequently than I usually allow. I cut back to one a day because it wasn’t doing much and it’s not a cheap supplement, and then I introduced beriberine. Beriberine was amazing too! I took it for three months with a day each week off as a break hit by about two and a half months it just stopped working, but what is super confusing is that my acne suddenly looks way worse now, I normally only get it around my jaw and neck but now it’s all over. So. I stopped the Berberine, I think maybe shorter stints of that supplement in the future after I take a month away. I will try two DIM capsules a day to see if it will work as well as it did before, and I also just started to take Femenessence maca and saw palmetto. Trying everything 🙂 low sugar and dairy are imperative for me though and I’m suspicious that eggs may be a culprit for me. When my skin flipped out recently it was after house sitting for a friend with lots of chickens and I was eating probably 4 eggs a day.. Seemed super healthy but I’m going to avoid eggs for a while just in case it’s aggravating my skin.
Hello, I tried estroblock regular and it helped my skin, only a little. Estro block triple strength worked wonders!!! But I do NOT take a liver supplement, only Dandelion Root tea which helps detoxify and help support liver functions. Do think this is enough? Why must we take liver supplements as well?? I have had no side effects at all just using the triple strength. Thanks for all your help!
Please believe that healing your fibroids naturally WORKS IF ONLY YOU WORK. (If you can give yourself 3 to 6 months of natural healing, I believe you will see a difference. But the key is doing this daily, determination, commitment, and believing that your fibroid or fibroids will shrink. My friboid has stopped growing and its shrinking. I give credit to #1) Patience, #2) Ever since I STOPPED EATING MEAT COMPLETELY and without cheating or having a taste or the juice/stew of the meat. Nothing. Nada. And please keep in mind that you are different than those who doesn’t have fibroids therefore they can eat all the meat they want daily therefore they are not suffering from fibroids. You are different with a different body. #3) balance your hormones naturally and most of all NO SOY (this is controversial but I chose to believe that SOY is bad period.)(http://wellnessmama.com/4925/balancing-stress-hormones), and (http://draxe.com/10-ways-balance-hormones-naturally/), (http://youtu.be/w8W9kTQgXQ0). #4) reduce stress and have a healthy/happy emotions, and prayers, #5) liver cleanse (detox), #6) incorporate more and more greens/veggies; if possible more organic raw foods (uncooked). #7). Just listen to your body and definitely give it what it needs. (We may have different medical conditions so what worked for me; may not fully work for you because you may need to add more depending on what your body is telling you and of course go for healthy choices; not toxic choices). #8). Fibroids are caused by multiple factors and you need to be your own experimenter to find the solution to what works for YOU. But I strongly believe the biggest factors of causing the fibroids to birth and grow are causes I’ve mentioned above which are from (#1 – #8).
I wish I could sit down with you and tell you my life experiences to the point where my blood count dropped to 6.1 but I have come to realized that my fibroid was a blessing and still is because I will continue my healthy lifestyle long term. It has taught me to listen to my body, give it what it needs. I am more happier and healthier now than when I was in my 20’s and early 30’s. I am now 38. My hair, skin, body changed to a more healthier outlook. I’m only sharing because this is the results of healthy works mentioned above and more.
I have been taking DIM and MSM for about three months now and it seems to help. It has cleared my back of acne and my face is getting better as well. I am afraid though that I am loosing hair. Is this a common thing and is there anything I can do about this?
Thanks,
Laura
Heeey Tracy,
I love DIM too,
I want to ask you if you think it is okay to take 200 mg of dim, when i am underweight? (Bmi 16-17).
I am 20 years old and healthy, on very good diet and i am already on 100 mg DIM, and it is helping. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi! I’ve recently started to wean out of the healing crisis with nasty cystic acne cluster break outs.. But now have impetigo coming out of it. I was asked to take antibiotics but not sure if I should continue with estroblock and liver detox while on it?
You say that not enough studies have been done on women who are pregnant and taking DIM. Can you cite some studies that show that DIM is safe in non pregnant women – or even that it is helpful in reducing acne at all?
Hello,
I am currently on the pill and my skin is perfect. Still i want to go off cause looking for a baby.
Is Estroblock safe while ttc? I am so much afraid cause all the times i went off pill i had terrible breakouts! Do u think taking Estroblock cause “prevent” these breakouts?
Thanks in advance and regards
My kids loved it. I followed the recipe step by step. I love bourbon chicken but this did not taste like bourbon chicken to me. It still was very delicious we love spicy foods. next time I will add 1/4 cup of bourbon. You can also mix the ingredients and marinade overnight. Drain chicken but make sure you save marinate. Brown chicken, add marinate & bring to boil. add (2 tsp of cornstarch dissolved with water) to thicken sauce at the end.
I was wondering if it’s safe to take Zinc and Estroblock together?
Is there a reason I should or shouldn’t take them together?
Hi Tracy,
I don’t want to take it continuously and I wonder if you’d advice taking it in the beginning of the cycle (before ovulation) or in the second part (before periods)?
Why?
Thank you very much for your answer,
Hello – I have posted comments on here before without ever getting a response, but I suppose I will try again. I’m near my last straw with this, it has been almost 15 years I have been trying to get to the bottom of this. I have been trying supplements and going natural and changing my entire lifestyle for a year now. The only time I was clear was when I was on Spironolactone and it completely stopped my acne – then 3 years later it just stopped working, and all came back, even though I was still on the same dosage of the Spironolactone. I can not figure out why this happened or what clue this gives me to what is actually internally wrong and why Spironolactone corrected it. I have stopped birth control 3 months ago and it is just total hell, and completely different acne than I have had before which also is making no sense to me. I have been on Estroblock & SAT for a while, with no difference but I just keep going with it because I figure it isn’t hurting or that it could possibly be a lot worse without it. Anyway, I have a TRILLION questions, and I really do mean it – I have an entire 30+ page document with all the clues I have gathered over the years of trying to finally get to the bottom of this. I spend most of my days researching. I am the type of personality where something painful on my face that that keeps popping up in a never ending cycle, really mentally tortures me. I feel trapped, disgusted and all I want is to be ‘plain’. Instead I have a trillion dots on my skin, which is anything but plain. I have had this since I was 11, I am not 25. But, my question right now is: When I started Estroblock almost 6 months ago, my urine was orange and I found that that was a normal side effect and meant it was working to remove the bad estrogens from my body. Now for a good month or two, my urine is no longer orange or discolored. But it is a bit cloudy which is unusual. I can not figure out why my urine is no longer the orange color – does this mean Estroblock is no longer removing the bad estrogens?
Hello?
DIM worked great for a week until I took these ‘all natural’ energy pills (Genuine Health Extra Energy) that interacted and gave me a bad reaction. That was weeks ago. Now I can’t take DIM for more than a few days. It literally makes me high even with other supplements to support it. I went out and bought a $50 liver support supplement and took that for a week on it’s one (no DIM) but a few days after taking the DIM again I’m getting side effects.
What can I take to balance my hormones? I’m on the pill so a lot of hormone balancing herbs interacts with it. The reason I went on DIM is because it’s not known to reduce the effectiveness of the pill.
Jess- it depends how old you are and what dose you’re taking. A daily dose for women should usually not exceed more than 125 mg of DIM. Check out Dr. Lam’s website out of California for lots of information on bio-identical hormones. Also, are you just taking DIM or a combination of DIM and Indole 3-carbinol (I3C)? I have read that you should not take I3C and the product Tracy recommends on here unfortunately contains both.
I’m 30 and taking 100mg. From a company called SD Pharmaceuticals. I’m just taking DIM but I’m also on the antidepressant remeron.
p.s I’ve been on remeron for two months and no real issues.
Jess- I wrote out my answer and didn’t save it and unfortunately the website didn’t post my answer. It’s seems to be having some technical issues.
Jess- Okay, now it seems to be working.
The DIM you’re using contains panax ginseng which is a very powerful plant and could be the cause. However it’s only 2.5 mg although you’re still young so it’s hard to say. It’s more likely it has to do with the antidepressant you’re taking.
You should try adding and removing whatever it is you’re taking to isolate what’s causing the issue. This also includes your diet- diet can affect you up to 24 hours after eating.
Do your best to get to the root of the problem of your depression and get off the antidepressants. Antidepressants themselves don’t get to the root of any problems and only cause other problems and other unwanted symptoms.
Two of my favorite websites for research are EarthClinic and Mercola.
I found out the issue was from going up and down too suddenly in my antidepressant dose and also be trying to stop it cold turkey. I was told by 5 doctors that it wouldn’t effect me because I had only been on it for a few months. According to many studies I’ve read 4-8 weeks is long enough to experience withdrawal syndrome so they are obviously wrong. It’s going to take me a few months at least to come off them.
I’ve been on DIM for almost three weeks in hopes that it would help with weight gain after my tubal and uterine ablation, my low energy levels and my hair falling out. I have lost about 7 pounds, although hugely changed my eating habits at the same time (no sugar, breakfast every day … ). I don’t need my daily two-hour nap before work anymore either, so I’m thinking it’s helping! But, has anyone gotten MORE acne after starting DIM? I quit Splenda almost a week ago and switched to stevia/monk fruit in my coffee, so that could be the culprit, but my chin has become a war zone in the last few days and I don’t like it at all! I was having great results with my homemade face wash and less makeup, but now all of a sudden I’ve broken out again just like when I was putting foundation on every day. Could the DIM have some reaction to the Stevia/monk fruit I’m now ingesting? I could try to go back to Splenda but since I quit I have not had my daily headaches. I actually woke with a headache just today after three days of being headache free since quitting Splenda. Any advice/ideas?
Hello-
I began taking 200mg of DIM (pure encapsulations brand) 6 weeks ago and have noticed a worsening of acne on my chin. I get 1-3 new blemished every day all around my mouth and chin. The rest of my face is pretty ok, but the chin is becoming a great red bumpy pussy disaster. I have no idea whether this is a detox reaction or just plain bad. My naturopath suggests sticking it out another month, but i’m terrified. She says it may get better.
I’m a teacher and I literally have hundreds of people looking at me every day. ug. I’m doing the caveman, eating totally anti-inflammatory, and seed cycling for hormone balance starting this month. I’m SOO confused.
tempted to go back to birth control…but I know I would only deal with this shiz again later down the road.
Thank you
Eve, did things every balance out.
Hi Eve,
My experience taking DIM was very similar to taking progesterone cream and I’ve read that progesterone cream in the beginning can actually raise estrogen levels before it balances them out. It’s like a hurdle in the beginning that it needs to climb over before it can work effectively to counterbalance both real estrogen as well as pseudoestrogen (this estrogen raising effect could be why you’re getting the worsening of acne). Both DIM and progesterone will combat oestrogen as well as zenoestrogens (pseudoestrogens caused by pollution).
Dosage of DIM is dependent on weight and most females should not take more than 125mg per day. My suggestion is to lower the amount of DIM you’re taking and to add progesterone cream (especially if you’re over the age of 35). Even if you’re not over the age of 35 progesterone cream can be very helpful because of pseudoestrogens that now exist in our polluted society.
Try adding 20 to 30mg of progesterone cream daily as well as the 125 mg of DIM. Keep in mind once you get over that initial hurdle you may have to lower the amount of progesterone cream.
Hopefully that gets everything under control for you, but the other thing to keep in mind is that EMF (Electro-Magnetic-Frequency mostly caused by cell tower antennas, WiFi, and DECT cordless phones) is an endocrine disruptor (hormone disruptor) so look into sleeping in a faraday canopy effectively blocking all EMF in order for your body to get a proper nights sleep. Ideally it would be great to block the EMF in the daytime as well, but sleep is the most important because so much of your body’s maintenance and healing is done during that time.
Peace and love everyone,
Andrew Days
I have been taking milk thistle, a probiotic and burdock root for about a month and just added DIM a week ago. I started out using about 50mg the first 4 days then 100mg for a few days. I tried to work my way up since I am prone to headaches. On day 4 my face broke out worse than it ever has in my entire life. All over, even places I never get acne. I’m hoping this is just some kind of initial detox because it is horrible and I’m hoping I didn’t mess my hormones up more than they already were. An IUD started all my problems with my skin and it is along my jaw and lower cheek so that is why I believe it is hormonal. How long should initial flare ups last?
HI- I have started taking DIM- only for about a week and a half now. I am getting those LOVELY side effects- hooray! I am taking milk thistle once a day, reading about DIM first and knowing it needed a liver supplement along side it, but now I am thinking that only milk thistle is not enough? Should I get an all around liver support supplement?
Also- I am guessing that these effects should be short lived, correct? If you have the correct liver supplements.
Another question I have that I don’t see it being addressed very often is…how LONG should I be taking DIM and Liver supplements? I have read that if you take milk thistle for a long period of time, it can raise your liver enzymes and its not good for it. I’ve read it should only be taken a few months at a time?
I know there are not tons of studies available about long term use of DIM but maybe someone on here has taken it for a year?
Thanks!
Hey Tracy!
I love your posts, and I am always looking for old ones to find helpful information.
I am using estroblock triple strength for more or less one month now, and I didn’t notice improvements, but actually I feel it made me have a few breakouts.
But before, let me explain my situation, maybe I am doing something wrong.
I have been in BC pills for 5 years, and since december/2015 I am out of them, since I had periods during two months and decided that the pill was not working well to me, so I quit. When I started to have this problem with my period, I was still on BC pills, and my skin started to become oily, and suddenly three big cystic pimples appeared. I just connected the fact that my hormones were unbalanced, since I had the problems I mentioned, and probably this was the reason for my acne. I went to a few gynecologists, tried to solve the problem but the only “solution” they gave me was to return to the BC pills. I didn’t want to start again, since it was causing me all that problems with my period and definitely weren’t a good thing for my body. So I decided to take Indol-3-carbinol to improve my hormones, but apparently nothing changed (I took for 1 month). Since I’ve been reading your blog, I decided to try Estroblock triple Strength because apparently there’s something with this product that works better than the other similar suplements. However, the last blood tests I did showed that my progesteron and my estrogen are really low, below of the nomal limits.(I did the blood test before starting taking Estroblock) but I wonder if Estroblock couldn’t be worsening my situation with my low estrogen levels and causing me more acne and unbalancing my hormones. I read about estroblock’s action mechanism, seems like the DIM helps to metabolize the estrogen of our body, so maybe I should stop taking it?
What’s your oppinion about it?
Thank you so much for all the info you share with us here, and for your availability to help!
Kisses 🙂
I forgot to say, I am using Estroblock with Vitex and also with SAT for liver support, as you recommend! 🙂
Looking forward seeing your comments!
Thank you! 🙂
I have been seeing a naturopath for a couple of months now with not really any improvement with acne. I am currently taking Vitex, Uristatin (for my bladder issues), Digestive Enzyme, Probiotics and NAC for my liver. I also did a food sensitivity test and found out I am sensitive to gluten, most gluten alternatives, eggs, dairy and some other small things here and there. I have cut these out of my diet for about a month now with no difference in my skin. I am also drinking mint water, lemon water, green juices and a herbal tea every day. Why is this not working?
Hey Tracy,
I have been reading about everyone’s experience with Estroblock and I haven’t come across anyone with my current problem. My first two weeks of taking estroblock was almost a miracle, my skin was clearing completely. Now, 4 weeks later I’m breaking out all over. I know it can take months to balance hormones, but I’m curious if this is a normal occurrence. I would love your thoughts!
Hi!
Thorne SAT liver support supplement is out of stock everywhere!!! what supplement can I buy instead of it?
Question: I’ve been struggling with hormonal acne for a long time on and off. I am 32 years old and I am struggling with cystic acne and it is so embarrassing. Nothing works for me. No topical treatments…….so I know this is all hormonal. I just want clear skin. I have been taking primrose oil for over a week now and I think I am noticing difference. I was taking 3 a day and I broke out so badly so I decreased to 1 a day (1000mg) and I think it’s helping. I was wondering if it’s safe to continue taking it with Estroblock and a liver supplement? I have not started the Estroblock or the liver supplement. Or should I just stick with the primrose oil and see how it goes? I will say the primrose oil has been making my hair nice and soft and I’m not shedding as much. I also have eczema and a mild case of psoriasis and have heard primrose oil can help with that. Thank you so much
Hi Tracey,
I’d like to start your acne protocol of dim and livre support, but I’m a little confused about the liver support. Is the Thorne SAT Liver Support a detox or just a support for the liver? I have a whole bottle of Thiodox on hand (which is for liver detox) and am wondering if it is the same as the Thorne SAT. Thanks for you help.
Hi Tracy!
Do you think hot flashes when starting this product is a sign that it’s lowering my good estrogen or a detox reaction? It’s like my insides are being boiled really fast and eventually it passes, but happens often through the day. I started his a few days before my period so maybe it was bad timing. My skin has cleared completely in 10 days so it’s working – I just don’t know if I’m trading one issue for another- thoughts?
I’m only on day 3, and I’m experiencing the same. I warm up and feel almost like I’m going to break into a sweat. It happens maybe 10 times throughout the day. I had an awful headache all day yesterday and felt nauseous and dizzy (I’ve also gone to the bathroom more times than I can count).
I cut the dose down to 100mg from 200mg and added Liver Support tea and I’m much more comfortable today. Maybe it was all a bit too much at once because I was very ill.
Hello,
I have troubles with taking Estroblock, I take it now for 10 days 2 a day and I have migraines all day long for 3 days now. However after those 10 days I also have the clearest skin I thought I could only dream of, so I just ordered a supplement for liver. I hope that will help. Thank you for that post.
Well, welcome to the club honey… I guess no pain no gain right?
Hi,
I started using Estroblock pro once-a-day for 10 days for severe adult acne and noticed brown spotting from last 2 days which really scares me. I am taking estroblock pro with liver supplement (Milk Thistle). I haven’t seen any improvement in acne (may be slightly worse). Should I continue using it? Thanks
Hi, I have been struggling with hormonal acne and cysts in my neck (luckily not my face) and a bit in my jawline for years. I am currently on Accutane.
Unfortunately I can never use any synthetic hormones that contain Estrogen again in my life, as I developed multiple bloodclots (DVT) last year and it was found that this was due to having the genetic mutation Lyden Factor 5 (heterozygous luckily)
I have the copper IUD as birthcontrol, but my skin is just a battle. I am in month 2 of 4 months of Accutane, but I am quite worried that due to the hormonal imbalances it won’t be that effective. Where do I start with balancing my hormones without putting myself at risk for more bloodclots?
Hi! I want to go off the pill soon and love the suggestion of going down to 3/4 a pill then 1/2 then 1/4 over a 9 month period… will absolutely try that. I want to limit the inevitable hormonal cystic acne as much as possible. Should I start taking DIM before I wean off the pill or after? My skin is perfect on the pill. Also i know DIM compatibility with a person depends on their estrogen/androgen level, is this something you recommend testing first? Also what do you think about Zinc + DIM? Is it more one or the other or together? Thanks!
What do you think about teenage boys using a DIM supplement for acne? My son is turning 15 next month. He has stubborn acne (slightly more than the standard, but not terrible). I’m concerned that he has inherited my skin and sensitivities which ultimately created the perfect storm of cystic acne, creating much suffering for me from ages 15-43(current).
Most recently, we’ve both seen improvements by removing/reducing our dairy, wheat and sugar intake. These seem particularly inflammatory for us. I’m Trying DIM now and hoping for some help with my crazy hormones. What do you think about the safety of 100-200mg for boys? I’m not really finding anything in my research. Lots of young men on body building forums talk about taking it for increasing performance, but they aren’t discussing safety or long term effects. It it’s effective with acne, I’d love to help him.
Hi! Does anyone know where to get DIM supplements inside europe (preferably scandinavia)? I have been using Natures Way from iHerb for a couple of months now, and I see a great difference in my hormonal acne around my jaw and neck 🙂 But since I get them from the US they can get very expensive because of the taxes and tolls.
If you know where to get in europe, please do tell! Thank you!
Hi Tracy!
I started taking Estroblock a little over a month ago, as well as milk thistle. I gtandually went from 1 estroblock a day, to 2, and now to 3. Nonetheless, this past week I have been spotting/light bleeding, even though my period is over. The spotting actually started 2 days after my period ended. I took a pregnancy test and it’s negative. I’m testing for ovulation every day and it looks like I ovulated this week while I wasn’t spotting.
Any thoughts?
I was wondering if my dose was too strong and I ended up with estrogen levels that are too low and causing the spotting???
Thank you in advance 🙂
A few typos; I meant “gradually went from”.
Also, the ovulation happened while I WAS spotting.
Sorry about that 🙂
Ive had pain in the belly and liver area on DIM… is this normal?
Great post, Tracy! Thanks for sharing this. I’ve never tried taking supplements to treat my acne before but I just wonder whether Estroblock can also help treat my acne scars. I can’t seem to find the best way to treat it, though.
Hello Tracy ! Is it normal that DIM changes my cycle : it makes my period come very late !