More on DIM than you ever wanted to know.....

[Guest guest]

Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Zeligs, patent holder on DIM.

http://www.alpineresearch.com/%20Zelligs.htm

He is an anesthesiologist who is board certified in both

anesthesiology and pediatrics, trained at UCI in California and

licensed there until 1995. Then, he moved to Boulder, CO. Most of

the websites online pitching DIM are a direct result of his product

marketing, articles published by him, and/or can be trailed backwards

to Dr. Zeligs.

It's interesting to me that Dr. Zeligs was purportedly a clinical

investigator for DHEA, a supplement which was shown to potentially

promote prostate cancer…and now he's pitching DIM…a supplement shown

to potentially treat prostate cancer…it's also worthy to note that

little has been published about either of these supplements in regard

to whatever clinical investigations he, specifically, actually

purportedly participated in and/or completed…7,858 DHEA papers pulled

up on PubMed and not a one of them lists Zeligs as an

author/co-author...61 papers on DIM and not a one of them lists Zeligs

as an author/co-author.

Although written in 1996, this editorial on DHEA is still

representative of the controversy over this supplement:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/dhea.html

Recent research published in 12/2003 shows DHEA results in a positive

light for potential use as a supplement for menopausal women…and in a

negative light as a potential promoter of heart disease. So, the

controversy continues…the mantra is the same as ever: we need more

research! (Particularly, long-term research!)

Meanwhile, a similar controversy over another supplement associated

with Dr. Zeligs is only beginning to truly ask similar questions. Yes,

I'm writing about DIM.

And this pitch line is one I keep running into on the nutrition sites

selling BOTH DHEA and DIM:

" A. Zeligs, MD, California physician and researcher makes the

argument that DIM supplementation might improve how the body uses DHEA

supplements simply through healthier estrogen metabolism. "

Oddly enough, I had an almost impossible time finding any additional

docs making these kinds of claims or any research at all to support

this. And, Dr. Zeligs hasn't been a " California physician " since

1995. Odd that he is still promoted as such when he's been in

Colorado since then.

As for research…Dr. Zeligs only pops up on PubMed with ONE paper he's

written or contributed to:

Perioperative hypoglycemia in a child treated with propranolol.

Zeligs MA, Lockhart CH.

Anesth Analg. 1983 Nov;62(11):1035-7.

I'm a bit confused here. Where's Dr. Zeligs' published research from

his clinical investigations of DHEA or DIM? I've looked for it until

I'm blue in the face and simply can't locate it anywhere online. Of

course, it could just be " one of those days " where I miss the boat

completely on some little detail in researching techniques…anyone out

there care to also take a look and see what you might find?

Zeligs does have a published book, " All about DIM " that was co-written

with Dr. Connelly. Written in 2000, this book is already out of

print. However, Dr. Connelly went on to write " Body RX: Dr.

Connelly's 6-Pack Prescription " and it has sold quite well. However,

Fitness magazine called it " junk science " ...and where women are

concerned…well, I'd be very concerned. Oh, and amidst the protein

powders and other supplements recommended...lies DIM. Hmmmmmm...did I

mention that Dr. Connelly is/was an anesthesiologist, too?

BTW, most of the research I found on PubMed for DIM was in

relationship to CANCER CELLS. Um, uterine fibroids are not cancer,

don't contain cancer cells, don't behave like cancer cells...

Smooth muscle. Single cell out of control. Doesn't multiply and send

out more cancer cells. Simply put, a fibroid is NOT the same as a cancer.

As for the Patent on DIM...something I read over and over again that

Dr. Zeligs owns...

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2F=

netahtml%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=zeligs&FIELD1=INZZ&co1=AND&TE=

RM2=&FIELD2=&d=ptxt

His claims regarding the patent of DIM don't seem to include anything

related to menstrual regulations or reproductive disease...other than

as a potential for helping endometriosis with his most recent patent

granted 2/10/2004. Prior to that, he patented DIM for weight loss.

Prior to that, he patented yohimbine and ibogaine for weight loss.

Prior to that...

Please remember when reading the patent info: A patent does NOT

indicate medical approval of a drug or even that it's been researched

to show any efficacy whatsoever for the proposed use of the drug.

Rather, only that he invented the item and the government is granting

him recognition and ownership of the item.

A few FDA documents regarding DIM, from the time period when Zeligs

attempted to get it approved as a " dietary " ingredient:

Table leading to documents identified below (search on " DIM " to

quickly find it in the table):

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-ingrd.html

STATUS: " Inadequate basis for reasonable expectation of safety "

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/95s0316/rpt0018%20_01.pdf

" In summary, the information in your submission does not constitute `a

history of use or other evidence of safety establishing that the new

dietary ingredient, when used under the conditions recommended or

suggested in the labeling of the dietary supplement will reasonably be

expected to be safe' under 21 U.S.C. 350b... "

Zeligs subsequently withdrew his application from the FDA.

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/95s0316/sup0002.pdf

From what I understand, the FDA rigorously reviews weight loss

ingredients and claims of efficacy and safety due to our vulnerability

(as an overweight nation!) for " get thin quick " schemes.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to rigorously pursue the multitude of

creams, lotions, and pills which are pitched to women for all sorts of

menstrual disorders. It's an open marketplace without a helluva lot

of oversight. Or, so it would seem.

So, from dietary supplement to hormone/tumor regulator...easy switch

to make with an equally large market to target...

As for those fish studies...with results mirrored by a Fischer 344 rat

study...but opposite results found with a mice study... (all studies

done at Oregon State University) well, give me a female Eker rat study

and THEN I'll sit up and take notice as to the results. For now,

speculation on any of the current studies' results and relationships

to women with fibroids is merely that: speculation. Very poor

speculation of limited research and some very real safety concerns

still looming large, as the results may or may not pertain to women.

Given all of the above, you might be asking yourself precisely how it

is that an anesthesiologist came to patenting a product like DIM and

pitching it to women for " improving estrogen metabolism. " I can come

up with a couple of timelines and scenarios...but only an interview

with Zeligs would give me the real answer. Maybe. We'll see.

Oh, and in case you might be thinking right about now that I'm the

ONLY researcher with questions and criticism regarding safety of

DIM..think again...and definitely check out what the Life Extension

Foundation had to say about Zeligs and DIM back in 2002:

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2002/jan2002_report_i3c_01.html

Please, be careful out there. We're a vulnerable lot of women with a

disease that has no real preventive answers and no decent research in

place to give us hope or direct and distinct guidance. Vulnerable,

desperate, willing to try anything. And the sharks know it. It's not

easy making a decision on what or how to take care of our fibroids

and/or our symptoms when so little is offered to us beyond the

hysterectomy. Believe me, I know. Hang in there, keep your eyes open

and mind thinking objectively and do your best to be as careful as

possible.

My best to you,

Carla Dionne

p.s. Additional input always welcome. Let us know what YOU find out,

if you choose to follow these bread crumbs to seek out even more

information...or find a new trail...