Both Indole-3 Carbinol and Soy Genistein improve the activity of BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumor suppressing genes

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that control the growth of cells and suppress tumor growth. If there is damage to these genes then the risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer increase significantly. The BRCA2 gene if damaged is also related to pancreatic cancer and possibly colon cancer. Indole-3 Carbinol or I3C is naturally occurring in cruciferous vegetables and Genistein is naturally occurring in soy. Both have potential cancer prevention activity for hormone=responsive tumors such as breast and prostate cancers. Previously these researchers have shown that I3C improves the growth inhibition by BRCA1and both I3C and BRCA1 inhibit estrogen stimulation at the ER-alpha estrogen receptor site in human breast cancer cells. It turns out that both I3C and Genistein improve the concentration by both breast cancer suppressing genes: BRCA1 and BRCA2. The I3C and Genistein achieve this in both breast cancer and prostate cancer cell types. The higher the concentration of either and the longer the exposure the better the effect. Both nutrients improved the expression of the tumor suppressing genes even at low dosages and when given together their activity was much more potent. The research was performed at the Department of Oncology, Georgetown University and is published in the February 13th, 2006 issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

Dr David Thomas of the UK compared mineral levels in different foods according to government tables published in 1940 and again in 2002, and the results indicate grave consequences for those depending on food to obtain their minerals. Here are some of the results for some major minerals. Calcium content dropped 46% in vegetables, 16% in fruit and 41% in meat. Magnesium dropped 24%, 16% and 10% in the same foods. Iron dropped 27% in vegetables, 24% in fruit and 54% in the major food group source of iron; meats. Potassium dropped significantly in its two major food categories. It dropped 16% in vegetables and 19% in fruit with a 16% drop in meats. Similar results were also found for the other minerals tested for; copper, phosphorus and sodium.