There is also concern that milk thistle might affect estrogen levels. If you have breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids, consider avoiding milk thistle.
Another reason people take milk thistle is to improve hormone metabolization by the liver. It's one of the liver's jobs to process and eliminate excess sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone), hormones made by the adrenal glands, and thyroid hormones.
It's not really a myth, no. Milk thistle has been shown to have estrogenic-mimicking effects, about on par with common soy isoflavones, making them a theoretically poor choice for people with breast cancer.
Taking milk thistle along with estrogens might decrease the effectiveness of estrogen pills. Milk thistle contains a chemical called silymarin. Silymarin might be the part of milk thistle that helps the body break down estrogens.
Milk thistle should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women. People with a history of hormone-related cancers, including breast, uterine, and prostate cancer, should not take milk thistle. DO NOT take milk thistle if you are allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, chamomile, yarrow, or daisies.
Preliminary studies have shown that it does have beneficial effects on the kidneys, nerves and retinas. Silymarin may even have anti-cancer properties, but this needs to be studied further in humans. As for the side effects of silymarin, they include abdominal discomfort, headache, muscle aches and fatigue.
Milk thistle seems to have few side effects, even when taken for several years. Some people have nausea, diarrhea, itching, and bloating. Interactions. If you take any medicines regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using milk thistle.
There is evidence to suggest that certain supplements can help to correct hormone imbalance and reduce high estrogen counts. These include iodine, magnesium, and vitamin D. It may also help to take broccoli extract, or diindolylmethane (DIM).
Milk thistle and silymarin are generally well tolerated in adults with only mild side effects such as diarrhea, headache, and skin reactions. Mothers taking milk thistle to increase milk supply reported weight gain, nausea, dry mouth and irritability occasionally.
How long to take it for a liver cleanse. The evidence for milk thistle's liver cleansing properties comes mainly from traditional medicine. If you would like to try a liver cleanse with milk thistle, we recommend taking it every day for at least two weeks.
Animal studies suggest that milk thistle may help lower cortisol levels in the blood (16). Cortisol helps regulate stress, metabolism, and other vital functions (17).
DIM (Diindolylmethane/3,3′-Diindolylmethane) is among the most effective estrogen blockers found in nature. It occurs naturally in cruciferous plants such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale.
Are There Side Effects? Generally, it's safe to take milk thistle in recommended doses. Some people have reported nausea, gas, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. Other people have reported a headache or itchiness after they take it.
Milk thistle supports not only the liver, but also the gallbladder, bile ducts, and bile flow, which in turn supports detoxification, digestion, and elimination.
Liver Detoxification and Health
As a liver support and liver aid, milk thistle acts as a powerful liver cleanser by rebuilding liver cells, reducing liver damage and removing toxins from the body that are processed through the liver.
Very few people experience serious side effects of taking milk thistle. Diarrhea, bloating, and other mild gastrointestinal distress are likely to be your most severe side effects. This does not apply if you have a known allergic reaction to other plants that are related to the milk thistle plant.
For Milk thistle, using it on an empty stomach (at least 15 minutes before food) makes it work faster than after meals. If the person has a very sensitive liver and tend to over-react it is a very good idea to take it after meals to buffer reactions.