Safety and side effects Taken in appropriate doses, oral use of milk thistle appears to be safe. Milk thistle can cause: Gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting and abdominal bloating.
On the plus side, taking milk thistle extract is rarely noted to have significant side effects. The exception to this is if you are a person who is allergic to ragweed. Aside from a possible allergic reaction, diarrhea, bloating, and gassiness are the most common side effects from taking silymarin.
Milk thistle is generally considered safe for most people at dosages up to 420 mg 3 times a day. However, it may cause allergic reactions, such as itching, headaches, and joint pain, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea or diarrhea.
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.
Early research shows that taking milk thistle extract by mouth for up to one year, or taking a product containing the milk thistle constituent silybin plus phosphatidylcholine by mouth for 1 week, improves liver function tests. But other research shows no benefit.
Milk Thistle also supports effective gastrointestinal movement, helping your body move food along at an appropriate pace which keeps the gut flora in check and bloating at bay. Silymarin is extensively metabolised in the intestines by gut bacteria and may promote gastrointestinal health.
Medical research on milk thistle and liver health has led to mixed results. Studies show that silymarin may help ease inflammation and promote cell repair. This may help ease symptoms from liver diseases like jaundice, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and fatty liver disease.
Liver healing and regeneration
Milk thistle helps stop oxidative stress and free radical damage in the liver. Research shows milk thistle restores damaged cells. Silymarin also protects the liver against damage from alcohol and some prescription drugs.
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.
Milk thistle is considered safe in dosages of 420 mg/day orally in divided doses for up to 41 months.
If you're taking milk thistle for the liver, the recommended daily intake of milk thistle is 150 milligrams, taken one to three times daily. This is a somewhat high dose that can act as a natural liver detox. For ongoing use and liver support, take 50 to 150 milligrams daily.
Bitter herbs such as artichoke, milk thistle, dandelion, and boldo leaf are all digestion and liver stimulating herbs plants. Most importantly, when it comes to constipation, they stimulate bile production and help to get bowel movements back on track.
Silybin , a component of milk thistle, has been shown to reverse liver damage and regenerate liver cells.
Milk thistle
The active ingredient in this remedy is called silymarin which is said to support liver health and have a positive effect on the symptoms of Diabetes II. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that it can reduce the effects of IBS.
Milk thistle supports not only the liver, but also the gallbladder, bile ducts, and bile flow, which in turn supports detoxification, digestion, and elimination.
Sleep quality also improves. The effect of taking milk thistle by itself is not known. Multiple sclerosis. Early research suggests that taking a combination supplement containing silymarin, a chemical found in milk thistle, can improve mental function and promote disease stabilization in people with multiple sclerosis.
Milk thistle can be taken on an empty stomach. Some believe this makes it work faster; however, very sensitive individuals should consider taking milk thistle with a meal instead. Milk thistle can be taken in herbal capsules or liquid extracts.
Liver detox includes signs such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, anxiety, tremors, increased heart rate, and more.
The available forms of Milk thistle are capsules, tablet, tincture and intravenous solution. Adult dosage in terms of hepatoprotection is 420 mg/day of extract (standardized to 70-80% silymarin) three times a day for 6-8 weeks. Maintenance dose is 280 mg/day.
Do not consume alcohol while you are taking silymarin, the active compound in milk thistle. While there is no specific interaction between this nutritional supplement and alcohol, the primary reason people take silymarin is to protect the liver and help it repair itself.
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.