How Much Milk Thistle Should I Take Per Day?

How much Milk Thistle should you take for the best results? It depends on what condition is being treated.

This supplement is available as a tincture, powder and as capsules. It can also be made into a tea, either by adding hot water to the tincture or with tea bags or powder. It is also blended with other herbs to make supplements or an herbal coffee substitute.

Dosages and how to take Milk Thistle extract will depend on which form is being use and how much active ingredient is present.

The active ingredient silymarin is taken from the hard fruit of the Milk Thistle plant, also known as Silybum marianum. Supplements will usually contain 80% silymarin extract, though some higher quality products may provide as much as 95% extract.

Milk Thistle is commonly taken as a liver detox supplement with L-Cysteine, as well as for allergic rhinitis. Research has shown when taken with antihistamines, it reduces the severity of the symptoms.

It is also used for Heartburn and IBS symptoms as well as menopausal symptoms. Studies show that taking Milk Thistle lowers the blood sugar and LDL cholesterol in Diabetics, and it is also used as a weight loss supplement.

It is also an active ingredient in Leviaderm®, a cream used to reduce skin damage for breast cancer patients under going radiotherapy.

Milk Thistle

Herbal Supplement

Liver Health

Detox

Longevity

How It Works:

• Supports liver health & detox
• Anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory properties
• Improves insulin sensitivity & cholesterol

Dosage:

Between 140 - 800 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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How to Take Milk Thistle Extract?

The amount of milk thistle that you use will depend on a number of different factors.

Certain conditions may require higher dosages than others, while certain individual may be more sensitive to the product and may require smaller doses.

It is best to speak to your doctor for personalized advise on how much to take. Always start at the lowest end of the dosage spectrum before increasing to a higher amount.

For liver detox and as an antioxidant, 140 mg of silymarin may be taken three times daily for three weeks. If you are purchasing a milk thistle supplement that contains 70% silymarin, this would amount to a dosage of 200 mg per administration. If your supplement contains 95% silymarin, this would amount to 150 mg per administration.

Due to the differences in potency of different extracts, it is important to follow any recommendations or guidelines provided by the manufacturer on the label.

For seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis), an extract of milk thistle with an effective silymarin dosage of 140 mg is taken three times daily for a month. This supplement also helps to clear up skin conditions such as acne and rashes.

It is also a demulcent used to also soften and moisten the skin. Reductions in inflammation, dryness and redness have been reported when taking this supplement. Dosing instructions for these conditions will be similar to the above.

Additional Uses of Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle is also used in some instances to treat symptoms of diabetes. However, when taking this supplement, blood sugar is reduced on an average by 25%, so its use needs to be closely monitored.

It has been shown to decrease total cholesterol LDL bad cholesterol and triglycerides. The dosage for diabetes (type 2), is 200-230 mg of silymarin taken one to three times daily for four weeks to 12 months, together with regular therapy.

For diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), 140 milligrams of silymarin is taken three times daily for three months. For high cholesterol, 200-600 mg of silymarin is taken once or three times daily for four months with the standard therapy.

For menopausal symptoms, a milk thistle complex Phyto-Female is taken twice daily for 3 months to reduce menopausal symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats. It combines milk thistle with black cohosh, dong quai, red clover, American ginseng, and chasteberry.

For weight loss, up to six cups of milk thistle tea a day can be taken while following a sensible diet and exercise plan. Studies have shown that a component of silymarin silibinin regulates the size of fat cells. The smaller the fat cells, the more easily they are burned up.

Using Milk Thistle Complex Supplements

For upset stomach (dyspepsia) and to reduce acid reflux, cramping, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting, a milk thistle complex formula called Iberogast manufactured by Medical Futures, Inc is taken as a tincture, 1ml three times daily for 4 weeks.

It combines milk thistle plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, clown’s mustard plant, celandine, angelica, and lemon balm.

For IBS the recommend dosage of milk thistle is 100mg to 200mg taken twice daily in capsule form or as a tea to help ease pain in the stomach.

The A. Vogel brand of supplements does a Milk Thistle Complex Formula. It combines Silybum marianum extract with fresh artichoke leaves (Cynara scolymus), fresh dandelion root and herb (Taraxacum officinalis), dried Boldo leaf (Peumus boldus) and fresh Peppermint leaves (Mentha piperita).

If taking the tincture, the dosage is 15 to 20 drops twice daily in a little water. If taking the tablets, take one tablet twice daily.

How to Avoid Milk Thistle Side Effects

This supplement is a mild laxative, so if you take too much it can lead to diarrhea. Other side effects of too much milk thistle extract include bloating, indigestion, internal gas, loss of appetite and nausea. Use with caution if pregnant or breast feeding.

If allergic to members of the Asteraceae/Compositae plant family which includes avocadoes, ragweed, marigolds, daisies and sunflowers do not take this supplement. Diabetics may need to adjust diabetic medication for lower blood sugar if taking this supplement.

Milk Thistle pills are safe for most health adults, but should not be taken if you have breast, ovarian or uterine cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids. It should also not be taken with medications that change in the liver which include amitriptyline, phenytoin (Dilantin), piroxicam (Feldene), and tamoxifen (Nolvadex). Glucuronidated drugs, Statins and acetaminophen and diazepam (Valium) should also be avoided.

How much milk thistle you need to take is dependent on what it is being used for. This supplement has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to protect the liver and to boost the immune system.

It is currently being studied as a supplement in the treatment of cancer to slow cancer cell growth. It also has the ability to inhibit the formation of blood vessels (known as angiogenesis) that feed malignant tumors. It is also being studied for its ability to prevent scarring of the liver during cancer treatment.

Before taking milk thistle extract, speak to your doctor to learn whether it is appropriate for you to use.

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