Milk Thistle Seed Extract Uses, Effects and How to Take

Milk Thistle extract is made from the hard fruit called achenes, of the Silybum marianum plant. An achene is one seed surrounded by a wall, like a sunflower seed.

Most Milk Thistle extract products available are standardized to 70% to 80% of the active ingredient silymarin. The supplement is named after the milky sap that comes out of the leaves of the plant when they are broken.

This plant is used as a food source. The leaves are trimmed of prickles and boiled and used as a spinach substitute or they can also be added raw with the flowers to salads. The roots are eaten raw or boiled and buttered or par-boiled and roasted.

The spiny bracts on the flower head are boiled up and eaten like globe artichoke. The stems can be soaked overnight to remove bitterness and then stewed. The hard fruit is roasted for use as a coffee alternative.

This part was used as a spring tonic due to scarcity of green vegetables after winter. Many women also consumed milk thistle to increase milk secretion. Milk Thistle has been used for thousand of years to treat liver and gallbladder problems. It was also used medicinally for melancholia and depressions from liver disorders.

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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What is Milk Thistle Seed Extract Used for?

As a supplement it is usually sold in a 200 mg capsule. On average 200 mg milk thistle condensed extract contains about 140 mg silymarin.

Make sure the extract is made from the hard fruit of the plant. Some herbal medicine manufacturers are making products containing milk thistle leaves.

The scientific research has shown the beneficial active ingredient silymarin is found in the fruit which contains the seed.

Milk thistle is used to repair and prevent liver damage caused by chemicals and environmental toxins. It has applications for jaundice, chronic inflammatory liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and chronic hepatitis.

It is also used for loss of appetite, heartburn (dyspepsia), and gallbladder complaints. Some people use this supplement for allergies, depression, diabetes, diseases of the spleen, hangover, increasing breast milk flow, malaria, prostate cancer, malaria, menstrual flow, and for uterine complaints.

Milk Thistle Supplement Benefits

The Vogel Milk Thistle Complex combines Dandelion, Artichoke, Peppermint and Boldo. It is cited as a liver tonic and detoxification remedy for hangover and fat metabolism. The adult dose is 15 to 20 drops twice a daily, in a water.

Indications of liver problems include bad periods, problem skin, metallic taste in mouth, weight gain around abdomen, lethargy, difficulties with temperature regulation and anaemia. For best results for the liver cleanse it is suggested to avoid alcohol, coffee, dairy products, refined sugar and fatty, fried foods.

Some studies have shown when Milk Thistle Extract is used in combination with an antihistamine; the symptoms of allergic rhinitis are reduced compared to those who just used the antihistamine on its own.

It has also been combined with other herbs to reduce the severity of acid reflux, stomach pain, cramping, nausea and vomiting.

Milk Thistle Tea is used in a menopausal combination to treat the menopausal symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats. It is also an ingredient in the cream Leviaderm® used to prevent skin damage lesions from radiation treatment in women with breast cancer.

Other research has shown when taking silymarin, along with regular diabetes treatment it has decreased blood sugar, total cholesterol and the LDL bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Milk thistle extract also seems to help treat kidney disease in people with diabetes.

Preliminary research suggests it might help increase levels of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen, for people having hemodialysis.

Milk Thistle Extract Safety

Milk Thistle extract has many beneficial applications. However it is important to know the contraindications and side effects so Milk Thistle Extract is used safely.

Do not take this supplement with medications that are metabolized in the liver, as they may interact by decreasing how long it is processed in the liver or milk thistle supplements may increase the side effects of these medications. These medications include:

• Amitriptyline (Elavil)
• Diazepam (Valium)
• Zileuton (Zyflo)
• Celecoxib (Celebrex)
• Diclofenac (Voltaren)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)
• Glipizide (Glucotrol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Irbesartan (Avapro)
• Losartan (Cozaar)

It should also not be taken with phenytoin (Dilantin), piroxicam (Feldene), tamoxifen (Nolvadex), tolbutamide (Tolinase), torsemide (Demadex), warfarin (Coumadin), and Glucuronidated Drugs. It should also not be taken with Statins.

Estrogen is also known to interact with this supplement. It should be used with caution if pregnant or breastfeeding. Women with breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids should also avoid this supplement.

Milk thistle pills should not be taken if allergic to the Asteraceae Compositae plant family, which includes avocadoes, daisies and ragweed as it may cause anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction.

This supplement shouldn’t be taken with herbs and supplements that may lower blood sugar levels. These include alpha-lipoic acid, bitter melon, chromium, devil’s claw, fenugreek, garlic, guar gum, horse chestnut, Panax ginseng, psyllium, and Siberian ginseng.

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