We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. They gave some rats silybin (the active compound in milk thistle) at both 300 and 600 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight and found that these rats had significantly lower total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the benefits of milk thistle.SaveIllustration: StyleCraze Design Team. There are also claims that milk thistle can change the way your liver metabolizes certain drugs, like blood thinners, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Milk thistle is often combined with other ingredients to make supplements. Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Fitness vs. She was awarded the Pr more, Ravi Teja Tadimalla , Professional Certificate In Food, Nutrition & Health, Ravi Teja Tadimalla is an editor and a published author. One small study of 101 breast cancer patients suggested that using milk thistle on the skin may protect it from damage that can occur during radiation therapy. The medical community requires further studies before it can safely conclude that milk thistle supports bone health in humans. Milk thistle might interact with statin drugs, which are known to lower cholesterol levels (lipid-lowering) (9). Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a flowering herb native to Europe but also found in parts of the United States, Australia, Asia, Africa, and South America. Duplication is encouraged. jaundice. Before taking milk thistle, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies; or if you have any other allergies. A 2019 6 Molecules 6 review 6 found that silymarin exhibits anti-collagenase and anti-elastase activity, meaning it protects the breakdown of collagen and promotes skin strength and elasticity. Olive Oil Vs. (2021). National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Therefore, it is not known whether milk thistle or silymarin should be used to treat cirrhosis. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? Steep milk thistle tea bags or loose-leaf milk thistle tea in hot water. All rights reserved. Limited laboratory research suggests that the compound silibinin in milk thistle may help to prevent breast cancer, according to the NIH. Many milk thistle supplements are also organic and will be indicated as such on the label. Mothers who used milk thistle to boost their milk production reported unwanted weight gain along with irritability and nausea (16). 2014;2014:941085. doi:10.1155/2014/941085. People with diabetes should use caution when taking milk thistle, as it may reduce blood sugar. Scan J Gastroenterol. Check out our. Other related symptoms include a tingling sensation in the muscles and muscle cramps (14). Silymarin is an active compound found in milk thistle seeds. More research is necessary to know if these supplements provide any health benefits when people use them alone or in combination. Phytomedicine. (2021). The milk may have fallen on the leaves, leaving white marks. He specializes Professional Certificate In Food, Nutrition & Health. increased sweating. Also known as Mary thistle or holy thistle, milk thistle grows in Mediterranean countries and people use it to make natural remedies. Common side effects of milk thistle may include: indigestion, bloating, gas, stomach pain; diarrhea; or. Natural Medicines website. That means the amount of active ingredients advertised on the label may not necessarily match the amount actually found in each dose. Medical research on milk thistle and liver health has led to mixed results. What is the daily upper limit for milk thistle? It could help the body fight off infection as well as reduce chronic inflammation produced by the immune system. Some research has found that milk thistle can impact blood cholesterol levels, although it is not conclusive. Milk thistle (PDQ) patient version. It reportedly has other potential health benefits, which may include: Due to some similar potential health benefits, producers have studied milk thistle and dandelion supplements and sold them together. Silymarin, a Promising Pharmacological Agent for Treatment of Diseases, Iranian University of Medical Sciences, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Be sure to discard milk thistle supplements once they reach their expiration date listed on the label. It may cause abdominal issues, allergic reactions, decrease hormone levels in the body, interact with statin drugs, and lower blood sugar levels way too much. Fried MW, Navarro VJ, Afdhal N, et al. Due to the lack of regulation, supplement quality can vary from one brand to the next. Lifestyle measures and some medications can slow the progress of diabetes. Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum) is a herbal product widely used in the United States and around the world. Kazazis CE, Evangelopoulos AA, Kollas A, Vallianou NG. Silybum marianum is a species of thistle.It has various common names including milk thistle, blessed milkthistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary's thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle and Scotch thistle (though not to be confused with Onopordum acanthium or Cirsium vulgare).This species is an annual or biennial plant of the family Asteraceae. 2008;47(2):605-12. doi:10.1002/hep.22044, Voroneanu, L.; Nistor, I.; Dumea, R. et al. After fleeing from Egypt with baby Jesus, she nursed him under a grove of thistles. These reactions may occur if you have an allergy to milk thistle. It seems to help lower blood sugar. Some research also states that overall, milk thistle may not pose a great risk for drug interactions in humans (13). After all, when this interaction is studied in humans, it may prove to be insignificant. Dosage is also typically listed on the nutrition label of supplements. Milk thistle may lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Included is detail on scientific studies and the potential adverse effects. Han YU, Guo D, Chen Y, et al. Biomed Res Int. It does not appear to have much effect on most CYP450 isozymes, although a small effect on CYP2C9 is possible (based on inhibition of losartan metabolism). Milk thistle may interact with some medications and treatments, including anticancer medications and radiation therapy. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Milk Thistle; Silybum marianum; St. Mary's Thistle. Milk thistle can cause allergic reactions in people, especially in individuals who are also allergic to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, and chrysanthemums (2). You can find milk thistle as loose-leaf tea or in tea bags. Merlin Annie Raj, RD (Registered Dietitian), Merlin Annie Raj is a Registered Dietitian based out of Hyderabad, India. Studies of milk thistle coadministered with various drugs in humans suggest it is unlikely to affect the most common cytochrome, the P450 (CYP450) isozyme. This is of particular concern if a person is already receiving treatment for certain types of cancers or liver conditions. Check with your physician if you have any of the. 2007;2007(4):CD003620. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. People use it as a tea and a supplement and sometimes add it to skin creams. The Natural agonist of estrogen receptor silibinin plays an immunosuppressive role representing a potential therapeutic tool in rheumatoid arthritis. More studies with human participants could allow scientists to say with certainty that milk thistle supports a persons immune system. Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or healthcare provider. Milk thistle seeds contain silymarin. Oral ingestion of milk thistle has also been linked to abdominal fullness (or abdominal pain), anorexia (a loss of appetite), and changes in bowel habits (1). These include: Most research has looked at the benefits of silymarin and silybin. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Learn, Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Hence, limit its usage if you experience any adverse reactions. Certain people should take precautions when using milk thistle, and others may need to avoid it altogether. Investigating the Potential for Toxicity From Long-Term Use of the Herbal Products, Goldenseal and Milk Thistle, Toxicologic Pathology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Hence, stay safe and avoid use. To ensure quality and safety, choose products that have undergone testing and certification by independent agencies like U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), ConsumerLab, and NSF International. In one case, milk thistle had caused excessive sweating and weakness (14). Several studies have suggested that milk thistle may be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. Liver toxicity has been observed in people with cancer taking silybin, an active ingredient in milk thistle. Little is known about whether its safe to use milk thistle during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. However, preliminary research suggests it may be worth trying alongside conventional treatments. All rights reserved. We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. World J Gastroenterol. A 2015 study in worms found that milk thistle increased resistance to oxidative stress. It also seems to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It can be extracted from milk thistle and is said to offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Does milk thistle cause any side effects? This article will explore the potential uses of milk thistle. However, many of these potential benefits are not backed by science. Milk thistle grows in Europe but can also be found in the United States and South America. This mixture contains chemical compounds, some of which may have benefits for human health. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a herbal product widely used in the United States and around the world. ODS seeks to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, supporting research, sharing research results, and educating the public. Milk thistle is sold as an oral capsule, tablet and liquid extract. 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