Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) is a plant containing the flavonolignan Silymarin in its fruits or thistles (1).
Milk Thistle Benefits
- Supports liver function (ref)*
Milk Thistle Mode of Action
Milk Thistle contains 1.5-3% Silymarin before extraction in its dry weight. It is extracted from the seeds for supplement use via ethanol and contains 65-80% of Silymarin, which is a specific polyphenol called a flavonolignan (1).
Milk Thistle’s liver benefits are believed to be due to its ability to increase protein synthesis in liver cells and facilitate repair of liver cells after injury, while supporting liver function through promoting proper enzyme function (1)(3).
Milk Thistle Capsules & Dosage
Pure Nootropics’ Milk Thistle Capsules provide 250 mg of Milk Thistle Seed Extract (standardized to 80% Silymarin which is equal to 200 mg Silymarin) per 1 capsule. Suggested use for adults is 1 to 2 capsules by mouth daily for best results, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
Milk Thistle Side Effects
CAUTION: If you are allergic to plant members of the aster family (also known as Asteraceae/Compositae family), do not use Milk Thistle (6).
If you are taking any medications, please consult with your healthcare practitioner before beginning supplementation with Milk Thistle.
For further information, please see our References Tab above.
The references below are not meant to imply that any of our products treat, cure, or diagnose any disease or human condition. References to clinical studies and pre-clinical studies may use varying dosages and may not represent the dosages or subsequent results of products we sell; however, the references provided are pertinent to the subject supplement itself. References provided are intended for research and informational purposes only and do not represent the entire body of knowledge available on the subject(s) referenced; nor do they represent all possible outcomes associated with the subject(s) referenced including, but not limited to, adverse effects, precautions, or chemical interactions within the human body. The Content provided on this website is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. Never ignore the advice of a medical professional or delay in attaining professional advice because of information or impressions you gather on this website. Choosing to rely on any information provided by the Content of this website is solely at your own risk. We encourage our audience to do their own research beyond the resources we have provided so your decision is as educated as possible.
• Supports liver function*
Feher J, Deak G, Muzes G, Lang I, Niederland V, Nekam K, et al. Liver-protective action of silymarin therapy…[Hungarian]. Orv Hetil. 1989;130:2723–7.
1. “Milk Thistle.” Examine.com, Published Jul 17, 2013. Last updated Jun 14, 2018. https://examine.com/supplements/milk-thistle/.
2. Feher J, Deak G, Muzes G, Lang I, Niederland V, Nekam K, et al. Liver-protective action of silymarin therapy in chronic alcoholic liver diseases [Hungarian]. Orv Hetil. 1989;130:2723–7.
3. Vargas-Mendoza, Nancy et al. “Hepatoprotective effect of silymarin.” World journal of hepatology vol. 6,3 (2014): 144-9. doi:10.4254/wjh.v6.i3.144.
4. Kittur, S, et al. “Neurotrophic and Neuroprotective Effects of Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) on Neurons in Culture.” J Mol Neurosci., vol. 18, no. 3, June 2002, pp. 265–9., www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12059045.
5. Mengs, U, et al. “Legalon® SIL: the Antidote of Choice in Patients with Acute Hepatotoxicity from Amatoxin Poisoning.” Curr Pharm Biotechnol., vol. 13, no. 10, Aug. 2012, pp. 1964–70., www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22352731.
6. Rainone, Francine. “Milk Thistle.” American Family Physician, vol. 72, no. 7, Oct. 2005, www.aafp.org/afp/2005/1001/p1285.html.
7. “Milk Thistle.” Foods, Herbs & Supplements. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=138#adverseEvents.