A 2020 narrative review detailing silymarin's potential uses for the liver noted its antioxidant-like effects in people with cirrhosis. Occasionally, people report various digestive side effects. One of milk thistle's traditional uses is easing indigestion. 3. Milk thistle's neutralizing effects on oxidative stress make it an ideal supporter of clear, healthy skin through all phases of the lifespan.*. She has 14 years of experience in Clinical Nutrition as well as teaching Nutrition and Dietetics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The following two tabs change content below. Learn, Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. What Happens If I Take Too Much Milk Thistle? Milk thistle can cause allergic reactions in people, especially in individuals who are also allergic to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, and chrysanthemums (2). 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. Another 2020 review of research on milk thistle concluded the compound silymarin appears to be a promising substance for the treatment of insulin resistance, including in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Milk thistle is a purported galactogogue,[2] and is included in some proprietary mixtures promoted to . This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. He specializes Professional Certificate In Food, Nutrition & Health. Who should not take Milk Thistle Capsule? Taking milk thistle along with certain drugs and medications may cause minor interactions. Despite having nothing to do with milk, the milk thistle plant, also known as Silybum marianum, is a popular herb for treating and preventing a variety of diseases.. Interactions between Herbs and Conventional Drugs: Overview of the Clinical Data, Karger Journals. Little is known about whether its safe to use milk thistle during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Ebrahimpour, K.; Gargari, B.; Mobasseri, M. et al. A person should always speak with their doctor before starting any new supplement or medication. Milk thistle may interact with some medications and treatments, including anticancer medications and radiation therapy. Continue reading. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. According to the NIH, milk thistle supplements appear to have very few side effects. 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. Telecommunications relay service (TRS): 7-1-1, Email: info@nccih.nih.gov (link sends email). If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. However, the review's authors warned that the quality of the studies was poor and that more research is needed before milk thistle should be recommended for use. Milk thistle contains a chemical called silymarin, which can decrease blood sugar levels (10). Milk thistle (PDQ) health professional version. An important part of taking supplements is proper storage. A.D.A.M. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. The effects of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) on human cytochrome P450 activity. It is a member of the asteraceae family, which also includes sunflowers and daisies. Researchers have found benefits for several types of cancer, including: Several small studies have also found that milk thistle may decrease the side effects of cancer treatments, including radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy. 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. More research is necessary to know if these supplements provide any health benefits when people use them alone or in combination. nausea, loss of appetite. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. It's typically recommended to avoid taking multiple supplements for the same cause at the same time. If you have any questions about storage, ask your pharmacist. It is not yet clear whether milk thistle is equally beneficial for bone loss with a different cause. There are also claims that milk thistle can change the way your liver metabolizes certain drugs, like blood thinners, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications. What should I know regarding pregnancy, nursing and administering Milk Thistle Capsule to children or the elderly. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Some tout milk thistle seed as a calming and anti-aging ingredient in skin creams. Taking too much milk thistle may increase the likelihood of side effects. Suzanne Fisher, RD, founder of Fisher Nutrition Systems, has been a board-certified registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist for over 30 years. Included is detail on scientific studies and the potential adverse effects. Other studies looking at milk thistle for cirrhosis have found conflicting results. Learn more about the other negative effects of this herb and what research says about them. Over-indulging in this powerful herb may do you more harm than you know. Yes, you can take milk thistle long term. But it may be a helpful complementary treatment to try if a healthcare professional approves it. Researchers must carry out further studies on humans to identify what benefits a person can expect from applying milk thistle to their skin. nausea, loss of appetite. What Are the Side Effects of Milk Thistle? The survey revealed anecdotal evidence of the improved quality of life among those who took milk thistle, despite having no measurable improvements in hepatitis symptoms like liver inflammation. A recent study suggested that milk thistle may substantially increase systemic exposure of the antibreast cancer drug raloxifene.1. Rambaldi A, Jacobs BP, Gluud C. Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases. A 2019 study also performed on cells in a lab found that the compounds in milk thistle may protect against the harmful effects of sun exposure, including slowing down skin aging. A double-blind controlled study. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist. gallbladder disorders. Some people claim it can help to treat: cirrhosis. It can be extracted from milk thistle and is said to offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. It could also have similar effects on the body to estrogen. Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial. Milk Thistle; Silybum marianum; St. Mary's Thistle. Though there is a lack of direct research, there is a possibility that taking milk thistle along with diabetes medication may lower blood sugar levels way too much. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider(s). A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. 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. Calm an upset stomach. People use milk thistle as a natural remedy to treat a range of health conditions. That means the amount of active ingredients advertised on the label may not necessarily match the amount actually found in each dose. Effect of silymarin (milk thistle) on liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C unsuccessfully treated with interferon therapy: a randomized controlled trial. Oxidative stress is a potential cause of Alzheimers disease. Milk thistle may help to promote healthy skin. A 2015 study found that it helped to improve inflammatory skin conditions when applied to the skin of mice. People commonly take milk thistle by mouth for diabetes. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Toxicity is also possible if too much milk thistle is taken. Milk thistle could play an essential role in supporting bone health. Others may find them inefficient, while some people swear by them. 2018;9:1903. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.01903. Does milk thistle interact with my other drugs? Certain people should take precautions when using milk thistle, and others may need to avoid it altogether. It may take one or two weeks for milk thistle to start working. Check with your pharmacist for more details about the brand you use.The FDA has not reviewed this product for safety or effectiveness. Certain individuals might experience weakness with milk thistle. Milk Thistle. Read our. If drinking milk thistle tea, it is best to limit intake to 6 cups a day. You can buy milk thistle online in the supplement form. 2015;22(2):290-296. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2014.12.010. Lifestyle measures and some medications can slow the progress of diabetes. A small number of studies have suggested that milk thistle extract might be beneficial for diabetes, but the conclusions about its effectiveness are not definite. Silymarin as supportive treatment in liver diseases: a narrative review. 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). This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Email this report to a friend, doctor, or patient. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003620.pub3. Milk thistle is an herbal remedy derived from the milk thistle plant, also known as Silybum marianum. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease where the immune system overreacts to environmental triggers, leading to inflammation in the airways. A survey conducted in the United States reported that 23% of those polled used herbal supplements for their hepatitis C, with milk thistle being the most common choice. Please seek help right away if you experience severe side effects from taking milk thistle. Take this product by mouth as directed. The terms milk thistle and silymarin are often used interchangeably. Can you drink alcohol while taking milk thistle? Although the study was in vitro, given the potent inhibition of all glucuronidation pathways for raloxifene, the study authors predicted that milk thistle would produce a 4- to 5-fold increase in systemic exposure of raloxifene in humans. A 2013 study found that milk thistle helped to prevent bone loss. Milk thistle side effects (more detail) Milk thistle is a natural herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). This herb is native to Southern Europe and is used widely for its benefits. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit. The therapeutic potential of milk thistle in diabetes, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Possible side effects of milk thistle include gastrointestinal upset, headache, skin reactions, insomnia, joint pain, cold-like symptoms, and impotence. Milk thistle. Steep milk thistle tea bags or loose-leaf milk thistle tea in hot water. Although rare, milk thistle may trigger a number of common and mild side effects. Milk thistle may not be safe for everyone. In one such study, a 45-day course of silymarin, the active component of milk thistle, increased antioxidant capacity and reduced generalized inflammation in adults with type 2 diabetes compared with a placebo. Silymarin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The most common use of milk thistle is for liver problems. It can be consumed in supplement form or as a tea. *. In this way, milk thistle may help improve cognition and treat degenerative conditions that affect the mind. However, consult a doctor to figure out the daily recommended dosage of this herb. There are no guidelines regarding a standard dose of milk thistle. Front Immunol. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. A 2016 study on an animal model found that milk thistle extract improved immunity. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding. Before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Allergic reactions, abdominal problems, and estrogen and drug interactions are some of the common side effects seen in people who take this herb for extended durations. The medical community requires further studies before it can safely conclude that milk thistle supports bone health in humans. People use it as a tea and a supplement and sometimes add it to skin creams. Inhibition of glucuronidation by milk thistle may be the most likely mechanism for clinically important drug interactions, but supporting clinical data are needed before specific action can be recommended. Herbal remedies are usually the talk of the town. Am J Gastroenterol. Check with your physician if you have any of the. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This may help ease symptoms from liver . ), SAGE Journals. The milk may have fallen on the leaves, leaving white marks. Does Milk Thistle Capsule interact with other drugs you are taking? This article explores potential milk thistle benefits and examines whether there is any scientific evidence to support its use. Though there are some serious side effects associated with milk thistle, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this herb provide several benefits for your health. Clinical practice shows that milk thistle has a good anti-liver injury effect and can be used to prevent anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury. Common Names:milk thistle, Mary thistle, holy thistle, Latin Names:Silybum marianum, synonym Carduus marianus. Seeff, L.; Curto, T.; Szabo, G. et al. People sometimes use milk thistle for hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver. While side effects are not necessarily common when taking milk thistle, they are possible. A 2016 study found that milk thistle improved diet-induced liver damage in mice. Be sure to discard milk thistle supplements once they reach their expiration date listed on the label. Achufusi TGO, Patel RK. Dietary supplements are not regulated like drugs in the United States, meaning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve them for safety and effectiveness before products are marketed. Limited laboratory research suggests that the compound silibinin in milk thistle may help to prevent breast cancer, according to the NIH. Effects of vitamin E on chronic hepatitis C genotype 3: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Milk thistle purportedly has hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. However, the evidence is conflicting. Milk thistle purportedly has hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Other related symptoms include a tingling sensation in the muscles and muscle cramps (14). This suggests milk thistle may be beneficial for those looking to lose weight. Although some studies have shown positive results on milk thistle for people with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the overall research does not show a benefit. What. Also known by its scientific name, Silybum marianum, milk thistle grows mostly in California, although it can be grown in many other warm climates as well. CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The extract of the seeds of milk thistle contains a number of substances, collectively called silymarin. By Brittany Lubeck, RD Milk thistle may interfere with the following medications, because both milk thistle and these medications are broken down by the same liver enzymes: Allergy drugs -- such as fexofenadine (Allegra) Drugs for high cholesterol -- such as lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor) Ebrahimpour koujan S, Gargari BP, Mobasseri M, Valizadeh H, Asghari-jafarabadi M. Effects of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Milk thistle also did not affect the pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin in a randomized controlled study in healthy subjects, suggesting that milk thistle does not affect the activity of the uptake transporter, OATP1B1.5. The following list is not exhaustive. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a herb loaded with antioxidants and is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Milk thistle is found throughout the eastern United States, California, South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. Researchers also found in another study that milk thistle had antioxidant and anti-aging effects on human skin cells in a laboratory environment. Check out our. Use milk thistle as directed to prevent an overdose. Phytother Res. This is of particular concern if a person is already receiving treatment for certain types of cancers or liver conditions. 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