Is Milk Thistle for Liver Safe? – Dosage, Risks, Benefits | All-inclusive Guide

Those who’ve used Milk Thistle for liver conditions know the power this simple supplement holds. Milk Thistle is derived from a plant named Silymarin. From the centuries, researchers used to believe that milk thistle had a powerful effect in curing the damaged livers because it had antioxidant capabilities to heal the liver.

Using Milk Thistle for Liver conditions has helped many people get rid of severe liver conditions in part. Let’s learn about Milk Thistle for Liver Dosage and how it works to improve your liver condition/

dosage – How Much Milk Thistle Should I Consume?

Milk Thistle for liver
Milk Thistle for Liver

Milk thistle comes in powder, capsule medicine, pill, or liquid fluid extract forms. There are different consumption patterns according to the way you’re consuming it.

  • Milk Thistle Powder Dosage: 1/2 Teaspoon Per Day with Honey
  • Milk Thistle Capsule Dosage: 2 Capsules every day after Lunch and Dinner (240 mg-300 mg Capsules)
  • Milk Thistle Liquid Extract Dosage: Equivalent to 240mg per dose
  • Milk Thistle Tea Dosage: Tea 2 times a day, in the evening and morning. .

There are chances of possible risks to liver damage while consuming this product. Thus there are two rules you should always follow while buying this product.

  1. Consume in Small quantities first and later increase it according to need.
  2. Get dosage evaluated by a health professional.
  3. General rule – Never overdose

Silymarin is a wonder plant with a lot of properties that can heal the liver. However, you should follow only the correct consumption patterns.

Milk Thistle for Liver Benefits

The primary benefits of Milk Thistle include:

  • Helpful in Liver Protection and Regeneration
  • Supports Brain functions – It is being used as a traditional remedy for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease for over 2,000 years
  • Bones Protection

To understand Milk Thistle for Liver Benefits, we need to understand the action procedure. There are two parts of the Milk Thistle curing process. The first is Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. The second is ampk (AMP-activated protein kinase) and mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin).

1. Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Using Milk Thistle for Liver Detox induces endoplasmic reticulum stress. Stress sounds terrible, though there is more to it. Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress essentially helps in activating a regeneration process in which body cells start repairing themselves.

2. mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin) and AMPK (AMP-Activated Protein Kinase)

In the mouse models, researchers observed that Milk Thistle works in two ways – Change in endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of ampk (AMP-activated protein kinase). If you’re suffering from any chronic disease, it’s imperative to understand both.

AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) state is tough to achieve for most humans. This state is only activated when we are in an energy-deprived state. Two common examples of ampk (AMP-activated protein kinase) stages are exercising in a caloric deficit state or when we’re fasting. Along with going in the ampk (AMP-activated protein kinase) form, milk thistle drops mTOR inhibitors (Mammalian target of rapamycin).

mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin) is associated with collagen forming. If we have collagen forming in the liver, that’s not a good thing. Collagen forming within the liver indicates that we are building fibrosis.

Process of AMPK elevation and mTOR drop means the liver is potentially going through autophagy. In this process, the liver is consuming decrepit components of itself and recycling that is phenomenal.

In short, Milk Thistle will work for curing the liver. But you should also be aware of the liver’s mitochondrial effect, which means the long-term use will only be beneficial with physician-controlled doses.

Milk Thistle for Liver Detox

New evidence also proves that long-term use of milk thistle to cure the liver can help you treat many toxins inside the body. The study demonstrated that the use of Milk Thistle for liver conditions named Liver Cirrhosis could be done. Also, it has been observed that there is a significant decrease in liver-related deaths with (Milk Thistle) Silymarin treatment.

Long Term usage of Milk Thistle for Liver is recommended for best results.

Using Milk Thistle for Liver detox and regeneration has a powerful mechanism of action; in fact, it’s a fascinating compound. It is truly remarkable to look at the active ingredient of milk thistle and what it does, especially in some of these mice studies.

Milk thistle is deemed a sort of liver cleanser like something that you would take to help allow your liver enzymes to get down or protect your liver. The recent studies proved that if you’re consuming Milk Thistle for Liver Cirrhosis, it will help. Still, it won’t cover a healthy liver against the environmental stress which activities like liquor consumption.

Possible Risks to Liver Damage

Milk thistle can be dangerous for your liver if you don’t use it in the right way. If you have liver problems such as hepatitis, fatty liver, or cirrhosis, you might’ve heard that natural herbs can help you improve your condition, such as milk thistle.

But actually, milk thistle might not be suitable for your specific condition. The problem with an unmonitored dosage of Milk thistle for the liver is that too much of it may start putting stress on your body, and too little of it won’t even make an impact.

So, you have to monitor the time and the dosage closely. Once your liver regeneration completes, you should stop taking milk thistle. Excessive consumption of Milk Thistle will weaken your body and exacerbate your liver disease.

Milk thistle and increased appetite

It’s common to have increased appetite when the body is in the mitochondrial stage. The aforementioned means your body is converting the oxygen and burning the food to produce energy.

Milk Thistle and Pregnancy

You should avoid milk Thistle for the Liver during the pregnancy; mtor and AMPK activities may temporarily affect your estrogen levels. If you’ve already consumed it, consult your gynecologist for assistance immediately.

Is Milk Thistle for liver Safe ?

There was very little evidence available earlier which made it hard for doctors to trust an old medicine. However, the 2015 and 2020 studies concluded that Milk Thistle could indeed improve the liver condition, but the dosage should be controlled by a medical professional.

Patients with Liver diseases are one of the most prominent clientele for any physician. Recommending Milk Thistle to cure liver diseases is out of the usual way for many Doctors and Nutritionists.

Thus, you should consult a nutritionist who can monitor your dosage of Milk Thistle to cure the liver because additional supplements like Vitamin E and controlling a fatty liver diet might be necessary for you along with Milk Thistle.

If consumed in controlled quantities, Milk Thistle for the liver could be the safest way to safely start the liver regeneration process using mTOR and AMPK. However, the process is time-consuming and lengthy, so if your liver is already in a derogatory stage, using Milk Thistle for the liver might not be the right option.

Always remember to consume liver-friendly food for a better recovery of the organ.

Frequently Asked Questions about Milk Thistle for Liver

Here are some of the commonly asked questions about the consumption of Milk Thistle for the Liver.

What is milk thistle used for?

Milk Thistle is associated with two biological processes in the human body, mTOR and AMPK. These processes affect the regeneration of tissues and can help fix the degenerating organs, especially the liver. Milk Thistle is often prescribed by vets for pets as well.

Can you take milk thistle every day?

Yes, you can take milk thistle for the liver every day. The regular consumption of Silymarin is the only way to help yourself against recurring diseases. However, you should not consume more than 250 mg of Silymarin in every dosage without prescription.

What are the benefits of Milk Thistle?

There are many benefits of Milk Thistle for the liver and beyond, includes help in liver functions and improves the brain decline stages. Some physicians recommend it for estrogen-related issues, but that is only recommended under medical practitioner guidance.

Share this article
About Dr. Geetika Kothari

Dr Geetika Kothari M.R.C.O.G. (OBS and GYN). is notable gynecologist in Canada with experience of practically 12 yrs in OBSTETRIC and Gynecology extraordinary enthusiasm for managing High-Risk Pregnancy, Endoscopy and Fertility, All major and minor gynecological cases with Endoscopic medical procedure and Vaginal medical procedure with late advances. Dr Geetika Kothari is all around prepared in managing all instances of High-Risk Pregnancy and entangled conveyances. The primary region of intrigue are muddled Obstetrics, Adolescent Health, Fetal Medicine, all sort of Hysterectomy included Oncology medical procedure and Myomectomy, Endoscopic medical procedure, LAVH, TLH, and Laparoscopic barrenness medical procedure. She is equipped for taking care of all sort of obstetrics and gynae cases great antenatal, postnatal mind and advance common labor.

Leave a Comment