milk thistle

[Guest guest]

I don't remember the exact amount of each capsule, but I used to take 2 capsules twice a day and soon after I felt nauseated. I didn't make the connection right away.

Rena

Re: Milk Thistle

How often and what dosage were you taking?

Side effects from milk thistle happen only rarely, but may include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, rash or other skin reactions, joint pain, impotence, and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes throat tightness, shortness of breath, and, possibly, loss of consciousness.) The last two reactions listed are extremely rare.

Milk thistle should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Blua Birdo <bluabirdohotmail> wrote:

I took it now and then for helping detox liver. I have gallbladder stones and high cholesterol despite of my vegetarian diet.

Rena

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[Guest guest]

Suzi -

Do you have the link where you got this article originally?

Thanks!

At 11:39 AM 10/15/2007, you wrote:

Milk Thistle: The seeds,

fruit, and leaves of Milk Thistle have been used since the Roman times as

a liver tonic. Also known as n, St. 's, and Our Lady's thistle,

the herb is native to Europe. Originating in the Mediterranean region and

grown and used as a vegetable throughout Europe, it was brought to the

United States and has adapted to life in the wild in California and along

the East Coast. It is a tall plant with large prickly leaves and a

reddish purple flower. The white spots along the ribs of the leaves were

said to have been drops of the Virgin 's milk. The medicinal use of

milk thistle goes back two thousand years. Medieval herbalists also made

use of this, and in the sixteenth century English herbalists adopted it.

It did not maintain its popularity, however, and by the early twentieth

century only homeopaths were familiar with it. With a renewal of interest

in herbal medicines, researchers started to investigate milk thistle

scientifically in the 1950s. The part of the plant that is used is the

small hard fruit, without the fuzz, and the seeds, which contain fatty

acids and flavonoids.

Milk Thistle helps

maintain healthy liver function. This is important because the liver

performs more than 500 functions in the body per day and is the last line

of defense in handling toxins. The liver detoxifies poisons (such as

alcohol and pollutants) that enter our bloodstream. Milk Thistle's

silymarin stimulates the flow of bile from the liver, the primary

function of which breaks down poisons and fats. This herb is generally

highly recommended by herbalists as a " staple " in the herbal

medicinal chest.

Milk Thistle extracts contain 70 to 80% silymarin. Many clinical studies

have shown silymarin has therapeutic effects in treating several types of

liver disorders such as cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and fatty

infiltration of the liver. Milk thistle is used to treat a number of

liver conditions including slowing the advancement of liver cirrhosis. It

may be helpful in treating Hepatitis B. It has been shown to stimulate

protein synthesis within the liver, leading to tissue regeneration,

fights pollutants, inhibits free-radical damage, and helps skin

conditions related to poor liver function. Biopsies and laboratory

studies have demonstrated that silymarin protects the liver from the

damaging effects of alcohol and toxic chemicals and stimulates the

production of new liver cells to replace damaged ones. Silymarin may also

help prevent or treat gallstones by increasing the solubility of the

bile. Milk thistle extracts have shown very low toxicity, even when taken

over a long period of time however, any serious medical condition

requires professional care and anyone being treated for liver ailments

should ask their doctor prior to taking any herb or herbal

preparation.

The herb has also been used historically to treat depression and to

increase breast milk production. Today it is a staple of alternative

medicine for pregnant and nursing mothers. However, pregnant women and

nursing mothers should also always seek professional guidance prior to

using any herb or supplement.

Milk thistle should not be administered as a tea or as dried herb because

silymarin is neither water-soluble nor readily absorbed from the

intestinal tract. Proprietary products standardized to 70 percent

silymarin are utilized in Europe at a usual dose of 420 mg daily.

Treatment normally lasts four to eight weeks at a minimum. Trials of

three and six months are common.