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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Milk Thistle (Liver)

Silymarin — most-studied liver herb, used for ALD, NAFLD, and toxin protection.

Liver HealthAntioxidantsGallbladder Health

Overview

Silymarin — most-studied liver herb, used for ALD, NAFLD, and toxin protection.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Stabilizes hepatocyte membranes; raises GSH; antifibrotic.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Antidote for amatoxin poisoning (IV)

        Strong evidence

        Modest ALT/AST improvements

        Limited evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · GI upset
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            No notable interactions reported.

            Safety & non-supplemental interactions

            Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

            Avoid if you are
            • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
            • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            200–400 mg silymarin
            With food?
            With food

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Herb
            Milk Thistle…
            Amazon
            Wide selection · fast shipping
            Herb
            Milk Thistle…
            iHerb
            Global delivery · curated brands
            Herb
            Milk Thistle…
            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (9)

            Meta-analysisCochrane Database · 2007

            Silymarin for liver disease: a meta-analysis

            Rambaldi A, et al.

            Cochrane review of milk thistle in liver disease.

            Key findings

            Possible reduction in liver-related mortality; methodology heterogeneous.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — Antidote for amatoxin poisoning

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) Antidote for amatoxin poisoning" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "Antidote for amatoxin poisoning". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — Modest ALT/AST improvements

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) Modest ALT/AST improvements" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "Modest ALT/AST improvements". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Milk Thistle (Liver) — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Milk Thistle (Liver) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Liver) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Milk Thistle (Liver) — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Milk Thistle (Liver) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.