How Much Milk Thistle Should I Take Daily?

A reader named Joan wrote in asking, "How much milk thistle should I take?" After finding out why she was taking the botanical remedy, I answered her back, personally. But, I thought that other readers might be interested, too. So, here's a look at what the botanical has been used for and what doses have been recommended.

Before, I get started, let me just say that the advice in this column cannot take the place of your healthcare practitioner's advice. Since these supplements are sold over the counter, people need information, especially in the US.

US manufacturers are limited in the amount of information they can provide, legally. The bottle might say that the supplement supports liver health or something vague like that. A dietary supplement cannot be promoted as a treatment or cure for any disease.

Food manufacturers are in the same boat. For example, one cereal manufacturer was recently warned by the FDA about an ad concerning lowered cholesterol, with one bowl a day. The FDA wants to protect us from snake oil salesmen and miracle cures, but sometimes they go too far. But, that's enough about the FDA and what we can or can't say. Here's a little Q&A.

How much milk thistle should I take to keep my liver healthy?

100-250mg per day is sufficient for most people, as long as it is not a single-ingredient supplement. As a single ingredient, the active compound called silymarin is not well absorbed. To get the best absorption into the bloodstream, it must be combined with lecithin. Otherwise, a higher dosage will be needed. Researchers have used as much as 1200mg per day. But, I wouldn't take that much, without a doctor's supervision.

How much milk thistle should I take for inflammation?

Silymarin is one of the natural anti-inflammatories, although not the most potent one. Omega3 fish oil is arguably the most potent natural anti-inflammatory. Other powerful ones include carnosine, turmeric and resveratrol. The best multi-nutritional formulas can provide everything that you need to minimize inflammation throughout your body, except for the omega-3 fish oil. You'll need to take that separately. But, you don't need to take a dozen different supplements. It's not a good idea. Interactions or adverse reactions could occur.

How much milk thistle should I take for my skin's health and appearance?

Improving the function of your body's organs will improve the appearance of your hair, nails and skin, over time. But, using safe and natural skincare products is a must. Many of the cosmetics on the market contain ingredients that will penetrate through the skin's layers and lodge in the body's organs. Obviously, that can damage the liver's function.

You might have other questions about silymarin and specific health problems. There is no doubt that improving your nutritional intake could help improve your overall health. But, whenever possible, you should also try to reduce your exposure to toxins.

How much milk thistle should I take to clean the toxins out of my liver?

The best advice is to choose a good supplement that contains it and follow the manufacturer's recommendation.

Visit my site to learn about more amazing natural skin care substances you have probably never heard of.

Laurel is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products. Visit her site now to discover cutting edge, anti-aging skin care products she recommends after extensive research: http://www.beautiful-skin-site.com.