Milk Thistle

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Susay2942
Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I am seriously thinking of purchasing a Milk Thistle Extract to Detoxify my Liver. Has anyone had experience with Milk Thistle? Good or Bad? Will it affect prescription medicines such as estrogen and levothyroxine?

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  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Human experience? No. Dog experience: My dog was older and on arthritis medications which worked but put her in severe liver failure. As in, she could not walk. We called the vet to ask what to do and the vet asked if she was eating. She was, so the vet said she still had the will to live (she would have euthanized her if we'd asked, but at that point it wasn't her *recommendation*), and said that milk thistle and sam-e were better than any liver medication she could give her. We fed her chicken patties with sam-e and milk thistle and she recovered completely. It was absolutely amazing.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Ask a doc or pharmacist about the interactions but here is a link anyway: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/milk-thistle-000921.htm
  • Susay2942
    Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
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    Thanks for the link it was very helpful. I have found that most Dr's don't want to really give you much advice on Eastern Medicine. Each of my Dr's have "mentioned" the use of Milk Thistle but not provided much information on it. I have been trying to figure out which form might be better: Pills, Extracts, Tincures or Teas? and at what dosage. I think I will start with the 70mg pills from Twin Lab a couple times a day and then increase the dosage after a couple of weeks. If I don't feel any results or side effects I will increase it again. Possibly go to an Extract to make my own teas.

    It would really be nice to get more information from others who have actually taken Milk Thistle
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
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    I took it for a few months. Not sure if it helped, but I did it as a "safeguard" anyway. I took it after quite a few years where I binged on alcohol. As I'm not fond of typical American medical protocol and the pill pushing, symptom focused mentality most of the doctors seem to display, I did not seek medical advice before taking it. I took it for about two months.

    At this point I'm curious enough to consider blood work just to put myself at ease, as I have no negative symptoms.
  • needtolose50lbs
    needtolose50lbs Posts: 68
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    I've used it also, I really don't know what drugs it interacts with, but try to buy it without alcohol. It will say it on the bottle "organic alcohol" or "no alcohol" I take the milk thistle drops and not the tablets. I usually get mine from whole foods.
  • Bookers23
    Bookers23 Posts: 187 Member
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    As anyone will tell you, different people will have different experiences with medications. I took it for a while and also receive routine blood tests (every 2 months) My liver function did not improve and the concentration of iron in my liver increased very dramatically. This is not a good thing. I immediately stopped the milk thistle and within 4 months my levels were dropping. The increased iron seems to be seen quit a bit in studies I have read. Since stopping, I have taken NAC, or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine a great antioxidant and liver cleanser. its actually the antidote for tylenol overdoses. I have had perfect liver function tests and no ill effects from the NAC. Just my two cents and experience.
  • Susay2942
    Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
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    As anyone will tell you, different people will have different experiences with medications. I took it for a while and also receive routine blood tests (every 2 months) My liver function did not improve and the concentration of iron in my liver increased very dramatically. This is not a good thing. I immediately stopped the milk thistle and within 4 months my levels were dropping. The increased iron seems to be seen quit a bit in studies I have read. Since stopping, I have taken NAC, or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine a great antioxidant and liver cleanser. its actually the antidote for tylenol overdoses. I have had perfect liver function tests and no ill effects from the NAC. Just my two cents and experience.

    What were you originally taking it for?
  • rayleansout
    rayleansout Posts: 234
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    often used by body builders to help detoxify the liver during a heavy cycle of anabolics.
  • BetteLovr
    BetteLovr Posts: 15 Member
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    I have tried it and it bothered my stomach. This is unusual for me too. Good luck
  • Susay2942
    Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
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    often used by body builders to help detoxify the liver during a heavy cycle of anabolics.
    I wonder if heavy anabolics is what caused my liver overload? I was lifting weights "ALOT" and on the very high protien diet when I started getting sick years ago. Its been such a crazy roller coaster trying to get "myself" back!
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
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    I've used it, last year after my knee replacement surgery. I'd been on high dosages of Tylenol from September - March. After my surgery, a CT scan was performed to check for pulmonary embolism and my liver was enlarged. The hospitalist, who wasn't my treating doc, advised it was either due to alcoholism or chronic use of Tylenol. I told him "lets go with the Tylenol" and explained the situation. He advised Milk Thistle (and stay away from the Tylenol). I used it for 3 months - bought it from GNC - an organic product. My liver enzymes are good now; haven't had a repeat CT scan. THe doc wasn't that worried about it, just wanted me off the Tylenol and to do the gentle detox with Milk Thistle. I had no side effects, no problem taking it at all.
  • Susay2942
    Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
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    ..
  • Bookers23
    Bookers23 Posts: 187 Member
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    I originally used it for a liver detox. I had elevated alt/ast and enlargement on ct scans. Check out the literature on NAC, I find it much more practical with actual data on its mechanism of action. They know how it works and why it works. Milk thistle, not so much.

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