How Much Milk thistle Should You Take? A Sensible Range

People ask how much Milk thistle to take as if there were one number. There isn't, but there is a sensible range, and the reasoning behind it's worth two minutes.

The working range

Standardized seed extract, or ground seeds in food.

Stay at food level: a few cups of tea, a spoon of powder, the amounts a cook would use. Concentrated extracts compress several servings into one capsule, so follow the label rather than free-pouring.

What the studies used

Worth knowing before you start: if you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using milk thistle or other herbal products; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use milk thistle during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Signs you have overdone it

Milk thistle is cool in nature. Push a warming herb hard and you feel flushed, restless, dry-mouthed; push a cooling herb and digestion turns sluggish. Either way, the fix is the same: stop, let things settle, restart at half the amount.

When public health concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an ingredient including an herb, the FDA can take action to protect the public. Manufacturers and distributors of supplements are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all regulatory requirements.

None of this replaces a practitioner who can look at your tongue, feel your pulse and ask awkward questions. Use this as background, not as a prescription.