Potential Milk Thistle Side Effects, Adverse Reactions And Contraindications

Is milk thistle safe to consume?

Learn about the potential milk thistle side effects, adverse reactions and contraindications so that you can enjoy the health benefits of this herb while protecting yourself and your family.

Overview of Potential Side Effects of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has no common side effects which should be of grave concern. This is stated by numerous sources. [2][1][3][6]

Generally speaking, milk thistle is regarded as having very low toxicity. Research carried out on animals have revealed no negative side effects even when high dosages were used over extended periods of time. [5]

In a study published in the journal “Phytotherapy Research”, which showed that milk thistle extract helped lower blood sugar levels and blood lipid profiles in diabetics, 51 persons aged 40 to 65 suffering from type 2 diabetes took 200mg of silymarin or a placebo 3 times per day before their meals for a period of 4 months while still on diabetes medication. The study subjects who took silymarin experienced no side effects. [11]

Digestive Disturbances and Diarrhea

The nature of much of the side effects associated with this herb is linked to mild gastrointestinal discomfort. [5]

In a study carried out by a German pharmaceutical company, which found that 63% of its 2,637 study subjects experienced total relief from the symptoms of various liver conditions (including cirrhosis, hepatitis and fatty liver) through the use of milk thistle, about 1% of the study participants had to stop using the herb because of some side effects which they encountered. These milk thistle side effects included nausea, an upset stomach, and also mild diarrhea. [3]

Silymarin stimulates the liver and gallbladder and may thus have a slight laxative effect in some people. However, such adverse reactions usually do not last long, perhaps only 48 to 72 hours. [3]

Milk thistle extract could increase bile output, which then helps to relieve constipation. If one were to experience looser stools while using this herb, high-fiber food items such as pectin, psyllium and guar guar can be used to help prevent this side effect. [9]

If you have a weak digestive system, to help alleviate the potential milk thistle side effect of loose stools, you could start with one capsule of milk thistle extract and slowly work your dosage up. If you experience loose stools, reduce your dosage of the herb again. [11]

One isolated case of a 57-year-old woman in Australia who suffered nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and weakness after consuming milk thistle did surface. However, the case was so out of the blue that the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee of Australia was not convinced that the side effects were actually caused by milk thistle, and questioned if the product consumed by the woman might have contained herbs or substances which could have caused the adverse reactions. [6]

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