Side Effects of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has been in use for a time span of about two thousand years as a treatment for gallbladder and liver disorders. Milk thistle is actually a plant that belongs to the Silybum Adans genus. The name milk thistle has been derived, from the fact that the thistles of the plant are spotted with small splashes of white and contain a generous amount of milky sap. The following are some of the useful characteristics and medical merits of milk thistle.

• Mushroom Poisoning: Milk thistle is an excellent remedy against mushroom poisoning. According to many studies and research, if milk thistle is administered within l0 minutes of consumption of a poisonous mushroom, it totally reverses the effects of the toxic substances that are present in the mushroom. Milk thistle is also very effective even if it is administered within 24 hours after the consumption of the mushroom. In such situations, it reduces the damage of liver and prevents death.
• Liver Damage: In order to flush out the alcohol and toxic materials from liver, many medical experts are experimenting and researching effects of milk thistle as a liver detox agent. It is also very frequently used as a treatment against alcoholic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. Variable results have been found in almost all the experiments. However, all the results have been rated as positive.
• Liver Protection: Recent experiments and study has shown that thistle milk can be highly beneficial for human liver. The substances inside milk thistle protect cells of liver from many toxic materials that are likely to enter and damage the liver. Many scientists also believe that Silymarin, a particular substance in milk thistle also regenerates new cells in the liver and also repairs the injured ones. According to some experiments, Silymarin, is also a very powerful antioxidant and helps the liver to repel dangerous toxic and unwanted fibers.
• Milk Thistle Tea: Sometimes milk thistle extract can be taken by people who wish to get rid of toxic substances from their bodies. For this purpose, milk thistle is available in form of tea and coffee powders.

Side Effects of Milk Thistle
Recent research has indicated that thistle milk indeed has some side effects. The following are some of the common milk thistle side effects.

• The biggest precaution that must be taken while taking a dose of milk thistle is that it should not be taken with any other medicine i.e. milk thistle dose should not be supplemented with any other medicines. Many other medicines tend to react with milk thistle.
• Intake of milk thistle is very dangerous for pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers. Concrete side effects in such situations have not been observed and concluded. However, it is better to stop the intake with the guidance of a doctor rather than take the risk.
• Most of the people are unaware of the fact that milk thistle should be taken in the prescribed quantities for 41 months and the dosage should not exceed 41 months. Sometimes excessive and prolonged in take of milk thistle makes the patient addicted to the remedy.
• Another common side effect of prolonged and excessive intake of is that it causes diarrhea.
• During prolonged dosage, the body sometimes starts rejecting the intake of milk thistle. In such a situation the patient experiences bloating, nausea and stomach upset. It is always advisable to consult a doctor in such cases.
• If a person is allergic to substances like ragweed, he must definitely avoid the intake of milk thistle as it often results into allergic reaction like rashes.
• People suffering from any type of cancer should not consume milk thistle as it may causes allergic reactions.

While consuming milk thistle one must consult a doctor and must maintain a strict dosage pattern. Special care must be taken during the dosage of milk thistle and related medicine as many medical experts are still researching on this medicine.