Suggested Usage: Take 1 to 3 capsules daily, or as directed by your qualified health consultant. Milk Thistle in Latin is Silybum marianum. This 30:1 concentrate is standardized to contain 80% Silymarin from Milk Thistle seeds. Silymarin is composed of three flavonoids: primarily Silybin and minor amounts of Silydianin and Silychristin, which support liver function by raising protective glutathione levels.
Features:
•
Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. Always check the actual product label in your possession for the most accurate ingredient information due to product changes or upgrades that may not yet be reflected on our web site. These statements made in this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products offered are not intended to diagnose, treat
Average Customer Review:
( 27 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
138 of 146 found the following review helpful:
Quality productAug 06, 2010
By Travel Enthusiast Since over-the-counter supplements are not regulated by the FDA. I subscribe to [...] who independently tests nutritional supplements as they run their own tests to see if a product truly delivers what it says it does. Out of 10 different companies selling Milk Thistle in the market they tested, Jarrow was the only one who passed.
150 of 166 found the following review helpful:
proven to be the best milk thistle by [...]May 14, 2010
By rural girl A few years back I read a study about milk thistle and decided to take it for a full year and see what my blood test results showed; my liver levels went down from normal to an excellent low. A couple years ago, my dog ate something toxic, and my vet recommended that I give him milk thistle for 8 weeks and see if his liver levels would go down; they went down to normal. I give one of my dogs Rimadyl daily and a milk thistle pill every day; her liver levels are super. Below are 2 articles; one from the American Cancer Society and one from a Hep C website, both stating scientific studies that show milk thistle is beneficial to one's liver. The bottom article is from NPI center, an organization I am not familiar with, but it talks about how [...] found that the Jarrow brand was the best milk thistle brand. It is possible I am believing a complicated marketing scheme, but I do believe in milk thistle and I do believe in Jarrow Products. My experience in medicine is that often the liver goes before the heart when people are hit with medical problems and that is why I take care of my liver with nutrition, such as not drinking alcohol, but also taking milk thistle daily.
This is from the Hep C website, I thankfully don't have Hep C, but they do care about liver protection; I have the entire article below but this is the important part: "Two of the ten milk thistle products were disqualified for failure to meet the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) labeling requirements. Additionally, one of these products had different dosing information from jar to jar, all from the same lot number.
Seven of the remaining eight products did not provide the standardized amount of silymarin although they all claimed to have 80%. Actual amounts were between 47 and 67%. The only product to pass was Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle. Although the amount of silymarin was not specified on the label, the manufacturer declared that the milk thistle extract contained 80% flavonoids. The actual testing confirmed that Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle met the minimum industry standard of 70% silymarin."
Milk Thistle Protects Cancer Patients from Chemotherapy-Associated Liver Toxicity A new study finds that the herb milk thistle may help treat liver inflammation in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy.
Atlanta 2009/12/15 -A new study finds that the herb milk thistle may help treat liver inflammation in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that the herb could allow patients to take potent doses of chemotherapy without damaging their liver. Chemotherapy drugs frequently cause inflammation in the liver, and when they do, doctors must often lower patients' doses or stop administering the therapies altogether. Clinical studies have investigated using milk thistle to treat liver damage from cirrhosis (from alcohol) or toxins (such as mushroom poisoning). Despite limited study data, the herb is often used for the treatment of chemotherapy associated liver problems. To test whether milk thistle could help treat chemotherapy associated liver problems, Kara Kelly, MD, of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City and colleagues conducted a randomized, controlled, double blind study in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who commonly experience this side effect.
Fifty children with ALL were enrolled in the study and were randomized to receive milk thistle or placebo for 28 days. At the start of the study, all of the children had evidence of liver inflammation as measured by elevations in blood levels of the liver enzymes, aspartate amino transferase (AST) and amino alanine transferase (ALT). When the investigators performed liver function tests on the children at day 56 (28 days after receiving the herb or placebo), children receiving milk thistle had improvements in their liver enzymes compared with children receiving a placebo. Specifically, the group that took milk thistle had significantly lower levels of AST and a trend towards significantly lower levels of ALT. Taking milk thistle also seemed to help keep fewer patients from having to lower the dose of their medications: chemotherapy doses were reduced in 61 percent of the group receiving milk thistle, compared with 72 percent of the placebo group. In addition, milk thistle appeared to be safe for consumption.
The researchers also studied the effects of combining milk thistle with chemotherapy on leukemia cells grown in the laboratory. They found that milk thistle does not interfere with the cancer-fighting properties of chemotherapy. "Milk thistle needs to be studied further, to see how effective it is for a longer course of treatment, and whether it works well in reducing liver inflammation in other types of cancers and with other types of chemotherapy, said Dr. Kelly. "However, our results are promising as there are no substitute medications for treating liver toxicity."
Article: "A randomized, controlled, double blind pilot study of milk thistle for the treatment of hepatotoxicity in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)." Elena Ladas, David Kroll, Nick Oberlies, Bin Cheng, Deborah Hughes, Susan Rheingold, and Kara Kelly. CANCER; Published Online: December 14, 2009 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24723).
People with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) who are interested in alternative medicine generally consider milk thistle (silybum marianum). This popular herb is a common ingredient in supplement blends that promote liver health. Researchers have investigated the efficacy of milk thistle and its components for a variety of conditions, including viral hepatitis, type II diabetes, cancer and toxin-removal from the liver.
The Basics Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a plant from the aster family. Silymarin is the active ingredient in milk thistle that is likely responsible for its medicinal qualities. Silymarin is actually a group of flavanoids, with silybin (aka silibinin) being the most powerful. Typically, milk thistle is sold in standardized amounts of 70 to 80% silymarin.
The February 2008 issue of Hepatology looked at milk thistle use among 1145 participants in the HALT-C study, sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, headed by Leonard Seeff. In this HCV study, 44% of the subjects had used herbs at some point, with 23% using them at the time of enrollment. Among all participants, milk thistle was used by 33%, 17% upon enrollment. Although milk thistle users showed similar ALT levels and HCV viral loads to non-users, they showed fewer liver-related symptoms and improved quality of life. Researchers observed that this aspect of the study was uncontrolled and that milk thistle use was self-motivated. They concluded that "a well-designed prospective study can determine whether silymarin provides benefit to persons with chronic hepatitis C."1
Continue reading before you run out and buy milk thistle. All milk thistle is not alike and what is in the bottle may not match what is promised on the label. In a startling report published by [...] (CL), only one of 10 products passed the necessary tests in order to carry the CL seal of approval.
CL is an independent organization that provides information and testing of nutritional products. They have been around for about ten years. Some information is free, but product reports are available only to subscribers. A one year subscription is $30 and worth every penny. [...]
What caught my attention about the milk thistle testing is that most supplements win CL's approval. It's a voluntary program, so presumably manufacturers feel confident enough to submit to testing. The failure of nine out of ten products is extraordinary. One can only imagine the quality of products that don't agree to testing.
The Results Two of the ten milk thistle products were disqualified for failure to meet the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) labeling requirements. Additionally, one of these products had different dosing information from jar to jar, all from the same lot number.
Seven of the remaining eight products did not provide the standardized amount of silymarin although they all claimed to have 80%. Actual amounts were between 47 and 67%. The only product to pass was Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle. Although the amount of silymarin was not specified on the label, the manufacturer declared that the milk thistle extract contained 80% flavonoids. The actual testing confirmed that Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle met the minimum industry standard of 70% silymarin.
The HCV Advocate and I do not endorse particular products or treatments. However, it seemed cruel to reveal that only one in ten milk thistle products passed muster without mentioning the name of the product. However, before you run out and buy milk thistle, there are other issues.
First, why didn't the products pass? ConsumerLabs suggested it was likely due to substandard milk thistle extract, often purchased from Chinese suppliers. Unfortunately, since herbs are not strictly regulated by the FDA, it is virtually impossible to know what is safe and effective.
Second, what is the scientific evidence for or against milk thistle? Why take milk thistle? Is it because you read about it in an article? Did you hear about a study, and if so, what do you know about the research? Or did you wander into your local health food store and ask a sales clerk to recommend something good for the liver.
Third, without specific product information, do you know how much milk thistle to take, what kind, when to take it and when you shouldn't? Do you know if it interacts with other medications you may be taking? Are there any side effects? Apply the same common sense investigation to dietary supplements as you would to any medicine.
The Research When it comes to research on dietary supplements and liver disease, milk thistle tops the list. There were 222 milk thistle listings on the U.S. Library of Medicine's PubMed site dating back to 1952. Although this sounds like a lot of research, compare this to 122,853 listings back to 1957 for interferon. Although research has yet to prove the benefits of milk thistle, it has also not disproved it. This is largely due to inadequate testing or poor scientific methods.
Here are highlights of some current research: The December 2009 issue of Gastroenterology published a French study headed by Ahmed-Belkacem, "Silibinin and Related Compounds Are Direct Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase." They used a commercially available intravenous preparation of silibinin. This is an encouraging beginning to more research.
According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), there is evidence that milk thistle may protect the liver.2 However, the research is unreliable due to poor scientific method, so it's difficult to sort out the facts.
A search of Germany's independent, evidence-based Cochrane Library revealed similar observations. According to Rambaldi A, Jacobs BP, and Gluud C "[There is] no evidence supporting or refuting milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases. Low-quality trials suggested beneficial effects. High-quality randomized clinical trials on milk thistle versus placebo are needed."3
Another problem is the test product. AHRQ's website states, "The largest producer of milk thistle is Madaus (Germany), which makes an extract of concentrated silymarin. However, numerous other extracts exist, and more information is needed on comparability of formulations, standardization, and bioavailability for studies of mechanisms of action and clinical trials."
If the issue isn't already complicated, consider this - taken as a supplement, milk thistle is poorly absorbed. After digestion, very little is left for the liver. This is particularly true for older adults. As little as 10% of silymarin may be absorbed in the adult over age 60.
In an article in September 2009 Alternative Medicine Review, biomedical research Parris Kidd, University of California, Berkeley, notes how milk thistle's most active flavonoid, silybin is poorly absorbed by the body. Kidd states, "silybin-phosphatidylcholine complexed as a phytosome provides significant liver protection and enhanced bioavailability over conventional silymarin."4 Twenty years ago, an Italian research team reached the same conclusion based on a pharmacokinetic study of nine subjects.5
It all boils down to this - ignoring the lack of scientific research, and choosing to take milk thistle, what product does one buy? Although the Jarrow supplement has been tested by CL, it was not used in clinical research. The one that has been used in research is the Madaus, but it is not available in the U.S. Silybin-phosphatidylcholine, used in various U.S. studies, is available. However, research grade silybin-phosphatidylcholine is not necessarily identical to consumer products.
Cautions Talk to your medical provider before taking milk thistle, particularly if you take other drugs or supplements. Milk thistle is usually well-tolerated. It may have a laxative effect along with other gastrointestinal side effects. Allergic reaction is always a possibility, no matter what you are taking. Theoretically, milk thistle could lower blood sugar levels, so use caution if taking blood sugar-lowering medications. Exacerbation of hemochromatosis has been associated with ingestion of milk thistle.
Milk thistle should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women. People with a history of hormone-related cancers, including breast and uterine cancer and prostate cancer, may need to avoid milk thistle.
Since milk thistle is metabolized by the liver, it may interact with other drugs. However, despite earlier warnings about this, evidence of this is flawed. One strategy is to take milk thistle alone rather than in combination with other drugs, particularly oral contraceptives and coumadin. Milk thistle has a short half-life (4 hours).
Dosing The following adult doses are from Natural Standard and are based on clinical research levels:
Silymarin (Legalon®) 230-600 milligrams per day divided into two to three doses Silipide® (IdB 1016) 160-480 milligrams per day in silybin equivalents The Bottom Line
Talk to your medical provider before taking milk thistle. There is no evidence that milk thistle will eliminate HCV. Milk thistle may provide some benefit to the liver but research has not proved or disproved this. Milk thistle varies between manufacturers. Do your research before you purchase. Milk thistle is poorly absorbed by the body, so if you take it, choose a formulation and dose that is bioavailable. Alcohol extracts should be avoided by anyone with alcohol-related liver disease.
[...]
Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle the Only Quality Approved Product in [...] 2009-12-15 - Jarrow Formulas'
Secure long-term health benefits with our Omega 3 fatty acids that ensure purity, quality &... : EPAX AS We ensure the quality of our ingredients with a system committed to safety, precision and efficacy. : Cyvex Ensure pure Omega-3 fatty acids processed though vertical integration quality systems & control : EPAX AS The latest natural & nutritional product trends from industry providers : SmartLinks Los Angeles, CA, December 15, 2009 - In a recent review of milk thistle supplements by [...], Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle was only product to be approved among the 10 milk thistle products that were selected for testing.
[...] purchased and tested leading milk thistle products sold in the U.S to determine which current extracts on the market contained 70% - 80% silymarin. Most clinical studies of milk thistle's effectiveness have used dry extracts standardized to this level. All products were also tested for lead contamination, as this can occur in herbal supplements. Tablet and caplet products were additionally tested for their ability to properly break apart for absorption. Liquid products and standard capsules do not undergo this testing, as they will quickly release their contents. All products were tested as follows: - Quantitative analysis for flavone lignans (silymarin) utilizing the INA HPLC method or other appropriate methods as determined by CL. - Quantitative analyses for lead by ICP/MS or other appropriate methods determined by CL. - Disintegration of non-capsule, non-chewable, non-liquid and non-time released formulations utilizing USP (United States Pharmacopeia) <2040> methods. Among the 10 products selected for testing, 2 products failed to meet FDA labeling requirements. Seven others failed to provide the standardized amount of silymarin listed on their labels. These products claimed to provide an extract that was 80% silymarin. However, the silymarin content was found to be much lower. Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle met label claims and was approved for quality. The product provided a milk thistle extract that is 80% flavonoids - the larger family of compounds which includes silymarin. Additionally Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle contained 70% silymarin. [...]'s comprehensive testing criteria is detailed as follows:
- Milk thistle ingredient to be derived from the ripe seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn)) as either powdered seed material or dry extract. - Must meet its label claims for silymarin content and contain a minimum of 1.5% silymarin (% wt./wt.) for powdered seed product and a minimum of 70% silymarin (%wt./wt.) for dry powdered extracts. Total silymarin will be calculated as the sum of silychristin, silydianin, silybinin A and B, dehydrosilybinin, and isosilybinin A and B determined with use of the silybinin reference standard. . - Must not exceed CA Prop 65 levels for lead contamination in a recommended daily serving. If a maximum recommended daily serving is not defined, a daily serving size will be determined and applied by CL. - If applicable to Product, Product must meet disintegration requirements as set by USP. - The level of any ingredient or contaminant in Product must not pose a significant health risk when used as recommended on an acute or chronic basis. Additionally, if Product exceeds the most recent UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level established by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies) for any ingredient claimed or contained, CL may indicate this fact in its listing(s) of the Product. This will be determined based on the Product's suggested daily unit dose for routine use multiplied by the greater of (i) the claimed amount of the ingredient per unit or (ii) the amount of ingredient per unit as measured in Testing. - Product must meet all FDA labeling requirements. Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle 30:1 concentrate is standardized to contain 80% total Milk Thistle seed flavonoids, including the important Silymarin fractions isosilybinins A and B, silybinins A and B, silychristin and silydianin. This particular group of flavonoids, collectively known as Silymarin, supports liver function by raising protective glutathione levels.
[...] (CL) is a provider of independent test results and information that helps consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness and nutrition products. It publishes results of its tests on its popular website, [...]. Since its founding in 1999, CL has tested more than 2,500 products, representing over 350 different brands and nearly every type of popular supplement.
Jarrow Formulas is a nutritional supplement formulator and marketer founded in 1977 and incorporated in 1988. The company markets its products throughout the United States and internationally in more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia, Israel and Latin America. The company offers a complete line of nutritional products that includes vitamins, minerals, probiotics, standardized herbal concentrates, amino acids, enzymes and enteral nutrition formulations. Jarrow Formulas, Inc. is active in regulatory affairs, helping to maintain American's rights to free access to dietary supplements. Its products are manufactured by Jarrow Industries Incorporated, a pharmaceutical quality facility located in Santa Fe Springs, CA. For more information, contact Mark Becker, Director, Advertising/Communications toll free at (800) 726-0886 or access the Jarrow Formulas Web site at [...]. For free Jarrow samples, access [...]. ###
32 of 34 found the following review helpful:
Great valueDec 08, 2009
By Sue Grimes
"sueslug"
I did a lot of research on sources of Silymarin. This is a good price from a responsible source.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
It is working.Aug 29, 2011
By Stray Acres I am using one pill a day with dandelion root and hawthorne berry for my very old dog with congestive heart failure. It is helping keep him much more comfortable. If I don't give him one pill of each in every 24 hour period he gets in trouble with his breathing and pain on his sides.
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
True Story - Nothing Works Like Milk Thistle - Automatic Order NowJan 20, 2012
By W. R. Russell Jr.
"Lean Gator MBA"
Hi, this is a true story - my own - about how well Milk Thistle (MT) works, and this brand in particular. I have a very severe form of Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) which causes painful contraction knots in the muscles called trigger points. In my case, virtually every muscle contains virtually every possible trigger point and there are over 620 possible. These knots are very painful and that pain can be eased somewhat by routine trigger point injections, where a needle is inserted into the knot and it is broken up and perforated to some extent to get it to release a little and relax.
Here's the problem: These trigger points are often filled with toxic metabolic byproducts from staying in a contracted state with subsequent constricted blood flow. When needled, this toxic sludge then gets into the bloodstream. In my case, needling just a few bad trigger points would release so much 'yukky business' into my body that I would have severe vertigo for 4 - 5 days, with the first couple being so bad that I would literally crawl around my house (live alone) to keep from falling over. Oh, I'm not the frail, sickly type either...I'm an ex-powerlifter and retired big city street cop...hardly the weak, excuse making type. But this poison would take me down fast and take almost a week to clear.
Since the toxins had a predictable lessening, I knew my liver was clearing it, just REALLY slowly, so I sought ways to speed that up, either by helping my liver or deactivating the toxin. Since I really didn't know what the poisons were, it was the liver route...or get used to seeing my house from my Corgi's perspective.
I found out that MT has been known for the bulk of human history as a liver remedy, but I thought that was just so much 'folklore' to be kind. Then I started discovering that MT has been tested in a variety of empirical settings and some rather unbelievable anecdotal ones as one of the better liver drugs out there...when balanced against its huge safety margin and therapeutic value, probably the best. In fact some of the pharmas use silymarin as the active agent in their liver drugs, which is simply refined MT. Good enough for me.
Cut to the chase: I started taking 3 caps of MT, 3x a day and immediately all symptoms of vertigo and toxicity were gone. Yes, I said IMMEDIATELY...as in hours, not days. Once this efficacy was confirmed, I was able to have my clinician radically increase the number of trigger point injections. When I say radically, I went from about 4 or 5 injections knocking me out for a week, to tolerating 180 per session, 2x a week for four months. Thousands of injections that did immense good at actually taking the fight to the trigger points the way only a sharp needle can. I was able to eventually taper down to the recommended dosage of just 3 caps a day when the toxic load was much decreased.
So here's my take on Milk Thistle: This stuff works like I wish most things did...very, very well. I have had no side effects, in fact, it has prevented disabling side effects from another very effective treatment. Win - win.
If your liver needs help, you could do a lot worse than MT. If you get nauseous from a massage, flushing yukky business out of your muscles, then start taking MT before, during, and after. Before I get too carried away, let me say that I'm not a doctor, but this stuff is amazing medicine for the right problems. Do your own research and you decide...it worked for me under conditions that you would have had to see to believe.
I chose this brand because it had the most and best reviews...remembering what my doctor told me: "If you want to know if a medicine is any good or not, see if they reorder it." Makes sense to me.
based on 27 reviews
( 27 customer reviews )
