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Doses for milk thistle depend on the level of silymarin in the supplement or dried herb. In general, bulk milk thistle contains about 70% silymarin compounds.
Doctors of integrative medicine recommend the following for people with various conditions:
Recommended Dosage by Condition
| Condition |
Dosage Level |
Diabetes |
Whole milk thistle: 420-600 mg/day containing 70-80% silymarin |
Gallbladder disease |
Whole milk thistle: 150 mg 2-3 times a day containing 70% silymarin |
General anesthesia side effects |
420 mg/day of milk thistle silymarin extracts to prevent adverse side effects, including liver damage |
Liver disease (including chronic hepatitis |
- Whole milk thistle: 300 mg 3 times daily
- Silymarin extract: 210 mg 3 times daily
|
In 2 separately reported cases, patients with inoperable liver cancer experienced tumor regression linked to milk thistle supplements. Both patients took 450 mg/day of silymarin, with no other treatment. *
