Should I take milk thistle if I drink alcohol?

Do not consume alcohol while you are taking silymarin, the active compound in milk thistle. While there is no specific interaction between this nutritional supplement and alcohol, the primary reason people take silymarin is to protect the liver and help it repair itself.

Should you take milk thistle before or after drinking?

No matter what, if you are going to be drinking, make sure you have some Milk Thistle on stand-by. Take one tablet before you start drinking and then another before you go to bed and one with breakfast the following morning.

When should you not take milk thistle?

If you have diabetes, use milk thistle with caution, since the supplement might lower blood sugar. There is also concern that milk thistle might affect estrogen levels. If you have breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids, consider avoiding milk thistle.

What should you not take with milk thistle?

Is milk thistle good for recovering alcoholics?

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum): Milk thistle is often used to treat liver problems. Some studies looking at milk thistle to treat alcoholic liver disease have found significant improvements in liver function. People with the mildest form of alcohol-related liver damage seem to improve the most.

Does Milk Thistle help protect against alcohol damage ?

How can I protect my liver when drinking alcohol?

Keep your alcohol consumption down to 2 glasses per event. This way, you'll prevent liver damage while still enjoying yourself. Have a Glass of Water Every Hour: Drinking clean, pure water not just helps replace lost fluids from urination, but also reduces alcohol concentration in the blood.

What does milk thistle do for alcohol?

Milk thistle is often suggested as a treatment for alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis, but scientific studies show mixed results. Most studies show milk thistle improves liver function and increases survival in people with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.

Can milk thistle detox your liver?

Supports liver health

The active ingredient in milk thistle, silymarin, acts as an antioxidant by reducing free radical production. Scientists think this creates a detoxifying effect, which is why milk thistle may be beneficial for liver problems.

What happens if you take milk thistle everyday?

Milk thistle is generally considered safe for most people at dosages up to 420 mg 3 times a day. However, it may cause allergic reactions, such as itching, headaches, and joint pain, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea or diarrhea.

What are the negative side effects of milk thistle?

How long to take milk thistle for liver detox?

Early research shows that taking milk thistle extract by mouth for up to one year, or taking a product containing the milk thistle constituent silybin plus phosphatidylcholine by mouth for 1 week, improves liver function tests.

How much milk thistle for liver detox?

Milk thistle is marketed as capsules or tablets containing ethanol extracted silymarin in amounts of 250 to 750 mg and is purported to be beneficial for liver disease, including alcoholic and viral liver disease. The daily dosage varies but it is typically taken 2 to 3 times daily.

How long does it take milk thistle to work in your body?

How Long Does Milk Thistle Take to Work. There isn't an exact science behind this, but generally it can take around 3 to 4 months before someone will see any benefits of milk thistle on their health, and this is after daily intake of some form of milk thistle.

What should I take before drinking?

What helps metabolize alcohol faster?

Food: Metabolism rate increases with food. Time of day: Alcohol metabolizes faster at the end of the day. Exercise: Alcohol is eliminated slightly faster during exercise. Alcoholism: Heavy drinking increases the rate, but advanced liver disease decreases it.

What is the best time to take milk thistle?

For Milk thistle, using it on an empty stomach (at least 15 minutes before food) makes it work faster than after meals. If the person has a very sensitive liver and tend to over-react it is a very good idea to take it after meals to buffer reactions.

How do you take milk thistle for a hangover?

Milk Thistle tablets

It's used to relieve the upset stomach that usually accompanies a hangover so you can feel more like yourself the next morning. The easiest way to take Milk Thistle is by taking one or two easy-to-swallow tablets.

What is the best drink to flush your liver?

How do I know if my liver is detoxing?

Can milk thistle repair a fatty liver?

Medical research on milk thistle and liver health has led to mixed results. Studies show that silymarin may help ease inflammation and promote cell repair. This may help ease symptoms from liver diseases like jaundice, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and fatty liver disease.

How do you know if you have liver damage from alcohol?

What supplements should I take if I drink alcohol?

Heavy drinkers may benefit from adding vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, and B9 supplements as indicated by symptoms of deficiencies, and under professional medical guidance. Vitamin B1 deficiency can be treated by ceasing alcohol consumption (with professional help), improving nutritional factors, and taking B1 supplements.

How long till liver heals from alcohol?

Severe drinking may require three months to a year to fully regenerate the liver to its original capacity and functionality. Over time, the liver can heal itself from damages caused by alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis. Unfortunately, when it comes to the scars of cirrhosis, these damages are irreversible.

Can you repair your liver from alcohol?

Some alcohol-related liver damage can be reversed if you stop drinking alcohol early enough in the disease process. Healing can begin as early as a few days to weeks after you stop drinking, but if the damage is severe, healing can take several months.

How often should you take milk thistle?

Dosage and side effects

Milk thistle supplements, for reference, are tolerated at doses of up to 700 mg, 3 times per day for 24 weeks ( 1 ). Possible side effects of the plant include stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhea ( 1 ).