How to Take Milk Thistle With Statins

Because milk thistle is believed to protect and regenerate the liver, it̵7;s indicated for a variety of conditions as an alternative treatment. Though it̵7;s a flowering herb, its fruit has a potentially powerful effect on the liver and it could interact with other drugs, particularly lipid-lowering statin drugs.

Things You'll Need

• Milk thistle

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Instructions

Taking Milk Thistle with Statins

• 1

  Speak with your doctor about the possibility of a reaction to milk thistle if you're currently on a statin drug. The HCV Advocate, a website for those suffering from Hepatitis C, says that the seeds of the milk thistle plant can slow down or reduce the liver̵7;s ability to break down enzymes. Because of this enzyme reduction, certain medications might take longer to break down, which means that they̵7;ll be in the system longer than normal. This excess of drugs could lead to uncomfortable or even dangerous side effects. The HCV Advocate says that the lipid-lowering drugs Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor and Baycol all have the potential to interact with milk thistle in this way.

• 2

  Take milk thistle in capsule, extract or infusion form. Supplements should contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin, which is what̵7;s extracted from the seeds. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says the silymarin is the biologically active part of the herb.

• 3

  Reduce the typical dose if you̵7;re worried about a potential interaction with your statin drug. James F. Balch and Mark Stengler, authors of ̶0;Prescription for Natural Cures,̶1; say that milk thistle is beneficial for a wide variety of conditions, and dosage information is different for each one. Balch and Stengler recommend the following for consumption of milk thistle:

  Take 200 to 250 mg twice daily for bad breath
  Take 420 mg daily for gallbladder problems
  Take 600 and 1,000 mg daily for hepatitis
  Take 250 mg three times a day for poisoning, psoriasis and substance abuse

  If you̵7;re currently taking a statin medication and you̵7;d like to take milk thistle, start with a lower dose than recommended. If, after a week or two, you don̵7;t have negative interactions, consider taking more. As always, make sure to speak with your doctor to see if milk thistle is a supplement that you should avoid.