General Dosage
420-600mg silymarin daily, divided into 2-3 doses
Maximum dose: 900mg silymarin/day (higher doses used in some clinical trials without adverse effects)
Milk Thistle (Silymarin) Dosage Guide
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Dosage Recommendations
General recommendation: 420-600mg silymarin daily, divided into 2-3 doses
Timing: Divide into 2-3 doses throughout the day, 30 minutes before meals for best absorption
Dosage by Condition
| Condition | Recommended Dose | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| General liver support | 140-280mg silymarin daily | Moderate |
| NAFLD/fatty liver | 420mg silymarin daily (3x 140mg) | Strong |
| Alcoholic liver disease | 420-600mg silymarin daily | Strong |
| Drug-induced liver protection | 420mg silymarin daily | Moderate |
Upper limit: 900mg silymarin/day (higher doses used in some clinical trials without adverse effects)
Timing & Absorption
Divide into 2-3 doses throughout the day, 30 minutes before meals for best absorption
Can be taken with or without food.
References
- Ferenci P, Dragosics B, Dittrich H, Frank H, Benda L, Lochs H, Meryn S, Base W, Schneider B (1989). Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Journal of Hepatology. DOI PubMed
- Saller R, Meier R, Brignoli R (2001). The use of silymarin in the treatment of liver diseases. Drugs. DOI PubMed
- Zhong S, Fan Y, Yan Q, Fan X, Wu B, Han Y, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Zhang H, Niu J (2017). The therapeutic effect of silymarin in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty disease: A meta-analysis (PRISMA) of randomized control trials. Medicine. DOI PubMed
- Polyak SJ, Morishima C, Lohmann V, Pal S, Lee DY, Liu Y, Graf TN, Oberlies NH (2010). Identification of hepatoprotective flavonolignans from silymarin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI PubMed