Silymarin Dosage in Nutritional Supplements By Valerie Rosenbaum At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Any reasonable milk thistle or silymarin dose is safe. But, how much does it take to be effective for protecting and improving liver health and function? That’s a good question.

Like many nutrients, silymarin has low “bioavailability”. Bioavailability has to do with the body’s ability to absorb a compound, a drug or nutrient. Researchers measure the amount that reaches the bloodstream unchanged, when it is taken orally. When a drug or nutrient is injected, there is 100% bioavailability. When taken orally, only a small portion of it may reach the bloodstream without being changed by the liver.

Because it has low bioavailability, some manufacturers suggest a high silymarin dose. Although such a dose would not be toxic, it could cause stomach upset or negative side effects. For example, if a person suffers from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, they should not take a large dosage, as the compound has been shown to lower blood sugar levels.

Researchers usually find ways to enhance and improve bioavailability. Usually, the only thing that it takes is adding a complementary nutrient. In the case of milk thistle, the complementary nutrient is lecithin.

Milk thistle may improve the function of the liver, relieve gall bladder problems, reduce varicose veins, reduce inflammation and be helpful for blood sugar control in type II diabetes, but it is not “essential” for human health. Lecithin is essential. The body needs it to create important neurotransmitters, which conduct messages from nerves to the brain and back.

If lecithin is included in the product, the recommended silymarin dose is 100mg per day. The best supplements contain a variety of different ingredients, including your basic vitamins and minerals, as well as extracts like milk thistle. Some of the nutrients that are important to liver health and function are n-acetyl cysteine, selenium, niacin and choline.

N-acetyl cysteine is the stable form of the essential amino acid L-cysteine. Cysteine is needed by the body to form glutathione, one of the most potent antioxidants that exist in the human body. Cysteine supplementation improves system function and may be beneficial for a variety of diseases. When it comes to the function of the liver, it helps it to cleanse itself of toxic heavy metals, such as mercury.

Selenium is an important antioxidant that improves the elasticity of tissues throughout the body. Niacin is essential to human health. None of the body’s organs can function without it. Choline prevents fats from accumulating in the liver, protecting you from fatty liver disease.

In other words, a silymarin dose is not the only nutrient that you should be getting every day. It is just one of many that contribute to good health, help prevent disease and may increase your lifespan. There is a growing amount of research indicating that low nutrient intake is the underlying cause of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration and a variety of other degenerative and life-threatening diseases.

If you want to live a long healthy life, you probably need to improve your nutrient intake. A 100mg silymarin dose is just one ingredient to look for.

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