Supplement · Adaptogens & traditional herbs
Milk thistle (silymarin)
Also known as: Silymarin, Silybum marianum
A traditional liver-support herb whose liver-outcome evidence is mixed.
- Evidence
- Silver· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
Milk thistle provides silymarin, an antioxidant complex traditionally used to protect the liver, and is popular as a 'liver support' or detox supplement.
The human evidence is mixed: rigorous trials in common liver diseases (such as hepatitis C and fatty liver) have been largely underwhelming, though silibinin has a genuine role in certain mushroom poisonings. It is well tolerated, but the everyday 'liver cleanse' marketing outstrips the outcome data.