milk thistle and alcohol consumption

[sasha]

HI I have just started taking milk thistle because of the great things I have heard about it's effects on the liver. I know my liver is not in great shape. I have been a heavy drinker for about 4 years. I am curbing my drinking but am wondering if i will gain benefit from the supplement even though I still drink occasionally.

Also I have come down with a strong cold and my skin has broke out pretty heavily since I started taking it.  How long does that last? Also is it likely that my sickness is due to detoxification of the liver?

Thank you for future posting,  Sasha

[Admin]

HI Sasha,
I will do my best to provide some useful information for you on Milk Thistle and Alcohol Consumption, but of course, cannot give you medical advice without knowing you as a patient.  So, I will share my insights as best I can in a theoretical sense.  If the cold and rash persist, definitely see a physician to get some feedback for your body.

I know my liver is not in great shape. I have been a heavy drinker for about 4 years. I am curbing my drinking but am wondering if i will gain benefit from the supplement even though I still drink occasionally.

First of all, the human liver is one of the fastest organs in the body to heal.  Still, long term alcohol use can damage the liver as we know very clearly.  Milk Thistle is used very often to help the liver recover from damage due to alcohol consumption and many studies point to it being effective.  There is no problem mixing alcohol with Milk Thistle, as the active ingredient of Milk Thistle is alcohol soluble.  

As we all know, heavy alcohol consumption is not good for the body or the liver.  Milk Thistle will help, but cannot protect a liver from someone drinking a bottle of Whiskey a day.

Also I have come down with a strong cold and my skin has broke out pretty heavily since I started taking it.  How long does that last? Also is it likely that my sickness is due to detoxification of the liver?

This type of reaction can be from detoxification itself, the weakening of the immune system due to detox, an allergic reaction, or simply a cold.  I can't tell you which it is for you as we have never met and I don't know your personal health history.  I can say that some people have this type of reaction as a detox symptom, but it is not too common.  I would personally stop taking the Milk Thistle if it persists past 2 days and see if it goes away.  If it does go away after you have stopped, try another brand.  Look for one that is 100% organic, as some extracts are made with very harsh chemical solvents, which you may be reacting to.  When you start again, use a low dosage and make sure that every day you have a good bowel movement.  If you start to move the bile out of the Liver in large quantities with any supplement, and the bowels are not moving, the toxins being released can get re-absorbed into the system and the symptoms you described can result.  

You asked how long the symptoms can last.  If it is detoxification, it may last two to three days (maybe a week) as long as the bowels are moving daily.  If it is an allergic reaction, until the allergen is removed.  If it is a cold, . . .

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any more questions, and I'll do my best to answer.

[sasha]

Hi and thank you for your reply. I did not see this message right away so i did not discontinue the milk thistle but i am getting better. I have recently started making more healthy decisions for my body, eating better exercise and less alcohol, so I am assuming that my face and back is just where these toxins have chosen to leave. I know you are not a doc nor trying to give med advice but is there something else that is helpful in clearing skin up that might also help . Thank you    Sasha

[Admin]

I am actually a licensed acupuncurist.  In the state of California I am a primary care physician through this license.  Still, as observation and palpation is such an important part of diagnosis in Oriental Medicine, there is no way for me to be able to answer most peoples questions directly without a picture and a long discussion.  So, on this board I have a general rule to answer with holistic theory and not individualized diagnosis.  That is what our consulting service is for, the creation of individualized plans.  For acne, there are general directions that I always recommend for people.  There are also specifics for their bodies.  The general:
1) A diet similar to our diet for liver disease: Diet For Liver Disease
This will help take a gentle load off of the "liver" system to aid in detoxification.
2) Vitamin E
3) Omega 3 Oils
4) Spirolinia

You may want to read a reply to a post that was published Sunday night.  It is aimed at helping "brighten the eyes" but Acne was a major topic.  The main reason that I bring it up is that there was a lot of time spent describing the "liver" in Chinese medicine, and much of the information applies to your post.  Click here to read: "Eyes not quite white"

[sasha]

Thank you again . I did not realize you were an accupuncturist. I have always  been interested in going to one but have not yet done so. Incidently i have already added salmon oil to my dail regimin along with viy e . now i will go get some Spirolinia as well. Thank you so much for your time and references.  Sasha

[Admin]

Thanks Sasha,
  Keep us updated and best of luck.  Almost forgot to say the most basic, drink lots of clean water.