milk thistle powder (extract) questions

[bad1080]

i ordered milk thistle extract powder (standardized to 80% silymarin 99%, taurine 1%) and it tastes rather nasty (bitter and almost burnt), it stains like crazy and it doesn't dissolve in water (it forms a gelatinous blob). i now read it dissolves in alcohol, which does work much better but now i have to consume a small bit of alcohol every time i wanna take milk thistle (not ideal when my goal is liver detox plus even the tiniest amount of alcohol gets my drunk). i am guessing people who know about it have bought it in capsules to avoid all of this but i am now sitting here with 200g of powder and i wonder what to do with it... even making capsules myself seems like a bad idea because of how badly it stains everything it comes in contact with.

 

[Wishful]

What colour does it turn your tongue and lips?

A quick check on solubility showed there's a reason why people buy an extract instead. It sounds like there's not much point in swallowing the powder, even in capsules, due to low bioavailability.

 

[bad1080]

A quick check on solubility showed there's a reason why people buy an extract instead.

it is an extract, it says "milk thistle extract (seeds). standardized to 80% silymarin 99%, taurine 1%" (i added it to the OP)

What colour does it turn your tongue and lips?

i am not sure i understand the question, like after i feel an effect or when i rub the raw powder on my lips?
since i drink the alcohol solution heavily watered down the reddish brown color loses it's intensity a lot. as per the instructions on the box i dissolve only half a tiny spoon (came in the box) of powder (250mg).

 

[Wishful]

You said it "stains like crazy", so I assumed it would stain your mouth.

Also, you said "milk thistle powder" not "milk thistle extract powder", and the difference might be important.

 

[bad1080]

You said it "stains like crazy", so I assumed it would stain your mouth.

i haven't checked tbh, i thought maybe your lips have a certain color after you have a detox reaction or something.

Also, you said "milk thistle powder" not "milk thistle extract powder", and the difference might be important.

yes, thanks. i clarified it!

 

[pamojja]

Once, in an attempt to save money, bought curcumin extract powder. Biggest part I indeed put in capsules, with all that staining, in the end. However, I also mix such unpleasant extract powders in water to drink, possible with additional stevia-extract only.

Years later, with lots of Gymnema sylvestre (Meshashringi) extract and powder, allegedly fighting beside diabetes a sweet tooth too, I can take any existing bitter-nastiness, in water, now without stevia-extract, too.

 

[bad1080]

possible with additional stevia-extract only

to cover the taste or does it help with dissolving the agent?

 

[pamojja]

For dissolving, I repeatedly stir with the spoon. Since the added ascorbic acid reacts with the natural high in bicarbonate water too, sizzling helps a bid too.

it doesn't dissolve in water (it forms a gelatinous blob)

Yes, the Gelatin I put in the same glass of water does thereby dissolve too. Only the lecithin swims on the surface, gone in a few gulps.

One technique, whenever I need higher ascorbic acid intake (as now with rhinitis): I take the spoonful of crystals in my thoung, and gulp it down with water. Would work with the milk thistle powder too, only short interference with taste receptors.

 

[Carl]

What colour does it turn your tongue and lips?

A quick check on solubility showed there's a reason why people buy an extract instead. It sounds like there's not much point in swallowing the powder, even in capsules, due to low bioavailability.

That is not the big issue that it might first seem. ME sufferers have extremely high digestive permeability and can absorb large molecules directly into the blood stream. FYI that is what causes and promotes the autoimmunity in ME/Fibro. Even B12 which is supposed to require intrinsic factor doesn't really require it because of such high digestive permeability because it gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the biofilm(s). I have had enormously high, off the scale blood levels of B12 after consuming 5mg methyl B12 tablets multiple times a day. That reduced IgE levels for me.

I am currently using Milk Thistle extract powder myself but I don't take too much because it can have COX-2 inhibiting effects and too much COX-2 inhibition can be damaging to the kidneys in high doses. That is why I will not use Cordyceps Militaris because Cordycepin has strong COX-2 inhibiting effects and is present in very high levels in Militaris, typically x1000 times higher than Cordyceps Sinensis wild type. People in Thailand have suffered kidney failure after taking Cordycepin extracts because it can adversely affect kidney function in high doses. Taking too much of anything can be very damaging and making body processes work in adverse ways is not a good idea IMO.

I recently checked with an AI site and asked about the COX-2 inhibiting effects of herbs and it claimed that Milk Thistle had the lowest COX-2 inhibiting effects of the herbs that I was interested in. I found an article which said the complete opposite!

Therefore some COX-2 expression is needed to maintain normal kidney function but also excessive COX-2 in the body promotes inflammation which can be damaging to the kidneys. Septicemia which is excessive inflammation in the body can promote kidney failure.

BTW MT extract does have anti proliferative effects, it helps prevent cancer.

I had some good effects using MT where it made me lose weight where I couldn't keep my trousers up. It must of been a combination of things that I was taking at the time which had that effect because I don't usually lose weight at that rate very easily. Body fat just disappeared!

 

[Wishful]

For dissolving, I repeatedly stir with the spoon.

For people who want to take something that is difficult to dissolve, there are probably methods available for doing that. Ultrasonic mixers come to mind. Not something I've researched, but there are options beyond spoons.

 

[bad1080]

For people who want to take something that is difficult to dissolve, there are probably methods available for doing that. Ultrasonic mixers come to mind. Not something I've researched, but there are options beyond spoons.

i was thinking about one of those battery powered milk frothers, the cheap ones you can get for a couple quid with the round spring thingy at the end, the ones that don't really make milk foam but they can do the stirring

 

[pamojja]

but there are options beyond spoons.

Practically all an optical problem. The intestinal tract mixes, digests and excretes the rest without staining of capsule machines, ultrasonic or other mixers. Or the toilet unduly.

The real problem, which puts me at my limits, is needing (for my too many dysfunctional body-systems; despite remissions) so many nutrients in capsules, as oil or as powders. Therefore, I make it tolerable, by ignoring merely optical problems. And let my digestive tract be stained only.

 

[Carl]

TBH your all over thinking this. ME/Fibro sufferers have very high digestive permeability where just about anything will go directly into the bloodstream and not require "digestion". Thank your pathogenic biofilm for that. Sit down and it should quickly enter your bloodstream. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?