Does Liver Cleansing Purge Progesterone?

by Tammy
(Texas)

I know liver cleansing by means of using Milk Thistle and coffee enemas purges estrogen from the liver, which is our goal here. But does liver cleansing also purge progesterone?

I'm using Natpro days 15-28 and don't want to purge that for sure. Should I just use the Milk Thistle on days 1-14, or not do any liver cleansing at all. In the past when I have used Milk Thistle (or some other liver formula), my following cycle is VERY heavy to the point of being bed-ridden for a day or two. But if this gets the excess estrogen out of my system without purging the Natpro, I can deal with the problem until it's not necessary to do these cleanses anymore (until the estrogen is at a normal level).

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Does Liver Cleansing Purge Progesterone?

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Mar 15, 2011
 Does Liver Cleansing Purge Progesterone?
by: Wray

Hi Tammy I would hope it doesn't! I take 515mg milk thistle per day, containing 81.79% silymarins, effectively giving me 420mg/day silymarins. I've done this for over three years now, as have many people I recommend it to, and none of us have had any adverse effects from it. But more importantly the progesterone still works! In fact milk thistle goes into all the complexes we make, as I believe it's one of the most valuable herbs there is. I'm interested you have a very heavy period following the milk thistle, I've not heard that before. If you can put up with this, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the milk thistle. Another herbal extract you could think about is DIM. Although people think this removes oestrogen from the body, it doesn't. What it does do is change the ratio of oestrogen's two principle metabolites, 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1) and 16-alpha hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1). 16alpha-OHE1 is regarded as a potent oestrogen, whereas 2-OHE1 is a weak oestrogen. DIM increases levels of 2-OHE1, by doing so it also increases the ratio of 2-OHE1:16alpha-OHE1. This increased ratio is associated with a lower risk for breast cancer, see here. Other studies have found a protective role too. Oestrogen is metabolised in the liver by glucuronic acid, the process is known as glucuronidation. The process also removes other substances, including toxins, drugs, bilirubin, androgens, mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. It's then excreted in the bile, but an enzyme in the intestine called beta-glucuronidase breaks the oestrogen/glucuronide bond, which allows oestrogen to be reabsorbed. Calcium D-glucarate inhibits beta-glucuronidase. There's evidence beta-glucuronidase activity is increased in breast and prostate cancer, see here, here and here. Some fruits and vegetables contain it naturally, see here. Another study found that a diet containing fruits and vegetables didn't reduce beta-glucuronidase activity, in fact increased it, see here. Although there's no doubt supplementing with calcium D-glucarate does reduce beta-glucuronidase. Incidentally this enzyme is produced by undesirable gut bacteria, supplementing with probiotics suppresses the bacteria, and subsequently the beta-glucuronidase. Any natural substance which reduces the potency of oestrogen is to my mind worth taking. Take care Wray
May 03, 2012
 Heavy period from milk thistle
by: Anonymous

This is the first comment regarding having a heavy period (with more clotting than usual) following the use of milk thistle. I too am experiencing this and am wondering if I should discontinue using milk thistle because of it. Is this a common side effect? The milk thistle is part of a liver cleanse I am doing in effort to obtain a clearer complexion. Any comments?
May 07, 2012
 Heavy period from milk thistle
by: Wray

Hi there I can't find any papers on why it should cause a heavy bleed. But to my mind this is a good thing, particular if clotting accompanies it. The clotting is blood coagulating and it shouldn't, it should flow freely. This means it's blood which has not been excreted in the previous cycle. Milk thistle enhances glucuronidation, which is how the body gets rid of androgens and oestrogens, plus a number of other toxins or break down products. Glucoronidation does not affect progesterone. See this paper on milk thistle here, and if you'd like the full paper, see here. I'm not sure what's wrong with your skin, but you could look through our page on Acne for more info. Take care Wray

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