Milk Thistle is a natural herb rich in silymarin, known for supporting healthy liver function and normal detoxification processes. It aids in protecting horses from oxidative damage and supports overall wellness.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is a botanical source of silymarin, a complex of flavonolignans including silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. These compounds are known for their antioxidant activity and their ability to help maintain normal liver function and metabolic balance. Milk thistle has been extensively studied in both human and veterinary contexts for its role in supporting hepatic health, antioxidant defense, and normal inflammatory processes.
In horses, silymarin helps protect hepatic tissue from oxidative challenges associated with exercise, diet, and environmental factors. It supports normal detoxification pathways by stabilizing cell membranes and promoting the regeneration of hepatocytes. Research in horses indicates that silibinin, the primary active component, is bioavailable and well-tolerated, supporting its use in equine nutrition. Its actions may also assist in maintaining healthy immune and inflammatory balance, contributing to overall well-being in horses exposed to training or metabolic stress.
Consult with a nutritionist or veterinarian prior to use.
Top dress once daily on feed or ration.
| Body Weight | Scoops | Dose |
| < 200 kg | ½ scoop | 2 g |
| 200 – 500 kg | 1 scoop | 4 g |
| > 500 kg | 1 ½ scoops | 6 g |
| 1 scoop = 9 cc = 4 grams | ||
A scale should be used with all individual ingredients to ensure accurate dosing.
For equine use only. Not for use in horses intended for food. Keep out of reach of children.
| Active Ingredients: Per gram serving |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Ingredient | Per 4 g | ||
| Milk Thistle Seed Powder | 4 | g | |
Packaged by: Mad Barn Inc., Petersburg, ON, N0B 2H0, Canada.
1 kg (2.2 lb): SKU 628055182160
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Have a question about this product? Ask below and our nutritionists will be happy to assist.
“Milk Thistle is a natural source of flavonolignans that support normal liver function and antioxidant enzyme activity. These compounds help maintain healthy detoxification and hepatic metabolism in horses under metabolic or environmental stress.”
— Dr. Priska Darani, PhD
Liver Function
Metabolic Health
Antioxidant Defenses
Immune Function
Detoxification Processes
Coat Quality and Skin Health
Resistance to Stress
Post-Exercise Care
Normal Blood Sugar Regulation
Overall Well-BeingMad Barn’s Milk Thistle is a dried, powdered form of the seed of the Silybum marianum plant. This herb can be added to equine diets to support healthy liver function and provide antioxidants.
Milk Thistle, also known as St. Mary’s Thistle, is a Mediterranean plant that contains various active compounds collectively called silymarin which include silybin. The main site of action of milk thistle is the liver and it has been well-researched for its effects on liver function in humans. [1]
Silymarin is an effective antioxidant that is thought to support the liver in times of injury related to toxins, fat accumulation, and iron overload.
Milk thistle helps protect the liver from toxins in the environment, like those found in poisonous mushrooms, ragwort or red maple trees. If these are prevalent in your area, consider adding milk thistle to your horse’s diet.
Horses and ponies with hyperlipemia may have excess fat in the liver. Milk thistle supplementation may help to support their liver and its normal function. In humans, silymarin has been shown to protect against the negative effects of fat accumulation in the liver. [2]
Milk thistle could provide nutritional support for horses with laminitis. In one study, tissue extracted from horse hooves was challenged with toxins and treated with milk thistle or silymarin. The protocol was able to neutralize the toxin and improve the structural integrity of the tissue. [3] Further research is needed to verify these effects in horses consuming oral milk thistle supplements.
Silymarin also acts as an iron chelator, meaning it binds iron molecules and may help reduce serum ferritin levels and iron stores in tissues. [4] In humans that are genetically prone to iron overload, this herb has been shown to decrease iron absorption.
To include Mad Barn’s milk thistle in your horse’s diet, we suggest a dosage of 4 grams per 500 kg (1100 lb) of bodyweight per day. You may want to start feeding a smaller amount and increase gradually over several weeks to minimize avoidance. It can be provided as dried powder added directly to the feed.
Milk Thistle is generally well tolerated in horses. It has not been studied in breeding or pregnant horses so its safety in these animals can not be assured.
In healthy horses, concentrated milk thistle extract in the form of silibinin phospholipid did not cause adverse effects when given at a dose of up to 52 mg per kg of bodyweight (26 grams for a 500 kg horse) for one week on four separate occasions. [5]
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Milk Thistle 
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