Jarrow Formulas' Milk Thistle the Only Quality Approved Product in ConsumerLab.com Review

Los Angeles, CA, December 15, 2009  In a recent comprehensive review of milk thistle supplements by natural products industry watchdog group ConsumerLab.com, Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle was only product to be approved for quality among the 10 milk thistle products that were selected for testing. ConsumerLab.com purchased and tested leading milk thistle products sold in the U.S to determine which current extracts on the market contained 70% - 80% silymarin. Most clinical studies of milk thistle's effectiveness have used dry extracts standardized to this level. All products were also tested for lead contamination, as this can occur in herbal supplements. Tablet and caplet products were additionally tested for their ability to properly break apart for absorption. Liquid products and standard capsules do not undergo this testing, as they will quickly release their contents.

All products were tested as follows:
    • Quantitative analysis for flavone lignans (silymarin) utilizing the INA HPLC method or other appropriate methods as determined by CL.
    • Quantitative analyses for lead by ICP/MS or other appropriate methods determined by CL.
    • Disintegration of non-capsule, non-chewable, non-liquid and non-time released formulations utilizing USP (United States Pharmacopeia) <2040> methods.

Among the 10 products selected for testing, 2 products failed to meet FDA labeling requirements. Seven others failed to provide the standardized amount of silymarin listed on their labels. These products claimed to provide an extract that was 80% silymarin. However, the silymarin content was found to be much lower.
Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle met label claims and was approved for quality. The product provided a milk thistle extract that is 80% flavonoids, the larger family of compounds which includes silymarin. Additionally Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle contained 70% silymarin.

ConsumerLab.com's comprehensive testing criteria is detailed as follows:
    • Milk thistle ingredient to be derived from the ripe seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn)) as either powdered seed material or dry extract.
    • Must meet its label claims for silymarin content and contain a minimum of 1.5% silymarin (% wt./wt.) for powdered seed product and a minimum of 70% silymarin (%wt./wt.) for dry powdered extracts. Total silymarin will be calculated as the sum of silychristin, silydianin, silybinin A and B, dehydrosilybinin, and isosilybinin A and B determined with use of the silybinin reference standard. .
    • Must not exceed CA Prop 65 levels for lead contamination in a recommended daily serving. If a maximum recommended daily serving is not defined, a daily serving size will be determined and applied by CL.
    • If applicable to Product, Product must meet disintegration requirements as set by USP.
    • The level of any ingredient or contaminant in Product must not pose a significant health risk when used as recommended on an acute or chronic basis. Additionally, if Product exceeds the most recent UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level established by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies) for any ingredient claimed or contained, CL may indicate this fact in its listing(s) of the Product. This will be determined based on the Product's suggested daily unit dose for routine use multiplied by the greater of (i) the claimed amount of the ingredient per unit or (ii) the amount of ingredient per unit as measured in Testing.
    • Product must meet all FDA labeling requirements.
Jarrow Formulas Milk Thistle 30:1 concentrate is standardized to contain 80% total Milk Thistle seed flavonoids, including the important Silymarin fractions isosilybinins A and B, silybinins A and B, silychristin and silydianin. This particular group of flavonoids, collectively known as Silymarin, supports liver function by raising protective glutathione levels.

ConsumerLab.com (CL) is a provider of independent test results and information that helps consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness and nutrition products. It publishes results of its tests on its popular website, www.consumerlab.com. Since its founding in 1999, CL has tested more than 2,500 products, representing over 350 different brands and nearly every type of popular supplement.

Jarrow Formulas is a nutritional supplement formulator and marketer founded in 1977 and incorporated in 1988. The company markets its products throughout the United States and internationally in more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia, Israel and Latin America. The company offers a complete line of nutritional products that includes vitamins, minerals, probiotics, standardized herbal concentrates, amino acids, enzymes and enteral nutrition formulations.  Jarrow Formulas, Inc. is active in regulatory affairs, helping to maintain Americans' rights to free access to dietary supplements. Its products are manufactured by Jarrow Industries Incorporated, a pharmaceutical quality facility located in Santa Fe Springs, CA.Â