Does Artichoke Leaf Extract Work? -- An Overview
Artichoke leaf extract is a
dietary supplement. Because of this, it can be marketed in the United States without any evidence that it is either safe or effective. Like most supplements, artichoke leaf extract is claimed to be useful for treating a wide variety of health conditions, usually without much reliable scientific evidence. People use artichoke leaf extract for treating the following conditions:
Does Artichoke Leaf Extract Work for Treating Indigestion or Heartburn?
A few, very small studies have suggested that artichoke leaf extract may work for treating indigestion or heartburn. In particular, these studies have shown that the supplement may help relieve the following symptoms:
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- Gas
- Nausea and vomiting.
The overall improvement of these conditions may take some time (a few weeks or more) and should not be expected to be drastic. Larger studies are needed to confirm that artichoke leaf extract is really beneficial for this use.
Does Artichoke Leaf Extract Work for Treating High Cholesterol?
Early studies have suggested that artichoke leaf extract may safely and effectively be used to
lower cholesterol. In particular, studies have suggested that the extract may help to lower total
cholesterol and
LDL cholesterol ("
bad cholesterol"). However, it is simply too early to recommend artichoke leaf extract for this use, since more reliable scientific evidence is needed.
