Dandelion is a well-known weed, but it’s also a source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and beneficial biochemicals. It's used in supplements to manage diabetes, reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure, decrease inflammation associated with arthritis, and help nursing women by boosting breast milk production.
Though dandelions have a diuretic effect that eliminates excess water from the body, there’s currently no solid scientific evidence to support other health benefits. If you're not allergic, dandelions are likely safe to eat. However, dandelions can interact with certain medications and
cause adverse reactions. It’s best to consult your healthcare provider before taking dandelion supplements.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. When choosing a supplement, look for third-party tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
Health Benefits of Dandelion
Dandelion comes in many different forms. Its greens can be eaten raw or cooked. It is also available in supplement form as tablets, capsules, tinctures, or liquid extracts. Because dandelions are edible, some people consider the greens to be a delicacy with their slightly bitter, grassy flavor.
Others believe that dandelions (the root especially) can either treat, prevent, or support the treatment of a wide range of unrelated medical conditions. The plant has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and other traditional or folk medicines.
Generally, the health benefits of dandelion remain unproven and data on dandelion use is limited. Here's what is known about dandelion benefits from the existing research.
To date, there is little evidence that dandelions can treat or prevent any disease. The evidence is generally limited to test tube studies and animal research.
Medicinal Chicory Root Uses to Know
Managing Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is often associated with lifestyle factors such as obesity, a high-fat diet, and a lack of exercise. The disease is characterized by abnormally high blood glucose (sugar) levels that can damage multiple organs due to high levels of chronic inflammation.
Dandelions contain substances that are thought to counter these effects, including chicoric acid, chlorogenic acid, sesquiterpene lactones, and most especially taraxasterol.
Studies in mice have shown that taraxasterol can reduce inflammation and improve the function of the liver (the organ responsible for producing and releasing glucose whenever the body needs energy). By doing so, blood sugar levels can be significantly decreased.
Despite the positive findings, the same effect has yet to be seen in humans.
Treating Obesity
Animal research suggests dandelion may offer benefits in treating obesity, one of the main contributing factors to diabetes.
Although studies have suggested a dose of 150 to 300 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) may reduce obesity in rats, the same has not been seen in humans.
Reducing High Cholesterol
Research in mice given a dandelion (T. officinale) extract suggests that dandelion may offer benefits in lowering cholesterol and potentially improving liver function. Leaf extract given to obese mice, treated with 300 mg/kg of body weight, changed their lipid levels and related blood chemistry.
The same effects of dandelion remain unproven in humans.
Preventing Chronic Liver Disease
In traditional medicine, dandelion has been used to promote liver health and it remains a common use. An animal study in rats suggests that dandelion extract may prove to be a therapy for chronic liver and kidney diseases that often prove fatal.
The results suggest that dandelion's antioxidant properties offer benefits, but the authors note that further studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm their findings or apply them in humans.
Reducing High Blood Pressure
Dandelions can act as a diuretic, meaning that is can cause you to urinate (pee). This may be beneficial in treating hypertension (high blood pressure) and, in turn, reducing the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Dandelions are also rich in antioxidants like beta carotene, which have been shown in animal studies to reduce hypertension in mice and rabbits.
With that said, there are no high-quality studies in humans to support these claims.
Preventing Heart Disease
By replicating the action of diuretic drugs, some experts hypothesize that compounds in dandelion can actively fight or prevent heart conditions like atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries'), heart valve disease, and heart failure (in which the heart is less able to pump blood throughout the body).
Antioxidant properties also may offer benefits, according to animal studies, and sterols found in dandelion may offer heart health benefits in humans. More research is needed to confirm these benefits.
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the autoimmune form of arthritis in which the immune system attacks its own joints. Over time, the autoimmune inflammation can gradually destroy the protective cartilage and lead to joint deformity and chronic pain.
Taraxasterol is thought to reduce inflammation and potentially protect against the long-term damage caused by RA.
Studies in mice with chemically-induced RA have shown that injection of taraxasterol reduced levels of an inflammatory marker known as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by more than 50% compared to those that were left untreated.
It is unclear, however, how potent the effect is on RA over the long term or if the same effects might be seen in humans.
Preventing and Treating Cancer
Some researchers suggest that compounds in dandelions may protect against cancer. A number of test tube studies have shown that exposing different cancer cells to an alcohol-based dandelion extract has a cytotoxic (cell-killing) effect similar to chemotherapy—but without chemotherapy side effects.
Another test tube study published in the journal Oncotarget reported that a water-based extract of dandelion root was able to slow the proliferation (multiplication and spread) of colon cancer cells.
Dandelion has been used to treat cancer in traditional medicine. Despite these findings, there has yet to be any evidence that dandelion in any form can prevent or treat cancers of any type in humans.
Keeping Skin Healthy
A number of studies suggest that dandelion can offer benefits in skin health. Among them is a lab study, using chicken embryos, that found the compounds in dandelion might help to heal skin that was damaged from harmful UVB rays.
The study used a fermented dandelion broth to help repair the skin damage. The results suggest the dandelion broth served as an antioxidant, reducedskin inflammation, and promoted healing of the skin barrier. However, more study is needed.
Promoting Digestive Health
Some studies suggest a role for dandelion products in aiding digestion. Dandelions contain prebiotic fibers known to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, as well as inulin with similar effects.
It's not yet clear how dandelion can help, but it may offer benefits in relieving constipation or helping with nutrient absorption in the digestive tract.
Boosting Milk Production
Some people consider dandelion a galactagogue that can help people who are nursing babies boost their milk supply. While it's generally considered safe to use during lactation and not likely to harm the infant, neither do any studies prove the benefits of dandelion in producing milk.
10 Herbs With Medicinal Benefits
Possible Side Effects
Dandelion is generally considered safe and well-tolerated if consumed in moderation. The overconsumption of dandelion or dandelion supplements can cause gastrointestinal side effects like:
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
Due to the potential for gastrointestinal side effects, dandelion supplements should be used with caution in people with irritable bowel disease (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and other chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
Risk of Allergy
On rare occasions, dandelions have been known to cause an allergic reaction, including a potentially life-threatening allergy known as anaphylaxis. The risk of this is greater in people with allergies to plants like:
- Asters
- Chamomile
- Chrysanthemums
- Daisies
- Feverfew
- Marigolds
- Ragweed
- Sunflowers
- Yarrow
When to Call 911
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you have signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including:
- A sudden outbreak of rash or hives
- Shortness of break
- Wheezing
- Sudden diarrhea
- Abnormal heartbeats
- Swelling of the face, mouth, or throat
- A feeling of impending doom
What Is Anaphylaxis?
Drug Interactions
Dandelions can interact with certain drugs and affect how they are absorbed or cleared by the body. Advise your healthcare provider if you are taking any of the following before starting a dandelion supplement:
- Antibiotics like Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
- Anticholesterol drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin)
- Antidepressants like Elavil (amitriptyline)
- Antihypertensive drugs like angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Antipsychotics like lithium
- Diuretics like Lasix (furosemide)
- Estrogen-based contraceptives
Recommended Dosage
There are no guidelines for the appropriate use of dandelion supplements. As a general rule, do not exceed the recommended dosage on the product label. If you experience side effects of any sort, stop taking the supplement and call your healthcare provider.
Some recommended ranges for dandelion products include:
- Fresh leaves: 4 to 10 grams (g) daily
- Dried leaves: 4 to 10 g daily
- Leaf tincture: 2 to 5 milliliters, three times a day
- Fresh leaf juice: 1 teaspoon (tsp.) twice daily
- Fluid extract: 1 to 2 tsp. daily
- Fresh roots: 2 to 8 g daily
- Dried powder extract: 250 to 1000 milligrams four times a day
Some researchers have identified 10g to 15g as a recommended daily dosage of dandelion. It remains unclear how much dandelion is too much. As a precaution, dandelion supplements should not be used in children or people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-benefits-of-dandelion-root-89103-inline-5b736cd4534641a6ae741c449dab935c.jpg "11 Heath Benefits of Dandelion (1)")
What to Look For
Fresh dandelion greens can sometimes be found in specialty groceries and be added to salads, soups, and sandwiches. Avoid harvesting dandelions from yards or fields as they may be contaminated with pesticides or pollutants in the soil.
Dandelion supplements come in many forms and can be purchased online or in many drugstores, grocery stores, and nutritional supplement shops. There are also dandelion teas that some people use for medicinal purposes.
In the United States, supplements are not stringently regulated and can vary in their quality. To better ensure purity and safety, opt for brands that have been voluntarily submitted for certification by independent certifying bodies like U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), ConsumerLab, or NSF International.
Certification does not mean that the supplement works or is without risks. It simply means that the product contains the ingredients listed on the product label in the correct amounts and that no impurities have been found.
Avoid buying "wildcrafted" dried dandelions from traditional herbalists or healers, especially those imported from China and other countries. Because these products are not regulated, there is no way to know if they have been contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, or other potentially harmful substances.
Summary
The use of dandelion is common in alternative medicine. Leaves, flowers, and dandelion root benefits remain under study for use as antioxidants, anti-cancer agents, for their antibacterial properties, and more.
However, the benefits of dandelion remain unclear. Its use in preventing heart disease, for example, is unproven, and there's not yet any evidence that it can be used to prevent or treat cancer in humans. Neither is there any evidence that it helps with lactation and breast milk production.
Dandelion as a food is generally considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration. It can cause side effects and allergic reactions, and may play a role in certain drug interactions. Speak to your healthcare provider before using dandelion or any other supplement.
What Everyone Should Know About Supplements
Correction - June 8, 2023: This article was updated to remove statements indicating that warfarin is used as a diuretic.
