Artichoke Leaf Extract

Supplements · Digestive & Metabolic Herbs · Supplement, Typed Supps

An extract from artichoke leaves, studied mainly for modestly lowering cholesterol and easing indigestion.

Stage by stage

Intake (Standardized leaf extract capsule): Taken with meals as a digestive bitter.
Stomach & intestine (Absorbed): Cynarin and chlorogenic acid absorbed through the gut.
Liver (Cholesterol & bile affected): May modestly reduce cholesterol synthesis and stimulate bile flow.
Bloodstream (Lipid levels): Total and LDL cholesterol modestly reduced over several weeks in trials.

What the evidence supports

Lowering total and LDL cholesterol — moderate evidence. Multiple small-to-moderate randomized placebo-controlled trials show artichoke leaf extract modestly reduces total cholesterol and LDL, and one trial found an HDL increase, typically over 6-12 weeks — a reasonably consistent, if modest, benefit.
Relieving functional dyspepsia (indigestion) symptoms — limited evidence. A large uncontrolled trial and some smaller controlled studies suggest symptom improvement in bloating, nausea, and abdominal pain, but placebo-controlled evidence is thinner than for cholesterol.
Improving liver enzymes in fatty liver disease — limited evidence. Small trials in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fatty liver patients show improved ALT/AST, but studies are few, small, and not yet enough to be considered established.

Typical dose

Cholesterol trials commonly used 1,200–1,800mg/day of standardized extract; dyspepsia trials used 320–640mg, 2-3 times daily.

Upper limit: No established UL.

Timing

Typically taken with meals; benefits measured after 6-12 weeks of consistent use.

Time to effect

Weeks: Cholesterol changes were measured after roughly 6 to 12 weeks of consistent daily use in clinical trials.

Common myth

“Artichoke leaf extract works like a natural statin.” In reality: It shares a much weaker version of one statin mechanism, but trial effect sizes are modest — a helpful adjunct to diet, not a substitute for cholesterol medication when that’s needed.