Dandelion
Also known as: Taraxacum officinale, dandelion root, dandelion leaf, dandelion extract, taraxasterol
Effective Dosage
No established dose from provided studies
What the Science Says
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a common flowering plant used in traditional medicine for centuries. In clinical research, it has appeared as one ingredient in multi-herb liquid formulas that showed improvements in liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT) in healthy adults and those with fatty liver disease over 60–180 days. Applied topically in combination with borneol, dandelion paste reduced facial swelling and pain after jaw surgery better than ice packs alone. Lab and animal studies suggest compounds in dandelion—like taraxasterol and phytol—may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, but these findings have not been tested in humans.
What It Doesn't Do
Not proven to work as a standalone supplement—every positive human trial used it in a blend with other herbs. No evidence it detoxifies your liver on its own. Not a proven diuretic in humans based on these studies. No clinical evidence it treats or prevents cancer in people. The animal and cell-culture cancer findings are very early-stage and do not translate to human use. Don't expect it to cure UTIs alone—the UTI study used a multi-ingredient formula where dandelion was a minor component.
Evidence-Based Benefits
Dandelion has been shown to possess diuretic properties, which may help in promoting urine production and supporting kidney function. Additionally, it contains antioxidants that may contribute to reducing oxidative stress in the body.
Moderate EvidenceEffective at: No established dose
Source: auto-research
Absorption & Bioavailability
Unknown — no pharmacokinetic data provided in the reviewed studies. All human trials used multi-ingredient formulas, making it impossible to isolate dandelion's absorption or bioavailability.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Never studied alone in human clinical trials in the provided research — all positive results come from multi-ingredient blends, making it impossible to credit dandelion specifically
- Anti-cancer claims are based entirely on cell cultures and mouse models, not human trials — do not use dandelion as a cancer treatment
- One included paper (PMID 28444161) is a dog odor-training study where dandelion was just a scent source — irrelevant to human health benefits
- Broiler chicken studies (animal feed research) are sometimes misrepresented as evidence for human immune benefits — they are not applicable to humans
- Products containing dandelion vary wildly in dose and form (powder, extract, liquid) with no standardized effective dose established
Products Containing Dandelion
See how Dandelion is used in these analyzed products:
Research Sources
- PubMed
- NIH DSLD
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen. Last updated: 2026-04-06