Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a common plant whose root and leaves are sold for indigestion, as a mild water pill and for joint pain. NCCIH says there is no compelling scientific evidence for any health use, because very little research exists in people.
Also known as: Taraxacum officinale, dandelion root, lion's tooth.
We found no trials in people to draw an amount from, so we do not list one.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. In the EU, dandelion root with herb has a traditional-use monograph for mild digestive complaints such as fullness, gas and slow digestion, temporary loss of appetite, and to increase urine flow alongside treatment of minor urinary complaints (EMA). EMA bases this on long-standing ("traditional") use: there is not enough evidence from clinical trials, but the effect is plausible and the herb has been used safely this way for at least 30 years, including at least 15 years in the EU.
What studies show: NCCIH says we know very little about dandelion's effect on health; only early lab studies have looked at anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral effects.
Safety: NCCIH says dandelion in food amounts is likely safe, and less is known about larger amounts. On the skin it may cause allergy in people with eczema, and evidence is mixed on whether it causes reactions in people sensitive to ragweed, daisies and related plants. There are theoretical reasons it might interact with diabetes drugs, blood thinners, antiplatelet drugs and water pills. The EMA monograph says not to use it with blocked bile ducts, gallstones, liver or biliary disease or an active peptic ulcer, and to avoid it with kidney failure, diabetes or heart failure because of a possible risk of high potassium. Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for dandelion that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.
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