2.2. Study Investigational Product
milk thistle extract
The proprietary, whole food blend was supplied as 27.4 oz (777 g) SP Detox Balance bottles by the manufacturer (Standard Process Inc., Palmyra, WI, USA). The serving size was defined as 2 scoops (37 g) and included a blend of organic pea protein, flax meal, organic oat flour, organic pumpkin seed protein, organic buckwheat flour, organic beet (leaf) juice powder, organic buckwheat (aerial parts), apple pectin, juniper (berry) powder, organic Spanish black radish (root), burdock (root) powder, organic beet (root), calcium citrate, organic barley (grass), dandelion (leaf), broccoli (aerial parts), inositol, organic alfalfa (aerial parts) juice powder, Oregon grape (root) powder, globe artichoke (leaf), sunflower lecithin powder, milk thistle extract (80% silymarins), organic cordyceps mushroom powder, organic carrot, and organic sweet potato. Other ingredients included creatine, L-leucine, xanthan gum, L-isoleucine, L-valine, DL-methionine, monk fruit extract, and choline bitartrate. The nutritional intervention was self-administered by participants orally in the form of a rehydratable shake with 1–2 servings daily on days 1–7, 3 servings daily on days 8–21, and 1–2 servings on days 22–28. 