Milk Thistle Benefits

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Milk thistle benefits include a variety of curative properties centered on its unique ability to protect the liver and gallbladder. There is no equivalent pharmaceutical drug to this herb. In some disorders and poisonings, the results from treatment with are dramatically effective, so much so that the medical community hasn't disputed its usage for these tested purposes. Furthermore, there are promising preliminary lab results that indicate milk thistle may be able to play a role in inhibiting the growth of certain types of cancer cells.

The active ingredient in milk thistle is called silymarin, which is a flavonoid complex that is extracted from the seeds of the herb. Sometimes the terms silymarin and milk thistle are used interchangeably and products that are titled after both names are currently popular in the United States and Europe.

The active ingredient, silymarin, is a highly powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants have several implications for overall good health because they protect and cleanse the body from harmful free radicals. Milk thistle also stimulates other compounds that have similar cleansing properties like glutathione. Glutathione is a crucial compound for liver detoxification and in one study, glutathione levels in the body were raised by more than 30 percent after participants consumed the herb.

Additionally, there have been hundreds of studies that confirm the general healing and beneficial properties of antioxidants for overall good health.

Milk thistle is most widely used and most effective in treating diseases of the liver. In fact, it was approved in 1986 in the US for the treatment of the following:

• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Alcoholic fatty liver
• Cirrhosis
• Liver poisoning
• Viral hepatitis

In addition, milk thistle is the only known antidote for a certain type of poisoning that destroys the liver caused by the ingestion of amanita mushrooms.

Those who must take many non-aspirin pain relievers that contain acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) may also benefit from this herb. Heavy use of these types of pain relievers can degrade liver function and the protective properties of milk thistle ease this side effect.

A small number of studies have discovered an improved ability for cirrhotic patients with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. However, more studies need to be completed before the medical community fully accepts these findings.

Although there have not been enough human trials for the medical community to whole-heartedly recommend milk thistle as part of a cancer treatment regiment, preliminary findings from substantiated studies are promising for those with prostate, cervical and breast cancers. In these clinical trials and studies, the active ingredient, Silymarin, slowed the growth rate of the some cancerous cells and improved the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs.

A good number of animal studies highly suggest that milk thistle can lower cholesterol. One study even showed that the active ingredient, silymarin, was as effective as the cholesterol-lowering drug Probucol, while coming with the added benefit of significantly increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. However, more trials are needed to confirm these effects.

There are also milk thistle benefits for nursing mothers. The herb has some estrogen like properties, used to stimulate the flow and increase the volume of breast milk for centuries. Before taking any herb during pregnancy or while breast feeding, please consult your physician.

Milk thistle also stimulates and increases bile flow, which aids in the prevention of gallstones and several adrenal disorders such as inflammatory bowel syndrome and psoriasis.

Using milk thistle is unique in that it cannot be taken effectively via a medicinal cup of tea like most other herbs. This is because silymarin, the active ingredient, is not water-soluble. However, silymarin is soluble in alcohol, so your best bet is to buy a high quality milk thistle extract. For standard dosage, it’s recommended to start out only consuming two to three dropper-fulls of extract per day because of this herb’s strong cleansing properties. Then increase the dosage slowly and by only one dropper-full more per week until you are taking six to nine dropper-fulls per day.

Overall milk thistle has been used for medicinal purposes for over 2000 years because it has proven to be an effective and natural remedy. Modern science has even confirmed some of the herb’s healing properties. Furthermore, it is well tolerated by most individuals. Milk thistle side effects do exist for some, and as with most herbs, milk thistle should be used with caution and with the advice of your doctor.

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