Milk Thistle: Healing + Protecting the Liver

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Misty L. Trepke

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Milk Thistle: Healing & Protection for the Liver

JoAnn Guest

 

Milk thistle What Is It?

 

Healers have used the prickly milk thistle plant to treat liver

ailments for more than 2,000 years.

 

Somehow these early practitioners figured out that preparations of

this purple-flowered member of the sunflower family could stimulate

the flow of bile from the liver, improving digestion and various

liver-related ills.

 

Interestingly, bile and other bodily fluids, also known as humors,

were once associated with different personality types. Because it was

thought that black bile was inherent to a melancholic nature, milk

thistle was prescribed for treating depression and melancholy (which

actually means " black bile " ).

 

Today, the word " biliousness " and the phrase " having excess bile "

are still used to describe negative personality traits.

 

While milk thistle is no longer seen as a remedy for melancholy,

hundreds of medical studies have substantiated the fact that the

herb does indeed protect and heal the liver.

 

European physicians currently consider milk thistle a mainstay for

liver disorders ranging from hepatitis to cirrhosis. But even though

a 19th-century American medical group called the Eclectics prescribed

milk thistle for liver ailments, it has never been widely used in the

U.S.for healing purposes.

 

Milk thistle grows throughout the world (including North America) in

both cultivated and wild form. Many sources refer to the herb, by

its botanical name, " Silybum marianum " , as well as by its active

compounds, collectively known as silymarin.

 

Concentrated stores of silymarin are found in the herb's shiny black

fruits (seeds), which are typically collected at summer's end.

 

Health Benefits

 

Although most widely associated with liver complaints, milk thistle

is also being examined for treating a variety of other disorders,

from gallstones and high cholesterol to skin cancers and allergy

symptoms.

 

As a potent antioxidant, the versatile milk thistle extract helps

prevent highly reactive oxygen molecules called free radicals from

damaging cells throughout the body, but especially in the liver,

stomach, and intestines.

 

An injectable form of milk thistle is a powerful antidote to

mushroom poisoning. And the oral extract shows promise for minimizing

chemotherapy-associated liver damage.

 

This is a function of the herb's antioxidant actions as well as its

ability to accelerate the excretion of toxic compounds that can

accumulate in the body.

 

Specifically, milk thistle may help to:

 

Treat acute and chronic liver disease. Milk thistle " cleanses " and

therefore fortifies the liver, a vital organ responsible for

processing everything from nutrients in foods to medications and

chemical pollutants.

 

The herb partly accomplishes this task by preventing a

reduction in concentrations of glutathione, an amino-acidlike

compoundthat is critical to neutralizing toxins.

 

Some studies indicate that milk thistle can actually *increase*

" glutathione " levels by as much as 35%.

 

In addition, silymarin alters the outer membrane of liver cells in

such a way that toxins are barred from entering.

 

It even encourages the formation of new, healthier liver cells to

replace old, damaged ones. Various types of liver damage benefit

from these remarkable properties, and the herb has repeatedly

demonstrated its power to do so.

 

In the largest trial to date specifically studying the use of milk

thistle for chronic liver disease, more than 2,500 people suffering

from this condition showed improvement in their liver function tests

when taking the extract.Many also reported that they felt better.

People with an acute form of liver disease--acute viral hepatitis--

also stand to benefit from milk thistle.

 

In a double-blind study reported in 1998, the extract improved the

results of liver function tests, speeded recovery, and reduced the

length of hospital stays as compared with a placebo.

 

Treat alcohol-related liver problems. Excessive alcohol intake

depletes he amount of toxin-neutralizing glutathione in the liver

and can cause severe scarring and dysfunction, a condition

called 'cirrhosis'.

 

Milk thistle not only boosts glutathione levels, it also helps to

actually repair the liver by promoting the growth of new cells in

this large and vital organ.

 

An important 1989 trial of patients with chronic alcoholic hepatitis

is frequently cited to demonstrate the extract's powers. In the

study, liver function test results returned to normal and overall

liver health improved over six months in those who took milk thistle

instead of a placebo.

 

Control psoriasis. The herb has anti-inflammatory properties that

may be useful for keeping the charasteristic psoriasis rash in check

and forslowing the proliferation of abnormal skin cells.

 

Forms

 

tincture

tablet

softgel

liquid

capsule

Dosage Information

 

Special tip:

 

To work as effectively as indicated in dozens of clinical trials,

milkthistle needs to be correctly prepared and standardized.

 

Choose a supplement standardized to contain 70% to 80% silymarin,

the active ingredient. This high concentration of silymarin is

needed to ensure that a sufficient amount will reach the bloodstream

and eventually theliver.

 

For all forms of liver problems, including alcohol-related ones:

 

Take 400 to 600 mg standardized extract a day divided into three

doses.

 

Guidelines for Use

 

 

Don't expect teas made with milk thistle to improve any medical

condition.

 

Unfortunately, they contain only trace amounts of silymarin,

which dissolves poorly in water.

 

Also avoid products containing milk thistle leaf; they have no

therapeutic value.

 

There are products now available in which silymarin is chemically

bound to phosphatidylcholine, a key component of lecithin (a natural

fat). These preparations may in fact be better absorbed and more

effective than regular milk thistle.

 

Just a word of caution however. Whenever shopping around for

lecithin,be sure to obtain an organic brand. The majority of

lecithin is a " soy " derivative. Much of the Soy currently available

is genetically modified.(gmo)

 

Herbal blends that go by such names as " liver complex "

and " lipotropic factors " combine milk thistle with other herbs and

nutrients.

 

Popular ingredients include dandelion, methionine, inositol, and

choline, compounds believed to enhance liver function and increase

the flow of fats and bile from the liver and gallbladder.

 

Take milk thistle 30 minutes before meals for optimal effectiveness.

 

Keep in mind that it will take at least a week or two before you

notice milk thistle's beneficial effects. For chronic conditions,

you will need to take the herb for quite some time.

 

General Interaction

 

There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with

takingmilk thistle.

 

Possible Side Effects

 

Although generally acknowledged as extremely safe, some individuals

have reported mild cases of diarrhea.

 

Cautions

 

Don't try to self-diagnose a liver problem. Such ailments require

the attention of a medical professional who can closely monitor your

care.

 

Avoid alcohol-based tinctures of milk thistle.

 

Some of these contain considerable amounts of alcohol, which can

damage the liver over time.

 

Milk thistle is widely accepted as safe, even for women who are

pregnantor breast-feeding.

 

Ailments Dosage

 

Alcoholism-

120-175 mg 3 times a day between meals

 

Candida Overgrowth Syndrome-

100-150 mg standardized extract in capsule form OR 1 tsp. liquid

extract twice a day

 

Gallstones-

100-175 mg 2 or 3 times a day

 

Hepatitis-

150-300 mg 3 times a day OR 1/2 tsp. liquid extract 3 times aday

 

Psoriasis-120-175 mg of standardized extract or 1/2 tsp. liquid

extract twice a day

 

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JoAnn Guest

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