What Is Milk Thistle?

Milk Thistles are thistles of the genus Silybum Adans: flowering plants of the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is commonly found growing wild in a variety of settings, including roadsides. The dried fruit (also called achenes) are used to produce modern herbal extracts. They contain a flavonoid complex known as silymarin.

What Is Milk Thistle Used For?

Milk Thistle has been used since ancient Roman times for its potent antioxidant properties which are believed may help to fight off free radical, acting as a natural detoxification agent. It is also thought that Milk Thistle may help to support the maintenance of normal liver function.

Key Benefits?

May help as an antioxidant
Thought to help liver function

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Milk Thistle Frequently Asked Questions

What is milk thistle?
Milk thistle is a plant used for treating conditions in alternative medicine practice. The plant is native to Europe but is grown today in many countries including the United States. Milk thistle’s scientific name is Silybum Marianum and it is alternatively known as Silymarin, Mary Thistle, Mediterranean Thistle, Holy Thistle and Marian Thistle.

What is milk thistle used to treat?
Milk thistle is considered especially useful in treating conditions of the liver like hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver toxicity. Milk thistle is rich in compounds that help protect the liver and stimulate liver function. The herb is also used to treat cardiovascular problems and the high flavonoid content is believed to help in preventing and treating cancer.

How does milk thistle work?
The most potent component of milk thistle appears to be the antioxidant silymarin. Studies suggest that silyarmin is effective in removing or neutralizing liver toxins, and in helping stimulate the liver to detoxify the body.

Toxins are one of the major contributors to diseases ranging from cancer to respiratory ailments. Toxins can produce free radical ions that can damage cells and interfere with normal body functions. Silymarin neutralizes free radicals and works with the body’s own natural antioxidants to free the body of harmful chemicals and other toxins.

Milk thistle has a direct influence on the liver – an important organ for removing poisons from our blood system. Because of its impact on liver and gall bladder function, the herb has been used to treat colitis, jaundice, liver disease and gall bladder disease. Milk thistle is also helpful in treating the spleen.

Is there any research on milk thistle?
A large number of research studies have been published in peer review and other scientific journals on milk thistle that include anecdotal evidence and at least a dozen double-blind clinical studies. In addition, milk thistle has a long history of use that precedes the advent of modern medicine. The herb was used to treat people for illness based on observations made by ancient peoples of milk thistle’s medicinal properties.

Is milk thistle safe?
Medical studies, including those published in the German Commission E Monographs, suggest that milk thistle is not toxic and has no known contraindications. However, milk thistle is reported to have some side effects including headache, itching and indigestion. Some people may have allergic reactions to the plant especially if they are sensitive to thistles, asters, daisies and some other similar types of plants.

Milk thistle can lower blood sugar so it should be used carefully by people with blood sugar conditions. Some people have reported that milk thistle use has caused various symptoms from sore joints to flatulence but such side effects are not common.

How is milk thistle taken?
Most people take milk thistle in the form of special extracts that concentrate the active ingredients of the plant. These extracts are thought to be much more potent than pure milk thistle particularly due to the presence of much more silymarin. Also, the processed forms of milk thistle are much easier to absorb than the raw herb.

The dosage will depend on the specific milk thistle product and the percentage of silymarin that it contains. Scientific studies have not yet established the safe or effective limits for milk thistle usage. Generally, alternative medicine practitioners recommend taking milk thistle extracts that contain between 200 to 400 mg of silymarin a day.

The FDA does not regulate the usage of milk thistle, so no prescriptions are required but one should use the herb with care and common sense. Generally it is a good idea to consult an alternative medicine professional or at least to conduct thorough research before using milk thistle products.

Many experts recommend taking milk thistle with meals to help with the absorption process.

Some people do use raw milk thistle and milk thistle powder rather than the extract forms of the herb noting that this is the way the herb has been used historically. Milk thistle tea, for example, is used by many people to help prevent or treat certain conditions. While the amount of silymarin absorption may be less with this method, advocates claim that there is also less risk involved.