Super Foods Blog

The Healing Power of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle, also known as Mary thistle and holy thistle, is a prickly plant, native to the Mediterranean region but now growing in the wild all over the world. In the ancient world, it was a must on every healer’s shelf. It has been used for thousands of years as a tonic, purifier and cure for various disorders especially liver ailments. Its scientific name is Silibum Marianum from where its active ingredients, silymarin and silybinin found in concentrated amounts in the black fruit, get their name.

Research and studies have confirmed these ancient healers’ claims. They have found that the active ingredient, silymarin, helps protect the liver from damage, improve its function and reverse and heal damaged livers due to cirrhosis or hepatitis. It has also shown to improve the gallbladder function. Strong indications show it can lower blood cholesterol, fight cancer cells, heal and cure digestive disorders, heal allergies and help the absorption of insulin in diabetic patients with liver damage. It has very high antioxidant properties and this may be responsible for this herb’s healing and protective powers.

The benefits of the milk thistle are so potent that it is used in modern medicine in an injectable form for poisonous mushroom ingestion. This is due to its ability to rapidly eliminate toxins from the body, given its ability to protect and heal the liver and gall bladder and influence bile secretion. It has also been studied as a therapy for liver damage caused by chemotherapy in cancer treatment.

Milk Thistle must be used as a concentrated extract. Teas and decoctions made from any or several parts of the herb are very weak in silymarins and silibinins and these substances are not water soluble and will not have the desired effect. Moreover, all parts except the seeds within the black fruit have negligible amounts of silymarins. The fruits appear at the end of summer and due to the properties of the active ingredients cannot be processed at home. Treatments usually require 400 to 600 milligrams a day to be taken in three equal doses.

In Europe, milk thistle products are commonly being prescribed by doctors for cirrhosis and other liver damage. A lot of research is being carried out on various fronts. These include the effects of the milk thistle in chronic hepatitis C, non alcoholic liver disease, cancer prevention and the treatment of complications in AIDS patients in addition to its liver protecting and poison eliminating properties.

Milk thistle products must be bought from reliable sources and your physician must know about its use, in case of other medication being prescribed. Milk thistle products are available in most natural and health food stores in addition to the Internet providers. Today it is available as standardized extracts in capsules. Few side effects have been reported like a mild laxative effect, mild gastrointestinal disorders, bloating and mild allergies in those allergic to certain plants. For those with complicated liver problems the milk thistle seems to be the natural miracle herb.

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