Milk thistle is a plant with bright purple flowers, the seeds of which contain slymarin, a flavonoid compound that acts an an antioxidant. Health benefits of milk thistle and its derivatives include improved liver function, protection from cancer and cholesterol management. Women who are pregnant, nursing or who have a history of hormone-sensitive cancers of the uterus, ovaries or breast should not use milk thistle as a medical treatment or dietary supplement. Always check with your doctor before beginning any herbal regimen.
Improved Liver Function
The Mayo Clinic gives milk thistle a "B" grade, which means that there is good scientific evidence to suggest that the silymarin contained in the plant's seeds can protect the liver from several kinds of disease, including viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and chronic alcoholic liver disease. European studies of the herb show that liver function in people with hepatic impairment may improve while taking milk thistle. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) theorizes that the plant's flavonoids protect the liver from damage that sometimes occurs with frequent or prolonged use of anti-inflammatory medications such as acetaminophen. Adult doses for milk thistle or silymarin range from 230 to 600 mg spread throughout the day.
Cancer Prevention
The flavonoids in milk thistle can have an antioxidant effect on the body, which may play a role in protecting you from cancer. The Linus Pauling Institute explains that antioxidants can repair or prevent damage that your body sustains at the cellular level. Cell damage of this kind, called oxidative stress, is often the result of toxins that you are exposed to through chemicals you ingest, nicotine and environmental pollution. The anti-cancer benefits to people who use milk thistle occur when the active ingredients in silymarin prevent cancerous cells from growing, according to the UMMC. The milk thistle, in effect, shuts off the blood supply to cancerous tumors, which inhibits their development.
Cholesterol Management
Milk thistle may be beneficial to managing your cholesterol levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Clinical evidence is still unclear, and the topic requires more research on humans before a clear-cut recommendation can be made, but preliminary animal studies indicate that the plant may have natural cholesterol-lowering properties.
Lower Blood Glucose Levels
A small, select population may have the added benefit of lower blood glucose levels when they take milk thistle, reports the Mayo Clinic. People who are already using the herb as an alternative treatment for cirrhosis may also find that milk thistle regulates their diabetes. More research to discover the situations in which milk thistle aids blood sugar management is required before the practice can be recommended for general use.
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