The use of milk thistle, or silymarin, dates back thousands of years. Although milk thistle is best known for promoting liver health, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes human studies have produced mixed results. Milk thistle generally is considered safe when taken in recommended dosages, but initial use might trigger diarrhea, nausea and heartburn. This herb might interact with several medications including blood thinners, cholesterol medications, allergy drugs, anti-anxiety medications and some cancer drugs; the liver uses the same enzymes to break down both the herb and these medications. Talk to your doctor before self-treating with milk thistle.
Protecting the Liver
Milk thistle appears to protect the liver against toxins as well as promote regeneration of healthy liver cells. This makes it a potentially useful treatment for cirrhosis, hepatitis and other conditions that impair liver function. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center cites a study that compared milk thistle supplementation to placebo in cirrhosis patients. Over the course of two years, the patients taking 140 mg of milk thistle daily had a four year survival rate of 58 percent compared to 39 percent for the control group. The study demonstrated that this herb appeared to work better in patients whose cirrhosis was caused by alcohol consumption.
MSKCC notes that milk thistle exerted protective effects on the liver against a number of medications. Many pharmaceutical drugs can cause liver damage, making milk thistle a potentially beneficial supplement to offset this negative side effect.
Cancer
Milk thistle might help in the fight against cancer by both directly affecting tumors and reducing side effects of conventional treatments. The National Cancer Institute notes a study wherein children being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia suffered less liver damage from their chemotherapy treatments while taking milk thistle extracts. The institute also reports on a case study where a man taking 450 mg of milk thistle daily for his liver cancer improved symptoms without any standard cancer treatments. Animal and in vitro studies of milk thistle have shown this herb might help cisplatin and doxorubicin work better against breast cancer and kill prostate, breast and cervical cancer cells. While all of this research sounds promising, not enough exists to officially recommend milk thistle as a cancer treatment.
Diabetes
The MSKCC notes research that indicates milk thistle might help control elevated blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. This herb offers demonstrated antioxidant properties; antioxidants help prevent the formation of free radicals, dangerous molecules that can lead to a number of problems. The formation of these free radicals appears to influence diabetes. The study, published in a 2006 edition of Phytotherapy Research, divided patients into two groups, one receiving conventional treatment plus milk thistle and the other receiving conventional treatment plus placebo. After four months, the group receiving the milk thistle demonstrated lower blood sugar levels.
Member Comments