Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It performs many vital functions, including manufacture of proteins such as clotting factors and blood proteins; storage of energy; production of bile to help digest fats; and cleaning of your blood to remove drugs, hormones and toxins. Milk thistle is an herbal supplement that may help support the function of your liver and protect it from injury or disease. Consult your doctor to discuss whether adding milk thistle to your regimen is advisable for you.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is a plant that has been part of traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. Its seeds, pods, leaves and stems are dried and used as a general tonic for health and to treat various disorders, especially those of the liver. These liver disorders include cirrhosis, which may result from excess alcohol consumption or exposure to liver-damaging toxins, and chronic hepatitis, a liver inflammation with several causes. The active component of milk thistle that gives it medicinal value is called silymarin.
Silymarin
Silymarin contains several compounds called flavonoids. These natural chemicals affect the membranes surrounding liver cells, stabilizing them and preventing toxic substances from entering the cells. Silymarin also stimulates liver cells to turn on the cellular machinery needed for division, helping the liver produce more cells and regenerate after injury. It may also help damaged liver cells repair themselves and suppress the circulation of toxins through the liver.
The Evidence
Numerous clinical trials have investigated whether milk thistle is beneficial for the liver. In a summary review of 19 trials published in 2008 in the journal "Foschung Komplementmedicine," silymarin was found to be very helpful in treating several liver problems, including exposure to liver toxins and alcohol-induced cirrhosis. In some countries, including Germany, milk thistle is endorsed by federal agencies and routinely prescribed by doctors for patients with hepatitis or for those exposed to liver toxins.
Recommendations and Precautions
Milk thistle is generally available from health food stores in capsules. Most preparations contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin. The recommended dose is 280 to 450 mg of dried herb per day, in divided doses. While the herb is generally considered safe, it may cause mild stomach upset or diarrhea. Do not take milk thistle if you are allergic to thistle plants, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The herb may interact with some prescription medications, including anti-psychotics, blood thinners and some chemotherapy drugs. Seek your doctor's advice before consuming milk thistle or silymarin.
References
- MedlinePlus: Liver Diseases
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Milk Thistle
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Milk Thistle
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Milk Thistle
- MedlinePlus: Milk Thistle
- "Foschung Komplementmedicine"; An Updated Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis for the Clinical Evidence of Silymarin; R. Saller et al.; 2008
