Although milk thistle bears striking clover-like flowers, the herb gets its medicinal reputation from its seeds. Dried seeds contain a flavonoid called silymarin. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the silymarin in milk thistle has been used as a "detox" drug for more than 2,000 years. Most therapeutic associations with milk thistle center on protecting the liver and treating liver-related illnesses, but the herb may also have applications for kidney health. If you have an unexplained kidney ache, it's best to see your doctor before using any herbal therapies.
Description
As a medicine, milk thistle comes in capsule or tincture form. UMMC suggests confirming that the product is standardized to contain 70 to 80 percent silymarin. Milk thistle appears to help remove toxins from the liver, possibly helping people who abuse alcohol, overuse medications such as acetaminophen or accidentally ingest deathcap mushrooms. It may have beneficial effects for people with hepatitis and with liver damage from treatment for leukemia.
Kidney Stones
Milk thistle's detoxification benefits may help people suffering from kidney stones, notes UMMC. "Kidney pain" is a somewhat ambiguous term, however. Kidney stones form in that organ, but the pain often becomes apparent when it leaves the kidney. Therefore, you may feel pain from kidney stones in the abdomen, buttocks or genital areas rather than in your kidney area. Some people suffer from recurring kidney stones because of bacterial infections or because they take in too much of a certain nutrient, such as calcium or other minerals. As a detoxifying herb, milk thistle may help rid the body of excess minerals or harmful bacteria. UMMC suggests taking about 80 to 160 mg, two to three times a day, of milk thistle that has been standardized for silymarin content.
Other Kidney Uses
The specific correlation between milk thistle and kidney health remains less studied than that of milk thistle and liver health. The University of Michigan's "Taking Charge of Your Health" program notes that milk thistle, along with green tea and the reishi mushroom, has a folk tradition of effectively treating renal problems. Yet whether the herb is a restorative or a protective herb -- or both -- is still unclear when it comes to kidney function. Promising animal trials indicate that milk thistle has potential therapeutic value, the university website notes.
Considerations
Most disorders helped by milk thistle involve the liver or gallbladder. Secondary symptoms of some kidney-centered pain may be addressed by milk thistle, but always ask your doctor first. While milk thistle may have some therapeutic value for kidney stones or urinary tract infections, other kidney problems not helped by milk thistle may actually be causing your pain. According to MayoClinic.com, kidney pain may be related to irregularly shaped kidneys, internal hemorrhage, cancer, polycystic kidney disease, blood clots or swelling due to blocked urine. If you have a fever along with your kidney ache, blood in your urine, severe pain or constant dull pain on one side of your back, call your doctor or seek immediate medical attention.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Milk Thistle
- University of Minnesota; Is There Good Scientific Evidence?; Dennis McKenna, Ph.D.
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Kidney Stones
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Milk Thistle
- MayoClinic.com: Kidney Pain Causes
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Milk Thistle
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