Milk Thistle

What is Milk Thistle?

Milk Thistle, also known as Cardui mariae, Carduus marianum, Holy Thistle, Lady's Thistle, Legalon, Marian Thistle, Mariendistel, Mary Thistle, Our Lady's Thistle, Silimarina, Silybin, Silybum, Silymarin, St. Mary Thistle, or Wild Artichoke, is unique in its ability to protect the liver and has no equivalent in modern medicine.

Milk thistle acts to detoxify synthetic chemicals that find their way into our bodies, from acetaminophen and alcohol to heavy metals and radiation. It is so powerful that in some cases of poisoning such as by the Amanita mushroom, there is no other treatment.

Milk thistle is used as a treatment for liver disease and it is widely used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver poisoning and viral hepatitis. It has also been shown to protect the liver against medications such as acetaminophen, a non-aspirin pain reliever.

The active ingredient or liver-protecting compound in milk thistle is known as silymarin. This substance, which consists of a group of compounds called flavonolignands, helps repair liver cells damaged by alcohol and other toxic substances by stimulating protein synthesis. By changing the outside layer of liver cells, it also prevents certain toxins from getting inside. Silymarin also seems to encourage liver cell growth.

Milk thistle has some oestrogen-like effects that may stimulate the flow of breast milk in women who are breast-feeding infants. It may also be used to start late menstrual periods. Milk thistle's oestrogen-like effect may also have some usefulness for men with prostate cancer.

Milk Thistle can be indicated for the following conditions:

• Alcoholic hepatitis,
• Alcoholic fatty liver, 
• Cirrhosis, liver poisoning and viral hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver and liver poisoning, 
• Adrenal disorders and inflammatory bowel syndrome, 
• Lowering cholesterol,
• Protecting the liver when taking strong drugs or medicine and
• Food allergies.
  

Side Effects and Warnings of Milk Thistle

Women with hormone-dependent conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cancers of the breast, ovaries, or uterus should not take or use milk thistle plant extract due to its possible estrogenic effects.

Men who have prostate cancer should not take milk thistle without the approval of a doctor.

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