6 Benefits of Milk Thistle, According To Science
Wait until you find out everything that milk thistle can do for you—it will blow your mind!
Milk thistle is a fascinating herbal remedy. Derived from the Silybum marianum plant, it’s an extract that contains a lot of a particular active compound called silymarin. It’s estimated that milk thistle extract is anywhere between 65 and 80% silymarin, which gives it some pretty amazing antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
Milk thistle extract has been used for a number of herbal treatments dating back centuries. It’s typically used to treat disorders of the gallbladder and liver, but there’s so much more that it can do.
Below, we’ll take a look at some of the main benefit of milk thistle, all of which are fully backed by science.
Benefit #1: Reduce Age-Related Brain Decline
Did you know that milk thistle is a natural remedy used to combat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s? It contains special anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the inflammation in the brain linked to cognitive decline, and its high antioxidant content is able to decrease the buildup of plaque in the brain.
According to a number of studies, it’s the silymarin in the milk thistle extract that really does the job. Silymarin is able to protect the brain from oxidative damage, which is a known contributor to mental decline. It can also decrease the presence of amyloid plaques, one of the primary symptoms of those suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Though it’s not clear how effectively the body can absorb or use milk thistle, the preliminary animal and test tube studies show promise as a means of protecting the brain from age-related decline.
Benefit #2: Improve Liver Function
This is where milk thistle really shines!
As mentioned above, the herbal extract has been used as a remedy to not only improve liver function, but to treat liver conditions as well. Milk thistle extract is able to protect the liver against toxins, as well as the damage caused by conditions like fatty liver disease or an excess of alcohol consumption.
Studies have shown that taking milk thistle extract can help those with liver disorders to see drastic improvements in their liver health, as the extract decreases inflammation and provides antioxidant protection against free radical damage and oxidative stress. Some preliminary research indicates that the extract might even be able to protect the liver against damage caused by cirrhosis.
Benefit #3: Increase Breast Milk Production
Nursing mothers, take note!
There is only limited data available, but the results of one study found that mothers who took a small dose (420 mg) of silymarin for just over two months saw a noticeable increase in their milk production—an average of 64%!
Further studies are needed to back up these findings and to determine just how safe the supplement is for nursing mothers to use, but this particular research proves that milk thistle holds a lot of promise!
Benefit #4: Enhance Cancer Treatment
Let’s be clear: milk thistle extract isn’t a viable cancer treatment in and of itself. However, as animal studies have indicated, taking it in conjunction with cancer treatments could actually help to reduce the side effects of those treatments.
Research has shown that not only can it make cancer treatments more bearable for the patients, but it might increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Granted, that is only for “certain cancers”, not all, but the potential benefit is there. Best of all, the preliminary research has shown that the milk thistle could even help to destroy cancer cells, accelerating the treatment and increasing the chances of recovery.
Benefit #5: Manage Diabetes
This is a particularly useful one, given how rampant Type 2 Diabetes is in our Western world.
According to research, there is a compound in milk thistle that can decrease blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity, similar to the way diabetic medications work. Studies found that people who regularly take silymarin have much lower fasting blood sugar, as well as improvement in their blood markers for glucose regulation.
The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the herbal extract also make it highly useful for combating the damage caused by diabetes, thereby reducing the risk of diabetic complications (such as kidney disease).
Benefit #6: Protect Your Bones
Milk thistle has proven effective at protecting bones in a number of animal and test-tube trials, but the results are very likely to translate over to humans.
In the studies, it was discovered that milk thistle extract was able to not only stimulate bone mineralization, but actually protect against bone loss. Given how common osteoporosis is among older women, it’s definitely useful to consider milk thistle as a means of preventing the cellular degeneration that leaves bones weak, brittle, and easily cracked.
Studies have indicated that taking milk thistle might be an effective solution for decreasing bone loss in post-menopausal women. However, more human studies are needed in order to provide a clearer picture of just how effective the treatment works.
Conclusion
As you can see, science definitely has found a lot of benefits from milk thistle extract! Though there is further research required to examine just how effectively the human body can absorb and utilize silymarin, even these early results show a lot of promise!
If you’re looking for a way to get more milk thistle extract in your life, you’ll want to give Me First Living’s Advanced Liver Support supplement a try. Our capsules are made with high-quality ingredients, including milk thistle extract that contains high doses of the beneficial silymarin compound. You’ll find that the antioxidant properties of the supplement make it an excellent option to help you protect your liver, bones, blood sugar levels, brain, and body overall.
Give yourself the gift of better health and take milk thistle extract today!