(Silybum marianum)
Description
The leaves, stalks, roots, flowers, and seeds of milk thistle have been used as food and medicine for over 2,000 years. The flowering tops and seeds of milk thistle contain silymarin – a mixture of flavonoid components that exert significant antioxidant and liver-protecting effects. Silymarin is at least ten times more potent in antioxidant activity than vitamin E and also increases the liver’s own antioxidant protector, glutathione, by over 35%.
Health Benefits
In human clinical studies, milk thistle extracts have been shown to exert positive effects on several types of liver conditions, including hepatitis and cirrhosis. They are especially helpful for alcohol or toxic chemical-induced liver damage. Milk thistle extracts have also been shown to improve blood sugar control and provide support for non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD), making them useful in diabetes and weight loss.
Available Forms
- Milk thistle: Available in bulk as dried seeds, tea bags, tincture and fluid extracts, and dry powdered extract in capsules and tablets. Most experts prefer extracts standardized for silymarin content over crude preparations.
Dosage
- Silymarin content: 140–210 mg three times daily. Silymarin bound to phosphatidylcholine is better absorbed and typically dosed at 120– 240 mg two times daily between meals.