Emily Dashiell, ND, is a licensed naturopathic doctor who has worked in group and private practice settings over the last 15 years. Milk Thistle Medicinal Uses: Protection Against Oxidative Stress and Diabetes Milk thistle’s protective abilities extend beyond the liver and it has been shown to modulate inflammation to benefit a wide range of situations and illnesses. Milk thistle may help strengthen a person’s immune response and help them fight off infection. Milk thistle is used as a natural remedy to treat a range of health conditions. Some people with diabetes will take it to help lower blood sugar. Instead of using a milk thistle supplement, can also try consuming it in tea form to maximize the potential health benefits. How to grow milk thistle from seed. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Exercises that tone the leg muscles and various lifestyle changes can help achieve this. Despite being well-tolerated in the study participants, silymarin (prescribed thrice-daily in 420- or 700-milligram doses) had no tangible effect on liver enzymes. According to a study published in 2015, milk thistle helped improve inflammatory skin conditions when applied to the skin of mice. Some claim it can help treat: Other potential health benefits include protecting heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and helping people manage type 2 diabetes. Oxidative stress is a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Milk thistle may reduce your blood sugar, so it needs to be used with caution as it may trigger hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in people on diabetes medications.. Since water’s not exactly limited here in Vermont it hadn’t occurred to me. The soil also needs to be well-drained. It can help in the management of cirrhosis of liver and hepatitis. For over 2,000 years people around the world have enjoyed milk thistle in their diet. Tonsillitis is a viral or bacterial infection that causes swelling and pain in and around the tonsils. In fact, milk thistle has long been used as a natural remedy to support liver health and claims abound for the other ways the plant could give your body a boost. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. 99 ($0.17/Count) That said, it is a healthful supplement that may be worth trying alongside conventional treatments. Health Benefits Although milk thistle is most often used for liver conditions, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis, the herb is believed some to prevent or treat high cholesterol, diabetes, heartburn, upset stomach (dyspepsia), hangover, gallbladder problems, menstrual pain, depression, and even certain types of cancer. Silymarin has very powerful antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Silymarin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Benefits Of Milk Thistle Milk thistle is one of the most popular herbs in the field of detox and liver health. A 2006 study suggests milk thistle may play an important role keeping cholesterol levels down. As mentioned above, this herb possesses a wealth of benefits, mainly supporting and protecting the normal functions of the liver. Although it can be used as food, milk thistle is better known as having medicinal benefits. It is also called Marian thistle, holy thistle, Mary thistle, Our Lady’s thistle, St. Mary thistle, wild artichoke, Chardon-Marie (French) and Mariendistel (German). Milk thistle is a flowering plant that comes from the same family of plants as the daisy. Herbal product use by persons enrolled in the hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial. Whether you call it milk thistle or St. Mary thistle, the seeds from this plant have been an herbal remedy used for centuries. There is no standard dose of milk thistle, so it is best to read the dosage suggested on the packaging. Milk thistle is a plant also known as Artichaut Sauvage, Cardo Lechoso, Cardui Mariae, Carduus marianus, Chardon Argenté, Chardon de Marie, Épine Blanche, Holy Thistle, Lady's Thistle, Lait de Notre-Dame, Legalon, Marian Thistle, Mariendistel, Mary Thistle, Shui Fei Ji, Silibinin, Silybe de Marie, Silybum, Silymarin, and other names. The seeds contain silymarin, a group of compounds said to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. How to treat tonsillitis symptoms at home. Milk thistle also contains other important nutrients such as vitamin E and vitamin C. It also contains a high amount of lipophilic compounds that act as a bioflavonoid antioxidant. The normal functions of the latest research into the medicinal benefits, Seeff LB, Curto,! To care for various health illnesses in protecting liver drugs do believe milk... 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