Milk Thistle Powder, standardized for 80% Silymarin, is used as a liver detoxifier and tonic. It is especially helpful when using orally active prohormones to protect the liver from damage.
- Healthly Liver Function
- Detox
- Liver Repair
Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ) has been used since Greco-Roman times
as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly liver
problems. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries physicians in the
United States used milk thistle seeds to relieve congestion of the
liver, spleen, and kidneys. Today, several scientific studies suggest
that active substances in milk thistle (particularly silymarin) protect
the liver from damage caused by viruses, toxins, alcohol, and certain
drugs such as acetaminophen (a common over the counter medication used
for headaches and pain; acetaminophen, also called paracetamol, can
cause liver damage if taken in large quantities or by people who drink
alcohol regularly.)
Many professional herbalists recommend milk thistle extract for the
prevention and/or treatment of various liver disorders including viral
hepatitis, fatty liver associated with long term alcohol use, and liver
damage from drugs and industrial toxins such as carbon tetrachloride.
Prohormone
Cycles
Many of the testosterone increasing supplements are methylated and for
that reason are harmful to the liver. Milk Thistle has shown to
return liver enzymes to normal after cycle.
Mushroom
Poisoning
Milk thistle has also been used as a preventive and/or antidote to
poisoning by deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). Animal studies
have found that milk thistle extract completely counteracts the toxic
effects of the mushroom when given within 10 minutes of ingestion. If
given within 24 hours of ingestion, the herb significantly reduces the
risk of liver damage and death.
Liver disease
from alcohol
A comprehensive review by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality (AHRQ) recently identified 16 scientific studies on the use of
milk thistle for the treatment of various forms of liver disease. A
European standardized extract of milk thistle was used in most of the
trials.
Problems in study design (such as small numbers of participants,
variations in the causes of liver disease, and differences in dosing
and duration of milk thistle therapy) made it difficult to draw any
definitive conclusions. However, five of seven studies evaluating milk
thistle for alcoholic liver disease found significant improvements in
liver function. Those with the mildest form of the disease appeared to
improve the most. Milk thistle was less effective for those with severe
liver disease such as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is characterized by scarring
and permanent, non-reversible damage to the liver. It is often referred
to as end-stage liver disease.
Cancer
Preliminary laboratory studies also suggest that active substances in
milk thistle may have anti-cancer effects. One active substance known
as silymarin has strong antioxidant properties and has been shown to
inhibit the growth of human prostate, breast, and cervical cancer cells
in test tubes. Further studies are needed to determine whether milk
thistle is safe or effective for people with these forms of cancer.
What's It Made
Of?
The active ingredient, or liver-protecting compound in milk
thistle is known as silymarin. This substance, which actually consists
of a group of compounds called flavonolignands, helps repair liver
cells damaged by alcohol and other toxic substances. Silymarin also
keeps new liver cells from being destroyed by these same substances,
reduces inflammation (important for people with liver inflammation or
hepatitis), and has potent antioxidant effects.
Most milk thistle products are standardized preparations extracted from
the fruits (seeds) of the plant. Most preparations are standardized to
contain 70% to 80% of flavonolignans (silibinin, silychristin, and
silydianin), collectively known as silymarin.
Dose
120 mg 2-3 times per day
