Milk thistle, otherwise known as Silybum marianum, or informally, as Saint Mary’s thistle, is a medicinal flowering plant used widely for varying therapeutic purposes. It characteristically has distinctive purple flowers and white veins, which legend has it came from the drop of the Virgin Mary’s milk on its leaves. The benefits of milk thistle are because it contains powerful antioxidants, which researchers have found useful in the treatment of several chronic ailments.
Today, milk thistle is made into capsule, powder, and liquid extracts to provide different healing solutions. In case you’ve been hearing about the multiple benefits and efficacies of milk thistle for a while now, and you have been wondering if it can benefit you as well, this page is for you. So, read on to learn some of the amazing benefits of milk thistle for you.
1. Useful in the Treatment of Liver Diseases
Several studies have shown that milk thistle may be useful in the treatment of different liver conditions. Some of the studies revealed that silymarin, which is an antioxidant found in milk thistle, has great potentials for treating liver diseases and preventing liver damage. This may be due to its ability to reduce inflammation.
2. Lowers Cholesterol
Milk thistle may also have cholesterol-lowering effect. A few studies have found that levels of body cholesterol were lowered in people using milk thistle to treat diabetes. Having low levels of cholesterol can help improve your overall well-being.
3. Helps Improve Diabetic Conditions
Regular intake of milk thistle can have positive impact on your insulin levels, thereby helping to reduce insulin resistance. Silymarin extracted from milk thistle can help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. Inhibits Cancer Growth
Research has shown that milk thistle may have both preventive and therapeutic effects in the treatment of a class of cancer categorized as epithelial cancer. Milk thistle contains silibinin, which can help inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and tumors.
5. Promotes Weight Loss
Studies have also shown that milk thistle can come handy for people looking for effective and natural ways to reduce weight. The silymarin derived from milk thistle helps support healthy weight loss.
6. Supports Healthy Heart
Since milk thistle promotes low cholesterol levels, it may have positive effect on your heart health. This may also help reduce your chances of experiencing a stroke, and may help increase your energy level as well.
7. Reduces Symptoms of Allergic Asthma
One valuable characteristics of milk thistle’s extract is its ability to inhibit inflammation. This may be found useful in the treatment of allergic asthma. Milk thistle contains silibinin, which has a protective effect against airway inflammation. Silibinin functions by reducing the tendencies of harmful substances incubating in the lungs’ fluid.
8. Supports Immunity
Regular intake of milk thistle extracts is believed to improve your body immunity and stimulate your neurons. Several studies have opined that milk thistle has a positive effect on the immune system and helps fight against certain diseases.
9. Supports Healthy Skin
If you’re looking to improve your skin health, there is no doubt that you will find milk thistle useful. Milk thistle, if applied topically, may have a positive effect on inflammatory skin disorders. Its antioxidant contents have anti-aging potential as well as the capacity to protect your skin from free radical damage.
10. It Improves Cognitive Function
As we get older, we tend to experience cognitive decline. However, with a regular intake of milk thistle, you can subconsciously treat a wide range of aging related ailments. Milk thistle can come handy for the seniors in helping to regulate free radical imbalance and preventing Alzheimer’s condition.
11. Prevents Bone Loss
Amazingly, studies have also shown that milk thistle can have a positive effect on the bone health, including the prevention of bone loss. It can accelerate the healing of fractures as well as prevent estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss.
12. Improve Memory Retention
If you’re looking for a natural aid for improving learning and memory impairment, you may find milk thistle handy. It may also be found useful in the treatment and management of neurodegenerative diseases.
Conclusion
Given all the above listed benefits of milk thistle, it has become imperative that you shop for it regularly as a part of the natural home preventive measures and ailments remedy. It is, however, important that you shop for your milk thistle from a reliable source. This can help to guide against buying adulterated milk thistle that may leave unpleasant side effects.
