Medical research on milk thistle and liver health has led to mixed results. Studies show that silymarin may help ease inflammation and promote cell repair. This may help ease symptoms from liver diseases like jaundice, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and fatty liver disease.
Milk thistle is marketed as capsules or tablets containing ethanol extracted silymarin in amounts of 250 to 750 mg and is purported to be beneficial for liver disease, including alcoholic and viral liver disease. The daily dosage varies but it is typically taken 2 to 3 times daily.
According to the American Liver Foundation, there are no medical treatments – yet – for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. So that means that eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the best ways to both prevent liver damage from starting or reverse liver disease once it's in the early stages.
If you have fatty liver disease, the damage may be reversed if you abstain from alcohol for a period of time (this could be months or years). After this point, it's usually safe to start drinking again if you stick to the NHS guidelines on alcohol units. However, it's important to check with your doctor first.
Liver healing and regeneration
Milk thistle helps stop oxidative stress and free radical damage in the liver. Research shows milk thistle restores damaged cells. Silymarin also protects the liver against damage from alcohol and some prescription drugs.
Early research shows that taking milk thistle extract by mouth for up to one year, or taking a product containing the milk thistle constituent silybin plus phosphatidylcholine by mouth for 1 week, improves liver function tests.
Milk thistle can cause: Gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting and abdominal bloating. Itchiness. Headache.
The good news is that fatty liver disease can be reversed—and even cured—if patients take action, including a 10% sustained loss in body weight.
Replace saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats, like those in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid foods and drinks with large amounts of sugars, especially fructose. These include sweetened soft drinks, sports drinks, sweetened tea, and juices.
Although there aren't any medications to treat NAFLD, a good diet and regular exercise can reverse it. Losing 10% of your current weight can dramatically decrease the amount of fat in the liver as well as reduce inflammation.
Yoga is very effective in reversing fatty liver as many of its asanas can help stimulate liver and boost its function. Do yoga asanas like Kapal Bhati pranayama which helps to improve the blood circulation throughout the body and is ideal for the liver.
Milk thistle is good for liver disease, indigestion, acne, brain health, and breast milk production and it is safe enough to take daily. For over 2000 years, milk thistle has been used as an herbal treatment for many kidney, liver, and gallbladder illnesses.
Milk thistle can be taken on an empty stomach. Some believe this makes it work faster; however, very sensitive individuals should consider taking milk thistle with a meal instead. Milk thistle can be taken in herbal capsules or liquid extracts.
Abdominal pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper right side of the abdomen (belly). Nausea, loss of appetite or weight loss. Yellowish skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). Swollen abdomen and legs (edema).
Apple Cider Vinegar
Incredible detoxification actions of ACV work to flush out the harmful toxins from the liver that hinders its normal functions. Studies discloses that regular intake of ACV promotes weight loss, diminishes cholesterol levels, lessen inflammation, and uplift the overall health of the liver.
If you have NASH, no medication is available to reverse the fat buildup in your liver. In some cases, the liver damage stops or even reverses itself. But in others, the disease continues to progress. If you have NASH, it's important to control any conditions that may contribute to fatty liver disease.
As it's well tolerated by your body, you can really take milk thistle oil at any time of day. It won't keep you up at night, and you can even take it on an empty stomach if you like.
Milk thistle supports not only the liver, but also the gallbladder, bile ducts, and bile flow, which in turn supports detoxification, digestion, and elimination.
Milk thistle contains compounds that may support skin, liver, and bone health and enhance weight loss. Milk thistle might also help prevent insulin resistance and slow the growth of cancer, among other benefits. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a flowering plant that comes from the same family as the daisy.