Improves Brain Function The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of milk thistle could help protect your brain from age-related diseases like Alzheimer's, Dementia and Parkinsons. Amyloid plaques are a common characteristic in a brain affected by Alzheimer's.
Improves cognition
A 2015 study in worms found that milk thistle increased resistance to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a potential cause of Alzheimer's disease. In this way, milk thistle may help improve cognition and treat degenerative conditions that affect the mind.
Milk thistle can cause: Gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting and abdominal bloating. Itchiness. Headache.
Several scientific studies suggest that substances in milk thistle (especially a flavonoid called silymarin) protect the liver from toxins, including certain drugs, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), which can cause liver damage in high doses. Silymarin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some people have reported nausea, gas, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. Other people have reported a headache or itchiness after they take it. Milk thistle can cause an allergic reaction, especially if you're allergic to other plants in the same family. These include ragweed, daisies, marigolds, and chrysanthemums.
Sleep quality also improves. The effect of taking milk thistle by itself is not known. Multiple sclerosis. Early research suggests that taking a combination supplement containing silymarin, a chemical found in milk thistle, can improve mental function and promote disease stabilization in people with multiple sclerosis.
Preliminary studies have shown that it does have beneficial effects on the kidneys, nerves and retinas. Silymarin may even have anti-cancer properties, but this needs to be studied further in humans. As for the side effects of silymarin, they include abdominal discomfort, headache, muscle aches and fatigue.
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.
Liver Detoxification and Health
As a liver support and liver aid, milk thistle acts as a powerful liver cleanser by rebuilding liver cells, reducing liver damage and removing toxins from the body that are processed through the liver.
As a result, it may lead to enhanced serotonin re-uptake inhibition and increased serotonin activity. Discussion: Milk thistle is widely used and recommended for detoxification, but it may have serious and life threatening interactions with psychotropic drugs and psychoactive substances when used in high doses.
Mood stabilizing & enhancing - Milk thistle contains a powerful compound called sylimarin that can act on your serotonin receptors. This accounts for milk thistle's potent mood-boosting power!
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum): Milk thistle is often used to treat liver problems. Some studies looking at milk thistle to treat alcoholic liver disease have found significant improvements in liver function. People with the mildest form of alcohol-related liver damage seem to improve the most.
"Any excess hormones we have in our body are detoxified and excreted via the liver and gut, which makes milk thistle an excellent herb to help support hormonal balance," she adds. One of the most common symptoms of the menopause is low mood and self-esteem and irritability, thanks to hormonal fluctuations.
How long does milk thistle take to work? Milk thistle extract of around 200mg should be taken daily for at least four months to note a significant difference.
Milk thistle can interact with some chemotherapy drugs — check with your doctor before you start taking it. Extracts from parts of the plant other than the seeds may increase estrogen levels in the body. Side effects include stomach upset, allergic reaction, and diarrhea.
In addition, a series of studies show that milk thistle can directly slow down the skin aging process by inhibiting collagen degradation, helping to maintain firm and smooth skin. Milk thistle also helps improve rosacea redness, itching, and redness, as silymarin acts as a potent anti-inflammatory.
For Milk thistle, using it on an empty stomach (at least 15 minutes before food) makes it work faster than after meals. If the person has a very sensitive liver and tend to over-react it is a very good idea to take it after meals to buffer reactions.
Historically, people have used milk thistle for liver disorders and gallbladder problems. Milk thistle is promoted as a dietary supplement for hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice, diabetes, indigestion, and other conditions.
Do not consume alcohol while you are taking silymarin, the active compound in milk thistle. While there is no specific interaction between this nutritional supplement and alcohol, the primary reason people take silymarin is to protect the liver and help it repair itself.
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.
Very few people experience serious side effects of taking milk thistle. Diarrhea, bloating, and other mild gastrointestinal distress are likely to be your most severe side effects. This does not apply if you have a known allergic reaction to other plants that are related to the milk thistle plant.