7 Milk Thistle Uses to Improve Your Health

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), a member of the Asteraceae family, is a therapeutic herb with a 2000-year history of use in traditional Chinese, European, and Ayurvedic medicine. Originally native to Southern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Mediterranean region, the plant now grows wild throughout the world.

In addition to being one of the most commonly used supplements for supporting liver health, milk thistle also offers specialized nutrition for the cardiovascular system, prostate, and gallbladder. High-quality, organic milk thistle is inexpensive, readily available, and should be on your list. Let’s take a look at seven exciting ways milk thistle supports good health.
 

The health benefits of milk thistle lie in its seeds, the extract of which is called silymarin. Silymarin is a potent antioxidant. The extract contains natural compounds called flavonolignans, which are phytochemicals that are part flavonoid and part lignan. Silibinin is the most active flavonolignan in silymarin. While silibinin itself is a strong antioxidant, silymarin is 8-10 times more potent than silibinin alone in scavenging free radicals.


 

Milk thistle’s foremost role in traditional medicine is to support liver and gallbladder health. The liver is one of your body’s primary organs for detoxification. Maintaining its proper function is critically important to overall wellness. Milk thistle is one of the best herbs you can use to promote liver health. Silymarin helps the liver grow new cells by boosting protein synthesis. Animal testing has revealed that silymarin may counteract some toxin-induced liver ailments.


 

Milk thistle may support normal lipid profiles. Early research suggests that silymarin, combined with other flavonoids, may promote ideal lipid absorption and synthesis in the body. The exact mechanism behind these properties is unknown, although it may relate to the herb’s strong antioxidant properties.


 

Topical preparations of milk thistle extract may offer beneficial effects for the skin. Animal studies have found that silymarin encourages normal skin cell development in mice. One purely observational study concluded that a topically-applied, silymarin-based skin cream effectively encourages healthy skin. Preliminary investigations have even begun to examine the potential of silymarin as a natural replacement for conventional sunscreen.


 

Recent studies have focused on milk thistle’s potential to encourage normal blood sugar. In both animal and human testing, daily administration of silymarin was found to promote normal blood sugar levels. Silibinin has also demonstrated beneficial effects on problems that may result from imbalanced blood sugar. Again, more research is required to fully understand the relationship between milk thistle and blood sugar.


 

Amanita phalloides, more commonly known as the death cap, is a deadly mushroom commonly mistaken for edible varieties. The appropriately-named death cap is one of the most poisonous mushrooms on Earth and the most frequent cause of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Milk thistle can not only help prevent this, intravenous administration of silymarin is the only thing that works. Silymarin stabilizes cell membranes and inhibits the absorption of the toxin.


 

The prostate is a small organ in the male reproductive system. It produces prostatic fluid, which nourishes and protects sperm. Unfortunately, the prostate can also be the point of development for threatening conditions. Fortunately, milk thistle may support normal prostate health. Silymarin has demonstrated numerous benefits to prostate health both in vitro and in vivo, including normal cell development and the development of new blood vessels. A related milk thistle compound, isosilybin B, was found to be particularly effective. More research is necessary, but studies like these provide strong support for the use of silibinin to support prostate health.


 

Milk thistle is safe for most people, but those with a ragweed allergy should avoid it. As a member of the ragweed family, the plant can upset the condition. Due to its effects on blood sugar, those who already suffer from low blood sugar should exercise caution. While safe for humans, milk thistle is toxic to cows and sheep when eaten in large amounts over a period of days or weeks.


 

You can buy organic milk thistle seeds online, but if you want them fresh, you may have to grow your own. Fortunately, the plant is extremely easy to grow. Maybe even a little too easy. There’s a reason it’s often thought of as a highly invasive weed.

In fact, be sure to check your local laws before planting. Because of its prolific nature, some jurisdictions restrict milk thistle. For example, the state of Washington recognizes the plant as a “Class A Noxious Weed” that must be eradicated when found. You could face a stiff fine for growing it intentionally.



Once you’ve checked your local laws, you’ll need to obtain viable milk thistle seeds. These can be ordered online or harvested from an existing plant. You can start the seeds indoors, but the plant is hardy enough that you can probably plant directly outside.

In mid to late summer the flowers will dry and transform into a white puff that’s similar to a dandelion. This is when it’s time to harvest your seeds. Beneficial aspects aside, remember that the plant is still a thistle. It has little, spiky barbs, so wear thick gardening gloves and be careful. Remove all the puffy white flower heads and put them in a paper bag. Keep the flowers in the bag for about a week to dry. At the end of the week, shake the bag vigorously to separate the seed from the fluff.
 

Making a tea is a great way to access the health benefits of milk thistle seed. Using a mortar, grind one tablespoon of milk thistle seeds into a powder. Steep in 3 cups of boiling water for about 15 minutes and strain. Enjoy a cup 30 minutes before meals or bedtime. Some cultures even enjoy roasted, crushed milk thistle seeds as an alternative to coffee.