Many compounds in milk thistle, have shown potent anti- prostate and anti-lung cancer activity

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) : Milk thistle have antioxidant properties that help the liver function and stay healthy

Milk thistle is sometimes called silymarin, which is actually a mixture of the herb's active components, including silybinin (also called silibinin or silybin). Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) herb is a tall, stocky, plant that grows fruit, and is native to the Mediterranean. Milk thistle supplement has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for a variety of ailments, especially liver problems. Milk thistle supplement is a very powerful antioxidant and as such helps to remove toxic elements from the body. In regards to liver function, milk thistle seed extract has the ability to stimulate the flow of bile from the liver. It is this bile stimulation that is believed to account for the effectiveness of milk thistle in treating ailments of the liver and aiding digestion.
Studies show silymarin, silibinin, and other flavonoids found in milk thistle liver. Silymarin is a powerful antioxidant that is ten times as potent as vitamin E Silymarin in milk thistle which is assumed to protect liver cells in the following ways:

- Silymarin has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process called oxidation.
- Silymarin has anti-inflammatory effects, which keeps liver cells from swelling in response to injury.
- Silymarin seems to encourage liver cell growth. By changing the outside layer of liver cells, it prevents certain toxins from getting into liver cells.

Many compounds in milk thistle, for instance silibinin, have shown potent anti- prostate and anti-lung cancer activity.

History of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle extract was still grown in old-fashioned British gardens at the end of the nineteenth century. The young leaves (with spines removed) were used in spring salads and as a spinach substitute. Young stalks, peeled and soaked, are eaten like asparagus. The roots, soaked in water overnight to remove bitterness, are eaten like salsify. In Germany during the nineteenth century, doctors commonly treated jaundice and other liver diseases with an extract from milk thistle seeds. The scientific study of herbs continued to be concentrated in Europe, and in 1949, German researchers found that milk thistle tea appeared to protect the livers of animals exposed to high doses of carbon tetrachloride, a potent liver toxin.

In Medieval Europe, the milk thistle was a remedy for snakebite and rabies. The plant has veins that contain a white, milky-appearing liquid, so was naturally considered useful for encouraging lactation. The milk thistle acquired the additional names of Marian thistle and lady's-thistle.

Milk Thistle Benefits

Milk thistle extract is most closely associated with treating ailments of the liver and digestive system, but it has shown promise in treating a number of other ailments as well. These include
- Gallstones
- High Cholesterol
- Allergies
- Skin cancer

Athletes and bodybuilders may benefit from the use of milk thistle supplements. Athletes and bodybuilders typically use many nutritional supplements at one time, in order to boost performance. The use of a number of supplements at one time may produce synergism that results in enormous stress being placed upon the liver.

After a cycle of anabolic steroids, pro-hormones, thermogenics, or any other supplement, athletes may find it helpful to allow the body to rest from supplementation, while taking herb milk thistle to promote liver health.

Numerous studies from Europe have shown conclusively that taking milk thistle supplements helps extend the life of patients suffering from cirrhosis. Researchers tracked patients diagnosed with cirrhosis for five years, and found that those taking 200 milligrams of milk thistle extract three times a day had improved liver function and death rates that were approximately 50 percent lower than those taking placebos. Several European studies have also shown that silymarin helps normalize liver function in people with hepatitis A, B, and C.

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Author By Rosa parks
Added: 10 Oct 2006
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