How Milk Thistle Benefits Liver Health And Function

Sluggish Liver – Improving Impaired Liver Function

Milk thistle has been used to help with a condition called sluggish liver. Some possible symptoms of this condition include fatigue, poor skin health, constipation, allergies, sensitivity to chemicals and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). [5]

Liver Congestion

Milk thistle can help reduce liver congestion. [1]

Milk Thistle For Fatty Liver

As mentioned earlier in this article, there was research carried out by a German pharmaceutical company which examined the effect of milk thistle on several liver ailments, including fatty liver. The study involved 2,637 subjects who consumed standardized milk thistle capsules every day for a period of 8 weeks. At the end of the study period, 63 percent of the study subjects experienced complete relief from their symptoms – these had included appetite loss, nausea, tiredness and abdominal distention.

Glutathione Boost

There are not many substances which can increase the amount of glutathione in the liver. Glutathione is one of the body’s most vital antioxidants and it plays an important role in effective detoxification. [11]

Quite remarkably, silymarin, together with other phytonutrients in milk thistle, can boost the amounts of glutathione in liver cells by up to 50%.[7]

Milk Thistle Liver Detoxification

In today’s toxic world, regular detoxification programs can do much for your health, as having a less toxic body will provide you with more energy and a stronger immune system. Liver detox is one of the important aspects of body cleansing, and Mark Stengler, ND, feels that a good detoxification supplement should include milk thistle. [11]

Jaundice

Nicholas Culpeper was a well-known pharmacist in the 17th century who reportedly used milk thistle for dealing with “obstructions” of the liver and spleen. Culpeper also recommended the herb for treating jaundice. [6]

Conclusion – Using Milk Thistle for Liver Health

As you can tell, there are many benefits of using milk thistle for liver health, and if you are trying to deal with liver ailments or simply wish to enhance your liver function, this is an important herb which you will want to consider taking.

See next page for the references used.

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