Why is Milk Thistle also known as the holy thistle?
We all know of the wonderful benefits that milk thistle (also commonly known as holy thistle) has on dietary liver health. If you were to go to a health shop you would find it in many products, sometimes listed by its active ingredient, sillymarin.
But did you know that this wonderful plant is far more versatile?
In recent studies it was discovered that milk thistle is also an antioxidant and reduces free radical damage. This is very important because it proves that this amazing herb may assist with many of our medical issues, such as diabetes, cholesterol, asthma and even inhibiting the growth of some cancers, especially colorectal cancer. Some more of the published benefits include inflammatory skin health and it has even been used as a valuable tool in anti-aging. Ongoing studies have proven that estrogen related bone loss is also inhibited by regular consumption of silymarin.
In 2015, scientists found that milk thistle may be one of the keys to treat Alzheimer’s disease because of its ability to inhibit oxidative stress. For those of us who may be slightly more “cuddly” it has been proven that milk thistle extracts are valuable tools in weight loss. Because more and more of our researchers have become so excited about this versatile little plant, many new studies will be confirming just how beneficial this plant really is.
Just a warning though; because milk thistle is so powerful there are potential side effects, especially to those of us who are prone to gallstones, so please consult your professional health care provider before taking this or any other remedy.
Dr Derek Johnson. Director of Natural Medicine, Malachite Centre