Milk Thistle And Alcohol | Healthy Liver Guide

You came here and were hoping milk thistle cures hangovers, weren’t you?  I don’t blame you because this is how I first heard about the flowering herb. Milk thistle and alcohol have a relationship, but that is not it. You may also have stopped in to see if milk thistle can benefit your liver. Some non-drinkers are reading this, and I also have some good information for you on the benefits of this herb.

Please read along, and I will show you how you can benefit from milk thistle. Especially if you feel your check liver light is or has come on.

 

WHAT IS MILK THISTLE

First of all, yes, what exactly is it? Milk thistle is a flowering herb that can grow up to up to 6 feet tall. Native to Europe and introduced to the united states way back in the day.   You can find it in random places like ditches and roadsides.

Going by the nicknames of holy thistle and Mary thistle. Also can be confused with the word silymarin which is used correspondently with milk thistle. The difference is that silymarin is extracted from milk thistle, usually from the seed and fruits part, which have a higher concentration.

Another word that can be confused with milk thistle is silybin which is also extracted.

Let me make this easier to understand.

1. Start with milk thistle.
2. Silymarin is then extracted from milk thistle.
3. Silybin is then extracted from silymarin. Silybin is the most potent and has the highest anti-inflammatory power.

I tell you this because you may be searching for a milk thistle supplement and walk right by it. Most of the supplements out there use silymarin or silybin as the primary ingredient. So next time you are shopping, keep an eye out for it.

 

IS MILK THISTLE SAFE

Thankfully there are some clinical trials out there on this wonderful liver healing herb.  The trials showed that in recommended doses, there were no serious problems and were found very tolerable. However, in 1970 a study with 170 patients had cirrhosis.  Cirrhosis is the loss of liver cells and scarring by the way. This cannot be fixed, so please be careful.

In the study, the dose was 140 mg of silymarin and observed for 41 months. The end of the study concluded that the treatment was effective in patients who had alcoholic cirrhosis. Also, NO side effects were observed!

If you are someone who is allergic to certain plants, I would suggest you be careful. This is one of the only side effects found in people who are allergic to either ragweed or daisies.  I had a friend allergic to Kiwis, and I told him it’s probably not a good idea to try milk thistle.

There is also a small list of side effects. You may have read in some of my other articles how I feel about this. Basically, everything can have side effects if taken in excess, so don’t panic!  Possible side effects include bloating, nausea, headaches, and gas. Personally, I gave this NOW Silymarin Milk Thistle a try even knowing this.  No side effects for me.

How much milk thistle should you take? There really is no set guideline. I would say a good starting point is based on the study I just mentioned.  Patients were receiving 420 mg a day.  The supplement I recommend suggests taking one capsule 1-3 times daily. This would be equal to 300-900 mg daily.

Start small and see how you feel. The two suggestions for great sources topped out at 900 mg daily between them.

 

CAN YOU DRINK ALCOHOL AND TAKE  MILK THISTLE AT THE SAME TIME

You could take milk thistle before or after drinking, but you shouldn’t. Some people might take milk thistle while drinking, but they also shouldn’t. The purpose of taking a milk thistle supplement is to protect and repair your liver.

There is no specific direct connection between drinking alcohol and taking milk thistle. However, if you have a liver condition in the first place, you should avoid alcohol at all costs. I’m really not going to get too in-depth with this because this seems more on the common sense side and less science.

DOES MILK THISTLE HELP WITH FATTY LIVER DISEASE

From the milk thistle research I have read, I have found it to be mixed results. Some of the studies I came across show silymarin might promote some cell repair along with helping with inflammation.

In 2013, a study was done with 72 patients who had been affected by fatty liver disease.  In this study, the goal was to evaluate the effects milk thistle Silybum marianum had on fatty liver disease.

They evaluated the patients after six months of treatment with the silymarin.  The results from the study showed the silymarin appeared to be effective in reducing the inflammation of the liver.

 This is why I love the effects of milk thistle with stories like this, actual science to back it up!

IS ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE REVERSIBLE

Technically no, but the sooner you stop drinking, the less damage you will have before it’s too late.  Let’s just say someone has cirrhosis that is related to alcohol.  They will have a 50% chance of living for a least five more years.

I know that is very scary sounding, but true. You may even know someone who died from liver disease. I know two people, and it happened very fast.

Milk thistle can definitely help you with your liver function, but it cannot stop alcoholic liver disease if you don’t stop drinking. One of the great things about the liver is it can develop new cells.  So if you think you have done some minor damage, this can be fixed with good-quality supplements with milk thistle.

This healing may take around three or four months to a year for your liver to come back to its full functioning. I find this amazing because most of us have gone through a drinking phase and may be able to bring our liver function back to normal with some good old-fashioned milk thistle therapy.

Once again, let me remind you if you have already gone into cirrhosis, then most likely, your liver damage is permanent.

 

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER

You will soon realize the extreme importance of liver function. I do not have enough time to list all the liver functions because there are around 500.   I will share the three most important functions.

1. Detoxification is when the liver eliminates lots of toxins. These toxins can come from alcohol or what we eat or drink.  Along with naturally occurring in the body.
2. Synthesis with the liver is when all the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are metabolized. This will produce something called bile which is very important for digestion.
3. Storage of Vitamins you are probably familiar with such as D, A, E, and K. The carbohydrates you eat are also stored as energy and makes it available when needed.

HOW DO YOU TAKE MILK THISTLE

The majority of milk thistle is taken by the mouth. You can do this either in capsule form or extract.  I have not tried it yet, but there is also milk thistle tea as an option.

Some people will apply milk thistle to the skin directly when it has been damaged by radiation.

Milk thistle seeds can be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee.

If you want to try using the leaves and flowers, you can eat them as a vegetable for salads as a substitute.

You have many options to help you from staying away from liver disease.

MILK THISTLE BENEFITS

I will mention the one I find most important first. The best benefit, in my opinion, is how milk thistle prevents alcoholic cirrhosis. As a result, toxins can be blocked from interfering with the liver. This is HUGE because cirrhosis is a horrible situation to get your liver into. Up to 15% of long-term drinkers will develop cirrhosis. Advanced alcoholic liver disease is not a road you want to go down.

Other great benefits include…

1. Protect your bones In 2013 there was a study done with animals that showed milk thistle was able to stimulate bone mineralization and protect against bone loss. Bone mineralization is when the quality of your bone tissue is compromised. This can be one of the main reasons people get bone diseases.
2. Improve brain function For a few thousand years milk thistle has been used as a treatment for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. With all the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, this can help your brain from declining in function as you age.
   
3. Promote skin health There is not a ton of evidence with this. However, in December 2015 there was a study done. Silibin was applied to mouse ears. The result was improved skin conditions.
   
4. Reduce cholesterol Another Cholesterol study done in April 2015 had some very good evidence of this benefit. For 60 days rats were fed a high cholesterol diet. Treatment with silybin decreased the rats’ LDL cholesterol by 24% and increased the HDL significantly.  When it comes to cholesterol, LDL is bad and HDL is good.
   

 

THE BEST MILK THISTLE SUPPLEMENTS

You have many options out there, so it can get a little overwhelming. I have narrowed you down to the best 3 options based on different categories to keep your life more simple. This is a great choice for someone who likes to watch their budget. Also, if you really have no concerns about your liver and have been treating it very nicely over life.

BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK

By far, this is my best recommendation for you. The reason I say this is mostly because of the quality and price. At the time of writing this, Double Strength Silymarin from Now foods is only $16.99.   For this price, you have enough supply for 3 months.

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BEST COMPLETE LIVER DETOX SUPPLEMENT

With this one, you have more ingredients focusing on the overall health of your liver.

1. Dandelion Root reduces the total cholesterol and levels of fat in the liver.
2. Artichoke Extract helps improve liver disease and lowers the level of fat lipids in the blood.
3. Beet Root contains the antioxidants vitamin B-6, vitamin A, and Iron. These are very important because they help protect your liver from getting inflamed.
4. Yarrow Chicory Root has some studies showing it can reduce the inflammation on your skin and liver.
5. Chanca Piedra was used in a study in India. The results showed there was a protein in Chanca that protected liver tissues.

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HIGHEST POTENCY AND ABSORBING MILK THISTLE

One of the only supplements with milk thistle out there with a good amount of Silybin. If you remember, I mentioned above how Silybin is the purest form extracted from milk thistle. Generally, with very high quality like this, you will find the price point a little higher. This would be my top choice for healthy liver cells.

You are definitely getting what you pay for here, though. I would highly recommend this one if you are a little worried about your liver. If price is not a factor for you, then absolutely go with this one because there is no better quality out there.

FINAL WORD

Considering you cannot live without a liver. I hope you understand the importance of liver health. The extracts and milk thistle are very effective and natural ways to maintain good liver health. If you believe you have liver problems, you should always talk to a doctor first. Even if you think your liver is fine, you should still get a routine check-up.

Alcoholic liver disease is very serious and can take life quickly if your liver function starts to decrease. So please take it seriously and prevent liver damage.

Guess what the largest solid internal organ in the human body is? Yes, the liver! Performing over 500 different functions. Hopefully, you can see where I’m going with my last-ditch effort to stress the importance of what milk thistle can do for you.

In the event you are having problems with your liver. Please remember how silybin is the most beneficial part of milk thistle. Absorbed 8 to 10 times faster than standard milk thistle.

One of my goals for this site has been to provide my readers with the highest-quality supplements at the lowest price. So I will list below again what I feel is the best bang for the buck milk thistle supplement. Your best option for quality and price is NOW Foods Milk Thistle Supplement.

Remember, though, this is your liver, and for me, I don’t mind spending the extra few bucks if I feel it’s worth it.  YOUR HEALTH IS #1!

Please feel free to leave me any comments or questions below.

Some other articles I have written you may find interesting.

1. Concerned about your kidney health, you may want to check out foods that heal kidneys.
2. Do you think you have high cholesterol? Then give my foods for high cholesterol a read.
3. Work is stressing you out, or perhaps your significant other? You may want to look at my favorite stress-relieving supplement Ashwagandha root benefits.