Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a perennial herb that is believed to have medicinal properties. The seeds contain silymarin, a group of compounds that are said to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Milk thistle is commonly used as a home remedy to treat liver problems, often with the presumption that it "detoxifies" the liver.
Although milk thistle is most often used for liver conditions such as hepatitis and cirrhosis, the herb is believed to prevent or treat high cholesterol, diabetes, heartburn, stomach pain (dyspepsia), hangovers, gallbladder problems, menstrual pain, depression, and even some types of cancer. Few of these claims are supported by hard evidence.
Here's what some of the current research says:
Some preliminary studies have suggested that silymarin may improve liver function by preventing toxic substances from binding to liver cells. However, studies on the efficacy of milk thistle in the treatment of liver disorders have produced mixed results
According to a comprehensive review of studies in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, milk thistle does not improve liver function or reduce the risk of death in people with alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C.
Several smaller studies have suggested that milk thistle may benefit people with mild and subacute (symptomless) liver disease. An early study from Finland found that a four-week course of silymarin supplements lowered key liver enzymes in people with subacute disease, suggesting that the liver functioned more normally.
Milk thistle is sometimes used by people with chronic hepatitis C (a viral infection characterized by progressive scarring of the liver). In fact, a survey funded by the National Institutes of Health reported that 23 percent of 1,145 people with hepatitis C used herbal supplements, with milk thistle being by far the most common.
According to the survey, people with hepatitis C reported fewer symptoms and a "somewhat better quality of life" while taking milk thistle despite having no measurable changes in viral activity or liver inflammation.
Several studies have suggested that milk thistle may be beneficial for people with diabetes, particularly those with type 2 diabetes.
According to 2015 research published in Phytomedicine, a 45-day course of silymarin increased antioxidant capacity and reduced generalized inflammation in adults with type 2 diabetes better than a placebo.
According to the study authors, the results suggest that silymarin may reduce the oxidative stress typically associated with diabetes complications.
