Has Milk Thistle Proven Harmful to Liver Health?

Have you read about this recently? Was milk thistle proven harmful to liver health? There are no studies indexed at PubMed.com that would indicate the effects are anything other than beneficial.

Years ago, researchers looked at the toxicity of the plant and the active component silymarin. They fed the plant to animals and injected silymarin intravenously. One of the reasons for the investigation is because of the known toxicity to livestock; cattle, goats and sheep.

As it turns out, the bacteria in the double stomachs of the ruminants convert the potassium nitrate in the plant to a nitrite ion. The nitrite ion combines with blood cells to produce a complex compound that blocks oxygen transport. The livestock can die from a form of oxygen deprivation as a result.

Nothing like that occurs when the plants are fed to laboratory animals, such as mice, rats and guinea pigs. When high doses are injected into laboratory animals, there are some toxic reactions. But, since the reactions are minor, the plant is said to have a "very low toxicity".

Sure, if you consumed more than the supplement manufacturer recommended, you could have problems. But, was milk thistle proven harmful to liver health? No, just the opposite, in fact, it supports the organ's health and function.

When silymarin is injected intravenously, it has proven beneficial for fighting hepatitis C, a viral infection that affecting the liver's function that can lead to the need for transplant. Without transplant, hepatitis C can cause death to the individual.

In studies concerning the benefit when silymarin is taken orally, researchers looked at very high doses. There was no toxicity. There were no negative side effects. At doses as high as 1200mg per day, benefits were the only things seen.

Was milk thistle proven harmful to liver function in patients with type II diabetes? No, in fact, the plant extract may help control blood glucose levels in type II diabetics.

Of course, the extracts on the market vary. The manufacturer should guarantee the purity and potency on the extract.

Only extracts derived from the seeds contain silymarin. If the roots, shoots or other parts of the plants are used, it will contain little or no silymarin.

The silymarin concentration may be as low as 65% or as high as 85%. Lignans make up the majority of the rest. Although lignans may be beneficial for some purposes, they do not have the medicinal value of silymarin.

Has milk thistle proven harmful to liver function after a person ingests poisonous mushrooms? That's not an uncommon question, but it is a misunderstanding. Silymarin has been used to counteract the liver toxicity caused by ingestion of the poisonous death cap mushroom.

So, no matter how we look at it. No matter what questions we ask. There is no danger associated with silymarin. There are some things to consider when choosing a supplement, such as the bioavailability. But, that is a subject for another article.

Make no mistake about it. If anyone asks was milk thistle proven harmful to liver health, just say "no". It isn't so.

To learn more about vitamins for healthy skin, and other incredible substances you've probably never heard of, visit my website today.

Laurel is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products. Visit her site now to discover cutting edge, anti-aging skin care products she recommends after extensive research: http://www.beautiful-skin-site.com.