August 4, 2022 general

“A weed is but an unloved flower.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I image that at least a few people, seeing the word “weed” in the title thought that I was going to discuss cannabis. Relax, I am not.

Milk Thistle, is the weed in the picture (which I borrowed from the American Botanical Council) along with the following description). “Silybum marianum is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) and is native to the Mediterranean. Formulations made with milk thistle seed are used to address biliary digestive complaints, toxic liver damage, and supportive treatment in chronic inflammatory liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis.”

The mainstream news rarely (if ever) covers research on nutrients and natural remedies…unless, of course, a problem is discovered. (The many billions of dollars that big pharma spends on advertising just might be a factor.) That doesn’t mean that a ton of science isn’t out there. I entered “silymarin” [the common name of the extract of milk thistle] into the pubmed.gov research database. As of this writing, I got back 4,186 results. Here is a sample of recent titles:

• Silymarin/Silybin and Chronic Liver Disease: A Marriage of Many Years.
• Silymarin is an ally against insulin resistance: A review.
• Silymarin’s Inhibition and Treatment Effects for Alzheimer’s Disease
• Silymarin: An interesting modality in dermatological therapeutics
• Silymarin antiproliferative and apoptotic effects: Insights into its clinical impact in various types of cancer
• Antiviral Activities of Silymarin and Derivatives

Thinking that if I kept going page by page (I was only on page 3) it would take a long time and the list of conditions would end up be very long. To speed things up I just started searching random things like silymarin / virus = 174 and a wide variety of viruses. Just for grins, I entered “silymarin / wrinkles” which produced 15; then“silymarin / autoimmune” and got 23 results; “silymarin / cardiovascular” and got back 140 including cholesterol! This one among the cardio results caught my attention: Silymarin: not just another antioxidant. The paper discusses many health benefits, including for depression.

How can this weed affect so many different systems in our bodies? As we’ve discussed over the years on HBN, antioxidant effects benefit every cell and silymarin is a potent antioxidant. That milk thistle is also anti-inflammatory is major support, given that virtually every medical condition and even aging have an inflammatory component. Another reason is that the causes of various conditions are related. So, for example, if milk thistle helps blood sugar management (e.g. insulin resistance) that may well be protective against cancer and Alzheimer’s which both have been called ‘Diabetes Type 3″.

The beauty of nutritional supplements and natural remedies is that because of their gentle support of balance and normal functioning in the body, we enjoy fringe benefits. In contrast, pharmaceutical drugs work by forcing a reaction, and although they can be lifesaving, side effects are usually part of the deal. One factor often overlooked is that our colonies of friendly bacteria (which are so crucial to our health) are usually nourished by herbs but typically damaged by chemicals like medications.

As with any supplement, it is ultimately the best value and smart to select a product with a great reputation for quality.  Since the early 1980’s when I was a practicing nutritionist, I have recommended Jarrow Formulas because of their attention to science and exceptionally strict manufacturing standards. This link is to their Milk Thistle Extract which should be available at your favorite natural foods shop and online sellers.

Here is another thought. The same wonderful folks who bring us Dr.Ohhira’s Probiotics also make Reg’ Activ products. These products contains the probiotic ME-3 that makes the master antioxidant & detoxifier glutathione in the intestinal tract. Reg’ Activ Detox & Liver Health contains milk thistle extract and other ingredients to support liver health.

Here’s to weed power!