Milk thistle liver detox capsule

Bymohit bhatia

The idea of taking milk thistle seems a good idea to many persons with hepatitis C, but are the claims of these products able to stand up to science.

The liver is a complex and multi-functional organ: detoxing the body, making bile, filtering blood, making cholesterol and special proteins to carry fats throughout the body. This organ is no ‘small potatoes.’ When a person is faced with a liver-affecting diagnosis like hepatitis C, it is natural to look into supplements and medications that can help liver detox  and boost your liver function.

Milk thistle has long been touted as a go-to liver detoxification supplement, but is there evidence to support those claims? This series of articles will examine a select few of these supplements: their claims and truly examine the facts versus the fiction  

Their product, Milk Thistle with 80% Silymarin claims that it:

  • Will protect and create new   liver cells
  • Lowers cholesterol and hangover symptoms
  • Supports the body by cleansing toxins

Milk thistle a.k.a liver tonic is an herb related to the daisy and ragweed family. The active substance in milk thistle is silymarin, which is made up of several natural plant chemicals. Lab studiesTrusted Source suggest that silymarin helps regenerate liver tissue, bring down inflammation, and protect liver cells from damage by acting as an antioxidant. Human studies have been mixedTrusted Source on its benefits, though. Milk thistle capsule has been used to treat liver disorders for more than 2,000 years. It’s the herbal ingredient most often usedTrusted Source for liver complaints in the United States.