Keep Your Brain and Body Healthy with Milk Thistle
Research shows milk thistle antioxidants can protect the brain and other organs from damage caused by aging and/or disease. Silymarin from milk thistle also seems to most effective in older brains.(188, 191, 193)
Milk thistle also demonstrates benefits in conditions linked to aging or found more commonly in older people:
| Condition | Milk Thistle Effects |
|---|---|
|
Alzheimer's disease(194) |
Animal studies show that silymarin milk thistle extracts:(194, 195)
Silibinin extracts from milk thistle showed the following in animal studies:(196, 197)
Interestingly, milk thistle extracts also reduce the risks of sepsis in the brain. Sepsis has been positively linked to higher incidence of dementia.(12, 198) Silybin from milk thistle is also an effective iron chelating agent. Excess iron can contribute to plaque formation in the brain.(199, 200) |
|
Osteoporosis(92) |
In an animal model for postmenopausal osteoporosis, milk thistle extract counteracted the negative effects of estrogen loss on bones:(92)
Interestingly, milk thistle also restored and preserved normal uterine size. Loss of estrogen can shrink the uterus in size and weight.(92) |
|
Parkinson's disease(201) |
Animal studies show that silymarin from milk thistle:(201, 202)
Silymarin also protected beneficial estrogen receptors in the brain.(202) |
|
Stroke(203) |
Animal studies modeling stroke victims show that pretreatment with milk thistle silymarin extracts significantly:(203)
Research findings also suggest that milk thistle extracts may help restore neurons in areas of the brain damaged by stroke.(203, 204) |
|
Low testosterone(191) |
In aged mice, milk thistle seed extract:(191) |
|
Menopausal symptoms(86) |
Phyto-Female Complex containing milk thistle (in combination with black cohosh, dong quai, red clover, American ginseng, and chaste tree berry) significantly reduced symptoms of menopause:(86)
|
