You probably don’t need to be told that your liver is an extremely important organ. The liver filters blood coming from the digestive tract, cleaning out harmful toxins and breaking down nutrients. It is an essential part of you and is vital to your health, but the current truth is that liver related deaths have been increasing over the years due to causes brought on by fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease is, as its name suggests, an increased buildup of fat on the liver that puts your health at risk. Milk thistle has been used to combat the effects of fatty liver disease with its amazing medicinal properties. The protective effects of milk thistle help to sustain and restore good liver health. If you happen to be one of the many people who have problems with your liver health, try including a sufficient amount of milk thistle in your diet and see what positive impacts it can have on your well being.
How You Can Prevent Liver Disease
- Take a proper dosage of milk thistle to combat fatty liver
- Choose a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats
- Manage a steady exercise schedule
- Keep your weight in check
Concerning Fatty Liver
Why You Need to Pay Attention To It
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) just so happens to be the most common liver disease in the world. From 1999 to 2016, liver related deaths have jumped by 65%. The main contributing factor of the recent increase in NAFLD caused deaths is obesity, taking alcohol out of the spotlight when it was believed for so long to be the biggest threat to your liver health.
If left untreated NAFLD can lead to significant levels of liver fibrosis and eventually result in cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. It is important to be mindful about your liver health and visit your doctor regularly to keep it in check.
Dosing Milk Thistle for Fatty Liver Support
What A Good Amount Looks Like
Milk thistle extract contains compounds that can protect the liver from toxins and metabolic disorders. To help boost your body’s ability to successfully absorb these compounds, milk thistle can be incorporated into your diet in effective, healthy doses.
There is no standardized dosage when it comes to milk thistle, but it is best to start small and go from there. Observe what reactions your body has at a low dose, such as 175 milligrams, and move up if you do not notice any improvements to your condition. Though there is no official limit on the amount of milk thistle that you can take, the suggestion is to not exceed 1,000 milligrams since you begin to risk side effects as the dosage becomes higher.
One notable discovery about milk thistle pertaining to the liver is that it was found to work best in preventing liver damage when ingested before or during exposure to liver toxins.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is commonly thought to be an irreversible, chronic liver injury that comes about after years of ongoing liver health issues. Though it might sound like a death sentence, there have been studies on the effects of milk thistle used to combat cirrhosis and, interestingly enough, it seems to be an area of promise.
It was found that individuals suffering from alcoholic liver cirrhosis had a reduction in liver fibrosis and a decrease in oxidants present by taking 450 milligrams of milk thistle a day. Milk thistle also seems to be most effective at treating cirrhosis in alcoholics, since those who consume alcohol in excess showed the greatest signs of improvement.
What Else Can Milk Thistle Do?
Additional Health Benefits
Aside from helping to sustain your liver health, milk thistle has been renowned for the various benefits it offers to your overall health. More studies are required to fully understand the effects of milk thistle, but what current evidence suggests is certainly promising.
Skin Health
Milk thistle can be applied topically to the skin to improve inflammatory skin conditions, as well as produce anti-aging effects. The compounds in milk thistle may even prevent damage done to the skin from the sun.
Immune System
The silymarin found in milk thistle has been found to stimulate the immune system and to assist in regulating it. Chronic inflammation, found in conditions like asthma, was shown to be reduced by milk thistle.
Cognition
Many people fear that, as they get older, a reduction in brain functionality will follow. Milk thistle might hold a partial solution to this problem. Taking milk thistle offers an increased resistance to oxidative stress, which is seen as a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease. It is very possible that milk thistle can help improve cognition abilities and potential degenerative conditions.
Milk Thistle Supplements
Give A Boost To Your Health
If you’ve been dealing with liver related health issues and believe it is too late for you to do anything about it, you should know that it is never too late to start improving your health. NAFLD, among other liver diseases, can be treated even after they have taken root.
Dr. Emil’s Liver Aid includes many ingredients that will help to ensure the good health of your liver.
A good method to provide support to your liver can be found through the use of supplements. Supplements that contain milk thistle, dandelion root, and artichoke leaf have qualities that are meant to improve your liver function and prevent future development of disease.
If you’re sick of jumping through hoops in an effort to have a healthy liver, supplements could be your next best friend!