Milk Thistle Tea
The Many Benefits of Milk Thistle Tea
The Milk Thistle tea is a pleasant surprise. With all the exaggerated claims teas make these days, its good to find a tea that actually has proven some of the beneficial affects it claims. So what does Milk Thistle tea do?
Overview
Milk Thistle is all about the liver. Milk Thistle tea helps to shield the liver from problems such as firming (Cirrhosis) and inflammation (Hepatitis). Milk Thistle also helps against constrictions in the bile ducts that trap toxins in the system. Milk Thistle both forms a virtual protective layer on the liver wall and washes out harmful agents like depressants, illegal substances, insecticides, mercury, mushrooms, painkillers, and prescription drugs.
Silymarin
The active ingredient in Milk Thistle is Silymarin. Silymarin is a flavanoid. Flavanoids are a naturally occurring part of plant pigment that act as an antioxidants in the human body, helping to fight free radicals so they can’t weaken the constitution against cancer and other diseases that plague human health. A free radical is a highly reactive chemical in the body. It is dangerous because its highly reactive state—having an unpaired electron--can cause other bodily cells to bond with it and, in effect, take them out of commission for the body’s other tasks.
Silymarin is also an anti-inflammatory.
Negative Side Effects?
Silymarin and Milk Thistle tea have no major known side effects. A study in the 90’s showed some patients have allergic reactions to Milk Thistle, including stomach and nausea, but nothing severe. So even if it turns out that Milk Thistle has few truly positive effects, it will only hurt you in your pocket book.
Benefits to the Liver
Studies have shown that Milk Thistle does aid in helping people who have been in contact with certain types of computer age toxins.
Although formal studies have not yet proved that Milk Thistle helps the liver when damaged by alcohol, there may still be a role for sylmarin to help strengthen the colon beforehand.
Kidneys
Animal studies indicate that Milk Thistle may help against some of the negative side effects that chemotherapy causes in the liver. Milk Thistle, just as it helps with cleansing the liver, also helps with the kidney. It keeps the blood from being overwhelmed by dead cells dislodged by the chemotherapy process. Since sylmarin helps open up the ducts, it also helps get rid of dead matter.
Anti-Inflammatory
Milk Thistle also wets and pacifies most irritations to the kidney and bladder—acting as a Demulcent and helping against most inflammations as well.
Acne and Skin Irritations Generally
Many tea drinkers also claim Milk Thistle has positive effects for the skin. Although the evidence is mostly anecdotal, some drinkers report a clearing of pimples and flaky skin when drinking Milk Thistle. In other forms, Milk Thistle has been known to reduce redness, moisturize the surface of the dermas, healing ruptures and increasing the healthy hues in general.
Benefits for Diabetes
Researchers still have a ways to go, but early findings suggest that sylmarin, done in addition to mainstream approaches, can help those suffering from diabetes. Milk Thistle seems to help lower glucose levels in the blood and better balance cholesterol levels in sufferers with diabetes 2. Sylmarin may also help protect against insulin intoxication in diabetes sufferers.
These studies are still in early stages, however, so you should be sure to consult your physician before adding sylmarin to your diet—especially since drug interactions may cause further complications.
Although studies have not yet determined how effective Milk Thistle tea is for your overall health, it is clear that the benefits outweigh the minor drawbacks. So, consult with your doctor and see if Milk Thistle is for you.