People living with chronic liver disease can take charge of their health by choosing the milk thistle that benefits them most. Though Maximum Milk Thistle and UltraThistle are the strongest liver support supplements available, they have slightly different indications.

While some leave the task of managing chronic liver disease to their personal physician, an increasing number of those living with this diagnosis are taking control of their own health. Although Western medicine is limited in its ability to successfully manage chronic liver disease, countless clinical trials and case studies have demonstrated an advantage to those who support and protect their liver naturally. To stay healthy while living with a hepatic ailment, many choose to strengthen their liver by supplementing daily with milk thistle.

Regarded as the best milk thistle preparations available today, Maximum Milk Thistle and UltraThistle both contain silybin phytosome®. The difference between the two is their dosages. While Maximum Milk Thistle consists of a standard dosage of 240 mg, UltraThistle packs a much higher, 360 mg per capsule.

The following four facts can help guide someone toward optimal milk thistle supplementation:

1. Milk thistle is the number one herb used for improving liver health. – Over the past few decades, significant substantiation for milk thistle’s role in liver health has emerged. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, several scientific studies suggest that active substances in milk thistle (particularly silymarin) protect the liver from damage caused by viruses, toxins, alcohol and certain drugs such as acetaminophen. Milk thistle protects the liver by acting as a direct antioxidant and free radical scavenger, increasing the intracellular content of antioxidant compounds and stimulating the formation of new liver cells to replace those that are damaged.

2. Silybin is the most potent constituent of the milk thistle plant for protecting the liver. – Milk thistle’s standardized extract, silymarin, contains three flavonoids: silybin, silydianin and silychristin. Medical researchers agree that silybin, which comprises 50 percent of silymarin, is responsible for the majority of milk thistle’s liver-protective qualities.

3. Silybin is best absorbed when taken in the phytosome® form. – To overcome the poor bioavailability of silybin, phytosome® technology has been used to maximize its absorption. By converting silybin to a lipid-compatible molecule, the silybin phytosome complex can be absorbed directly by the body’s cells. Studies demonstrate that the silybin phytosome complex is absorbed up to ten times more readily than standardized milk thistle extract. This means silybin phytosome delivers ten times more liver protection and support than milk thistle in its bare form.

4. In general, higher dosages of silybin phytosome® yield better results. – As more clinical trials focus on silybin phytosome®, the research shows that higher dosages provide greater liver support. Even though the standard dose of silymarin is 240 mg per day, higher dosages of silybin demonstrate correspondingly higher levels of liver protection.

Maximum Milk Thistle and UltraThistle
Once a commitment to preserving liver health with silybin phytosome® is made, a person must decide if Maximum Milk Thistle or UltraThistle is most appropriate for them. Dosage studies on silybin have determined that 240 mg of silybin per day (the amount contained in Maximum Milk Thistle), benefited the liver. However, these studies claimed even further liver benefits when the dosage was increased to 360 mg of silybin per day (the amount contained in UltraThistle).

At the time this research was released, the safety profile of silybin phytosome® at the higher dosage was unknown. Because of the unknown safety status, UltraThistle was formulated for, and only available to, medical doctors and other licensed healthcare professionals who could closely monitor their patients. However, conclusive evidence assuring the safety of this higher dosage has since emerged, allowing UltraThistle to be available directly to the public.

To help choose between Maximum Milk Thistle and UltraThistle, the following suggestions are given:

· For acute or uncontrolled liver problems, UltraThistle delivers the highest potency liver protection available.

· For those who have achieved hepatic stability and wish to maintain it, Maximum Milk Thistle is a powerful way to augment liver health.

As a powerful herb, there are some cautions that should be heeded. Milk thistle’s side effects are rare, but can occur. The most commonly reported problems from taking a milk thistle supplement, especially at the higher dosages, are mild stomach upset and loose stools. A lack of conclusive evidence precludes pregnant or lactating women from milk thistle’s safety parameters. Additionally, any person with a chronic disease or on medications should always discuss their herbal supplementation plans with a physician.

People living with chronic liver disease put themselves at a clear advantage when adding silybin phytosome® to their repertoire. Whether working to maintain liver health with Maximum Milk Thistle or striving to protect your liver from assault with UltraThistle, choosing one of these supplements puts you in charge of your well-being.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

References:

Di Sario, A., et al., Hepatoprotective and antifibrotic effect of a new silybin–phosphatidylcholine–Vitamin E complex in rats, Digestive and Liver Diseases, November 2005.

http://nccam.nih.gov, Milk Thistle, National Institutes of Health, 2008.

Rambaldi A, Jacobs BP, Iaquinto G, Gluud C. Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2005 Issue 2.

www.hepatitis-central.com/mt, How Phytosome® Technology Benefits Hepatitis C, Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., Natural Wellness, 2007.

www.mayoclinic.com, Milk Thistle, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008.

www.myhealthmybody.com, Powerful Support for Healthy Liver Function, Dr. Michael T. Murray, Myhealthymybody.com, 2008.

www.umm.edu, Milk Thistle, University of Maryland Medical Center, 2008.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Website
Write the displayed characters
I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment