How to take milk thistle oil for liver treatment?
Milk thistle is a herbaceous plant that grows in the southern regions of Russia, as well as in the Caucasus and Asia. Today, medicinal raw materials from this plant are recognized as healing not only by folk, but also by official medicine. Many pharmaceutical companies have mastered the production of medicines with milk thistle, they can be purchased at almost any pharmacy.
Benefits for the liver
In a plant, all its parts are considered healing, including the root, but the seeds are the most valuable. The use of seeds in medical practice is explained by the fact that they contain certain bioactive substances in their composition: fatty saturated vegetable esters and oils, flavonoids, organic acids, silymarin, lingans, alkaloids, vitamins of group B, C, E and K - and this is not the whole list of valuable components of milk thistle.
Milk thistle oil, which is obtained by squeezing its seeds, is most often used as a medicine. Silymarin, contained in seed oil, is a hepatoprotective substance that has a positive effect on liver cells. Polyunsaturated acids, fats and esters accelerate the regenerative capacity of liver tissues by strengthening cell membranes.
In addition, under the action of the components of this plant in the human body, the process of production and outflow of bile is enhanced, which helps to cleanse the bile ducts, relieve inflammation from them and eliminate congestion.
The effect of improving the functioning of the gallbladder leads to the fact that the secretory and peristaltic work of the intestine is normalized, which means that not only digestion improves, but also human immunity. The resinous components of milk thistle oil have a disinfecting effect, therefore, pathogenic microorganisms die in the bile ducts and throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract, small ulcers heal, and inflammation disappears.
In addition to oil a decoction or infusion is prepared from milk thistle, which can improve the condition of a pregnant woman caused by toxicosis. Such a tool will also help with diabetes - it is used to normalize blood sugar levels by improving the functioning of the pancreas. Doctors often prescribe milk thistle in courses for people suffering from cancer and who have completed a course of chemotherapy to maintain liver function, several times during the year.
And if there is a history of chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis or hepatitis, then such courses of treatment should be carried out constantly.
With alcohol poisoning or prolonged drinking a medicinal plant will help reduce the toxic effect of ethyl alcohol on liver cells. Thanks to such herbal medicine, a person can more easily cope with alcohol and even drug addictions, his body is cleansed and restored faster. Cleansing liver cells reduces cravings for alcohol and helps to effectively go through all stages of rehabilitation.
Contraindications and harm
The effectiveness of milk thistle on the human body is very high, therefore, drugs based on this plant are not indicated for use by everyone.
- It is strictly forbidden to prescribe drugs to people with mental and nervous disorders, as well as to patients suffering from epileptic seizures.
- In the presence of gallstone disease, milk thistle enhances the outflow of bile, and against this background, the movement of stones in the gallbladder begins. Sometimes large stones can become lodged in the bile ducts, causing congestion and inflammation that may require urgent surgery.
- People suffering from bronchial asthma often have an increased threshold for allergic sensitivity to various types of plants. Milk thistle can become one of them and provoke severe bronchospasm.
- Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease can take milk thistle only under the supervision of a doctor, since against the background of an increased level of calcium in their body, the phytopreparation can aggravate the course of the disease and cause heart rhythm disturbances.
- An absolute contraindication for use is children under 12 years of age. In addition, milk thistle is not prescribed for women during lactation.
Experts advise paying attention to your well-being when taking herbal medicine with milk thistle, especially if this happens for the first time. Some people may have an individual intolerance to this plant, and instead of benefiting the body, harm can be unwittingly done.
Application rules
To obtain the most effective effect from herbal medicine, preparations with milk thistle must be taken correctly. The best option is considered treatment courses. Courses can be held several times a year, but between them it is necessary to take breaks of at least 1-2 months. The duration of the course and the amount of the active biosubstance taken must be selected individually with your doctor.
During herbal medicine, you do not need to warm up the liver area, especially if you suffer from inflammatory diseases. Cleansing the liver and bile ducts under the action of milk thistle is very effective, and it is not advisable to further strengthen it. Whichever method of therapy with a medicinal plant is chosen, you must strictly follow all the prescriptions of your doctor and follow a diet that will help ease the load on the liver and pancreas.
It is necessary to use the phytopreparation every day throughout the course, without missing a single day. The easiest way is to drink a drug that is produced in capsules, but sometimes there may be other options for preparing a healing agent.
When using milk thistle oil, try to adhere to the following rules:
- the drug is taken on an empty stomach in the amount of 5 milliliters and do this half an hour before the start of a meal;
- daily you need to perform at least 3 doses of herbal medicine;
- if you are conducting a prophylactic course or treating mild ailments associated with disorders of the liver or pancreas, then the duration of taking oil capsules will be no more than 2 weeks;
- for the treatment of more serious pathologies of the digestive system, only the doctor sets the duration of the course of treatment with milk thistle, but usually the therapy period is at least 1 month;
- Milk thistle preparations will only be an effective treatment if you avoid alcohol and unhealthy foods while taking them.
A more common pharmacological form of release of milk thistle oil is capsules. This ensures the safety of all components of the drug from oxidation when in contact with air, and also makes it convenient to take the product inside. Usually, for adult patients with diseases of the liver and pancreas, doctors prescribe to take 2 to 4 capsules daily for a course of 1 or 2 months.
If during treatment with milk thistle oil you began to feel slight discomfort in the liver or pancreas, then doctors advise do not stop taking the drug, as such manifestations are considered the norm. However, if discomfort bothers you for more than 2 or 3 days, then you need to stop the course and consult a doctor.
Reviews of doctors
Experts in the field of herbal medicine agree that milk thistle oil has the greatest therapeutic efficacy if it is obtained by cold pressing. For this reason, at the time of purchase, you should definitely be interested in the method of producing oil. The drug, produced in capsules, has a longer shelf life compared to bottled oil.
If you are offered to purchase oil in a volume of 500 milliliters, then despite its price, you should refuse such a purchase, since the drug will very quickly lose its healing properties even before you have time to use it up.
Regarding the effectiveness of milk thistle treatment, practitioners believe that this herbal preparation can not only improve the general well-being of patients with impaired liver or pancreas function, but also completely restore the damaged cells of these vital organs. Many gastroenterologists recommend that their patients take milk thistle not only when the disease has already taken a toll on your health, but also as a prophylactic.
Almost every adult needs regular cleansing of his body from toxins and toxins. Often, even healthy people use alcohol, medications of a certain composition, and also eat not always healthy and high-quality products. To remove all accumulated toxic substances from the body and facilitate the work of the liver, you need to take a course of taking milk thistle preparations at least once a year. Such prevention will protect your liver and help maintain health for many years.
For information on how to take milk thistle oil for the treatment of the liver, see the following video.