The use of milk thistle herb for weight loss: useful properties, reviews of slimmers

Milk thistle is the scientific name of a plant that many people know as a thorn - a weed that grows in wastelands and roadsides. At the same time, it is a very useful medicinal plant that is widely used in medicine due to its composition. The main active substances of milk thistle are flavonoids and flavonolignans, which have a rejuvenating effect on the body. It also contains alkaloids, proteins, vitamins, macro- and microelements, fatty oil, resins, tyramine, histamine and others, a total of about 200 components.

The spectrum of action of this potion is very wide: choleretic, normalizing digestion, cleansing the liver and renewing its cells, beneficially affecting blood vessels, lowering blood sugar, wound healing. The plant is also known as a means for weight loss, which begins with cleansing the body.

Benefits of Milk Thistle for Weight Loss

Milk thistle is not a fat burner, so you should not focus on this plant when losing weight. However, the benefits of milk thistle for weight loss are undeniable, because the substances it contains help to improve and stabilize the functioning of all human life support systems. Silymarin strengthens cell membranes, cleanses the liver, and neutralizes toxic substances. Fatty oils normalize metabolic processes and heal wounds. Resins boost immunity, neutralize pathogenic microbes and bacteria. Essential oil stabilizes digestive functions and the central nervous system. Lignans and protein normalize hormonal levels and remove waste and toxins from the body. Saponins regulate water and salt metabolism and relieve inflammation. Flavonoids strengthen vascular walls and normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Alkaloids are involved in blood circulation processes, relieve pain symptoms. Generally speaking, it can be said that this is the plant that will give strength to go through the difficult path of gastronomic restrictions and increased physical activity. Milk thistle is even used in cooking in dietary nutrition.

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Indications milk thistle for weight loss

Indications for the use of milk thistle for weight loss are the medicinal properties of the plant. The ability to renew liver cells, its laxative effect prevents the accumulation of fat deposits, removes harmful substances from the body. Hormonal imbalances are a common cause of excess weight, in this case milk thistle will help restore hormonal balance. The result of weight loss is not only a slim figure, but also sagging flabby skin. Being a powerful antioxidant, the plant will give elasticity and youth to the skin, shine to the hair, and liveliness to the look. Another indication for its use is due to the ability to normalize metabolism - the main cause of excess weight.

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Release form

Milk thistle is a plant, all parts of which are suitable for use: roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, seeds. In folk medicine, they are used to prepare decoctions, alcohol tinctures, oils, as tea and ingredients for dishes. Pharmaceutical forms of milk thistle extract are as follows:

• pills;
• oil in capsules and bottles;
• tea;
• seeds;
• meal (powder).

Milk Thistle Oil for Weight Loss

The oil is obtained from the seeds of the plant. It received its property to influence weight loss due to vitamin F (fatty semi-saturated acids linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic), carotenoids, tocopherol, chlorophyll. Their effect extends to the normalization of fat and protein metabolism, reduction of appetite, removal of fluid and toxins from the body, preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques in blood vessels.

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Milk thistle meal for weight loss

This is a biologically active supplement, which is flour from the seeds of the plant, obtained after pressing the oil, ground to a powder state. If there are no contraindications, then you can take it constantly as a food supplement or on its own. Due to the high content of dietary fiber and cellulose, it gives a feeling of satiety, the ability to not feel hungry for a long time.

Milk Thistle Seeds for Weight Loss

They are sold in pharmacies and have all the same qualities as other parts of the plant. You will have to prepare a decoction from them yourself or, having ground them in a coffee grinder, take them just like that, with water. You can simply add them to food.

Milk Thistle Capsules for Weight Loss

May contain herbal oil. This form of packaging is very convenient for use, especially since they are covered with a natural shell. The course of treatment can last from one to two months, if necessary, it can be repeated after a certain period of time.

Milk Thistle Powder for Weight Loss

Milk thistle powder for weight loss is prepared from its seeds by grinding. It is an excellent sorbent and removes toxins and other harmful substances from the body, reduces cholesterol levels. There will be no immediate effect from taking it, but the result will gradually appear, especially since the powder can be taken for a long time without harm to the body.

Bran with milk thistle for weight loss

Bran itself has a healing effect due to the high content of fiber (80%), vegetable protein, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, selenium, copper and other elements. In ancient times, they were used to cleanse the intestines and the entire body. The mechanism of their action can be compared to the work of a vacuum cleaner - to pick up everything unnecessary and remove it from the body. Bran with milk thistle for weight loss is a good combination. In addition to all the healing properties of the plant, bran has a beneficial effect on the body, which also gives the effect of saturation and filling the stomach, and limits snacking.

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Milk Thistle Seed Fiber

Dietary fiber, which contains silymarins, minerals, organic acids, proteins, mucus and other useful substances. They have already been mentioned above. It is in demand in such areas of medicine as cardiology, gerontology, hematology.

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Pharmacodynamics

The pharmacodynamics of milk thistle are determined by the unique properties of the components of the drug - silibinin, silidianin and silychristin, combined into a group of flavonoid compounds - silymarin. It consists in antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing action. Under the influence of silymarin, protein production increases, lipid metabolism is normalized, free radicals are bound, preventing damage to liver cells and restoring them. The general condition of patients and laboratory liver indices improve.

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Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetics of milk thistle are as follows: after oral administration, the drug is slowly absorbed in the stomach, enterohepatic circulation occurs. The drug is concentrated mainly in the liver, significantly less gets into other organs. Most of it (80%) leaves the body with bile, the rest - with urine. Stable concentration occurs after prolonged use of 140 g at least 3 times a day.

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Dosing and administration

The method of using milk thistle for weight loss depends on its form of release. So, to achieve the effect of weight loss, milk thistle oil is taken by a teaspoon 30 minutes before meals in the morning and evening, washed down with water, gradually increasing the dose to a tablespoon. Milk thistle oil can also be used to season diet salads. If it is packaged in capsules, then they should be drunk during meals without chewing, 4 capsules at a time three times a day. Such a dose will allow not only to cleanse the liver of toxins, which indirectly contributes to weight loss, but also to saturate the body with 16% of the human need for polyunsaturated fatty acids and 13% - for vitamin E.

There is no single recipe for using the meal. There is advice to prepare it yourself using a coffee grinder, and not to buy it ready-made, because it quickly loses its properties. The meal, as a food additive, is recommended to be added to ready-made food, during its preparation (in porridge, casseroles, pancakes, fritters), brewed like tea. The daily dose is 1-2 teaspoons. It is recommended to take the powder in the same way. A decoction is prepared from milk thistle seeds.

Bran and fiber can be eaten as additives to other dishes: salads, pastries, soups, etc. They give good results in combination with kefir. Also, to lose weight, you need to take them in pure form at least once a week before the main meal. The only rule that must be followed is to drink plenty of water.

How to brew milk thistle for weight loss?

Its seeds are used to prepare infusions or decoctions for weight loss. How to brew milk thistle for weight loss? There are several ways to prepare the potion:

• Put a tablespoon of seeds in 2 cups of water. After boiling, leave on the fire until half of the liquid evaporates, cool it and strain;
• Place 30g of seeds in a thermos and add 0.5l of boiling water, let it brew for 12 hours.

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How to drink milk thistle for weight loss?

To achieve the effect of weight loss, it is correct to drink two spoons of the decoction 15-20 minutes before meals and during the day - a spoon every hour. The course should last 4-8 weeks, after which you should take a two-week break. Milk thistle decoction can be combined with dandelion decoction. This will soften the effect of the plant.

Use milk thistle for weight loss during pregnancy

Harm to the fetus from using milk thistle during pregnancy has not been proven, so there are no clear indications on this matter. Obviously, it should not be taken without a doctor's prescription. The doctor must assess whether the benefits of treatment outweigh the risk of side effects.

Contraindications

Despite all its undoubted advantages, milk thistle also has contraindications. Therefore, it is necessary to start taking the drug after consulting a doctor. The plant is not recommended for the following categories of people:

• children under 12 years of age;
• with mental illness, epilepsy, depression;
• patients with asthma and cardiovascular diseases due to the high content of potassium and phosphorus in the plant;
• with exacerbations of gastrointestinal tract diseases (ulcers, colitis, gastritis) due to the aggressive action of organic acids and intensive secretion of bile;
• with gallstone disease, there is a risk of causing the stone to move and block the bile ducts;
• with individual intolerance to the herb.

It should be used with caution by people with hormonal disorders, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, breast carcinoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, as the plant has an estrogen-like effect.

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Side effects milk thistle for weight loss

Although the drug is well tolerated, the side effects of milk thistle for weight loss can still manifest in the form of nausea, bloating, diarrhea, allergic reactions (skin rashes, itching). Therefore, it is recommended to start with small doses and only after a week increase to the recommended dose. In case of manifestations of the body's reaction to the drug, it is necessary to stop taking it; additional therapeutic actions are usually not required.

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Overdose

As with any medicinal product, an overdose of milk thistle is possible. It can result in intestinal upset, skin rashes, pain in the right hypochondrium. In this case, therapeutic actions should be aimed at specific symptoms. To avoid such a reaction, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of doctors and read the instructions on the drug packaging.

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Interactions with other drugs

Milk thistle has been shown to interact with other medications. Thus, when taken simultaneously with drugs used in neurology and psychiatry (antidepressants, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, sedatives), it enhances their effect. It has the same effect on antibiotics, statins, antihistamines, and cardiac drugs. But milk thistle can lower blood sugar and estrogen levels. When used simultaneously with the above-mentioned drugs, it will be necessary to adjust the therapeutic doses of the drugs or replace milk thistle with other herbs. It is also unacceptable to take it with alcohol.

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Storage conditions

Milk thistle preparations are stored in places protected from the sun at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees Celsius.

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Shelf life

The shelf life of each form of the drug is different, so you need to look at the packaging. But, as a rule, oil is stored for a year, meal, powder, bran - 2 years.

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Reviews of those who have lost weight and the results

Most reviews from people struggling with excess weight indicate the positive effect of milk thistle on the body during weight loss. No one received a quick and significant effect, but many attribute the loss of 3-5 kg to this drug. In addition, they note a beneficial effect on the physical condition: getting rid of bitterness in the mouth, pain in the right hypochondrium, improving stool, increasing vitality.

Doctors' reviews

Doctors, for the most part, urge not to place all hopes for weight loss on the plant, not to consider it a panacea for all ills, but to approach the solution of the problem in a comprehensive manner. It is necessary to eat right in parallel with taking milk thistle, not to overeat, not to abuse alcohol, to give up smoking, to actively engage in sports. And the doses and duration of taking the drug should be agreed with your doctor, taking into account the characteristics of his body.

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