Milk thistle has been used for thousands of years as an herbal remedy for all types of liver support. If you’ve been taking milk thistle and aren’t seeing the results you hoped for – the reason may lie in your supplement not containing this cell-like structure.
What if you’ve been taking milk thistle for liver health and it doesn’t seem to be working?
Before giving up on this natural treatment remedy and calling it “no good,” it’s important to first consider what may be causing this ingredient to not work. The reason may lie in your supplement not also containing phytosomes.
What Are Phytosomes?
Phytosomes are cell-like structures that are designed to help the body better use herbal substances, many of which have poor bioavailability. (1) If you’re not familiar with what bioavailability is, this term refers to the body’s ability to absorb and use a particular substance.
For instance, just because your supplement says that it contains 1,000 milligrams of calcium—which is the recommended intake for adults aged 19 to 50 years—that doesn’t mean that your body will be able to use that amount. In fact, the human body generally only absorbs around 30% of the calcium in dairy products and a mere 5% from foods like spinach. (2) The same type of issue exists with milk thistle.
Milk Thistle’s Low Bioavailability
One 2021 review explains that milk thistle benefits liver health in many ways.
Among them are: (3)
- Keeping liver toxins from binding to receptor sites
- Reducing the oxidation of glutathione so it is more abundant in the liver
- Acting as an antioxidant
- Stimulating ribosomal RNA polymerase, which stimulates the production of protein and helps boost liver cell regeneration
Yet, despite all these positive benefits, milk thistle has low bioavailability because it also has poor water solubility. This makes it harder for the cells to absorb and use this substance, reducing its effects.
Milk Thistle Supplements with Phytosomes
In short, just because you’re taking a milk thistle supplement for liver health doesn’t mean that your body is able to use enough of this herb to provide a therapeutic effect. Instead, phytosomes are needed to help boost its bioavailability, which research confirms they do (4). In turn, this can help boost the milk thistle’s effects.
Conclusion
To correct this issue, look for milk thistle supplements that also contain phytosomes. Natural Wellness offers UltraThistle, which provides silybin phytosome. Our Maximum Milk Thistle also contains this same phytosome to help your body better absorb and use the milk thistle, providing better effects.