Could Milk Thistle Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease understandably strikes fear into the hearts of millions. The accumulation of toxic amyloid plaques slowly takes away everything that makes affected patients who they are, and there is still no complete cure.
The removal of amyloid proteins before they can clump together into plaque has enjoyed more interest in recent years. There is even a treatment now that can stabilise mild Alzheimer’s disease, and slow moderate disease, by removing amyloid-beta from the bloodstream. However, we cannot all make it to the only current treatment centre in Barcelona, and we don’t want to wait for the disease to develop. So what if there was a herbal supplement that could do something similar, before symptoms even start?
We may be able to use milk thistle extract as a preventive option. Our liver is able to remove amyloid proteins from the blood, but this process can be compromised. People with liver cirrhosis have higher blood levels of amyloid compared to those with normal liver function, and if they also have hepatitis, their levels are even higher. As written above, milk thistle can help protect the liver and improve its function even after a diagnosis of cirrhosis.
But is there any direct evidence yet that milk thistle extract could prevent Alzheimer’s disease? Lab research shows that when mice with the disease were given silymarin, their brain levels of amyloid proteins fell and their neurological function was better than control mice. This is thought to be from a combination of milk thistle’s antioxidant effects on the brain, and its ability to protect the liver.
Overall, we give milk thistle and its extract, silymarin, our tick of approval. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, detoxification-stimulating and liver-protective properties make it a helpful friend in our toxic world. Even better, milk thistle may assist in preventing Alzheimer’s disease through supporting the liver, as amyloid proteins can be removed before they join together to form plaques. If you are interested in trying out Sylimarol for yourself, click here to buy a box.