When you think of liver support, two herbs sit firmly on the throne - globe artichoke and milk thistle. When exploring the benefits of milk thistle, it’s easy to see why it has earned its place there. This prickly, purple plant has been used for thousands of years to support digestion, liver health and overall wellbeing. Here we detail some of the ways it could support you and how you can use it at home.
What is milk thistle?
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a flowering herb from the daisy family. The seeds contain a compound called silymarin, which is a mix of antioxidants that are responsible for all the magic. Silymarin is well known for protecting liver cells, supporting regeneration and your body's ability to handle toxins and waste (e.g. alcohol). Traditionally, milk thistle has been used as a liver tonic, and its use dates back 2000 years. Now, it’s also valued for digestion, skin health and even hormone balance.
Why your liver loves milk thistle
Your liver is basically your in-house processing plant. It filters toxins, metabolises hormones, digests fats and helps manage blood sugar. It works 24/7, even when you sleep. So yes, it deserves some appreciation. Here are some ways that milk thistle support you liver to do what it does best.
One of the benefits of milk thistle is that it helps both protect and repair your cells. Silymarin shields liver cells from further damage and free radicals, while also supporting the regeneration of damaged cells.
It can also help improve bile flow, which in turn supports digestion. The liver produces bile to break down fats, and one of the benefits of milk thistle is supporting this process - meaning smoother digestion and fewer post-takeaway hangovers.
The liver helps to process and clear excess hormones like oestrogen. When this pathway is sluggish, it can contribute to PMS, perimenopausal symptoms or hormonal imbalances. Milk thistle adds gentle daily support here.
Some research shows that milk thistle can also help with blood sugar balancing and insulin sensitivity.
6 benefits of milk thistle
1. Supports healthy liver function
One of the benefits of milk thistle is that it helps both protect and repair your cells. Silymarin protects your liver cells from further damage and free radicals, while also supporting the regeneration of damaged cells.
Clinical trials suggest milk thistle can also help lower liver enzyme markers (ALT, AST), which rise when the liver is under stress from factors such as alcohol, poor diet, medications, or environmental toxins. In other words, it’s like your liver’s shield.
🌿Related: How To Support Liver Health in 2026 - A Guide
2. Aids digestion
The liver produces bile, which is a greenish fluid that is essential in breaking down fats and absorbing vitamins A, D, E, and K. Milk thistle has been shown to increase bile flow, which helps to reduce feelings of bloating, heaviness or discomfort after ‘fatty’ meals and supports better nutrient uptake.
🌿Related: 10 Clever Natural Ways To Improve Digestion
3. Hormone support
A lesser-known but crucial role of the liver is to help with hormone clearance. Oestrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones and even cortisol (a stress hormone) rely on efficient liver pathways to be metabolised and excreted. When these processes slow down, hormone imbalances can occur, such as PMS or perimenopausal symptoms. By supporting liver pathways with milk thistle, it may indirectly help with hormone balance.
🌿Related: 9 Herbs You Need To Try For Hormone Balance
4. Antioxidant powerhouse
Silymarin is a potent antioxidant that scavenges free radicals, which are unstable molecules that contribute to cell damage, inflammation and ageing. Research shows that milk thistle can help increase levels of glutathione, which is the body’s master antioxidant - a major helper in fighting against free radical damage.
5. Skin ally
Historically, herbalists connected skin issues with liver overload, and modern research now supports this link. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key players in acne, psoriasis, and skin ageing. A pilot study found that milk thistle extract helped to improve acne severity, and also helped to reduce skin damage and ageing from pollution and UV exposure.
6. Metabolic support
Emerging evidence suggests that milk thistle could play a role in blood sugar regulation and cholesterol metabolism. A 2016 review of clinical studies found milk thistle supplementation led to improvements in fasting blood glucose and HbA1c (which is a marker of long-term blood sugar control) in people with type 2 diabetes. Other research indicates it may help with lowering LDL cholesterol. While it is not a replacement for lifestyle changes, it does have promise for supporting overall metabolic health.
How to use milk thistle at home
Salt mix - Milk thistle can be used at home in simple ways. Buy some seeds from your local health store and lightly grind them in a mortar and pestle or coffee spice grinder. You can then mix the ground seeds with some good sea salt flakes and sprinkle this on your meals.
Tea - You could also use the same seeds and steep them in hot water for a bitter tea to support your digestion and liver.
Daily bitters - The simplest and easiest way is to have it in a bitter complex. By combining it with its co-throne owner, globe artichoke, it is an amazing way to support both your digestion and liver. We use both milk thistle and globe artichoke in our Liver Bitters.
What kind of supplement should I get?
We love liquid supplements! That's because when you taste a bitter plant (like milk thistle or globe artichoke) you activate all of your bitter taste receptors that are found throughout your body. Tasting the bitter is extremely important because that action is what signals to your body to kick in and start the cascade of effects and actions. If you disguise that taste in gummies or capsules, you do not get that full effect.
🌿Related: 10 Bitter Foods And Why You Should Be Eating Them
References
Cacciapuoti F, Scognamiglio A, Palumbo R, Forte R, Cacciapuoti F. Silymarin in non alcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Hepatol. 2013 Mar 27;5(3):109-13. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v5.i3.109. PMID: 23556042; PMCID: PMC3612568.
Federico A, Dallio M, Loguercio C. Silymarin/Silybin and Chronic Liver Disease: A Marriage of Many Years. Molecules. 2017 Jan 24;22(2):191. doi: 10.3390/molecules22020191. PMID: 28125040; PMCID: PMC6155865.
Gillessen A, Schmidt HH. Silymarin as Supportive Treatment in Liver Diseases: A Narrative Review. Adv Ther. 2020 Apr;37(4):1279-1301. doi: 10.1007/s12325-020-01251-y. Epub 2020 Feb 17. PMID: 32065376; PMCID: PMC7140758.
Voroneanu L, Nistor I, Dumea R, Apetrii M, Covic A. Silymarin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Diabetes Res. 2016;2016:5147468. doi: 10.1155/2016/5147468. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PMID: 27340676; PMCID: PMC4908257.
