Does Milk Thistle actually help repair liver damage caused by boozing ?

[Green Day]

Herbalist always make the claim that Milk Thistle is good for the liver, any Doctors know whether this is true ?

[alijangra]

Im not a doctor but I have heard stories of peoples liver function test results improving after taking milk thistle.

I dont think there is any doubt that it is indeed good for the liver and may offer some protection when taken as a supplement when someone intends to be drinking alcohol.

The following is an extract from the British Liver Trusts website. The only mention I can find of milk thistle on their website is on a public forum, so I dont imagine it is considered as a treatment by medical physicians.

*Almost all excessive drinkers will develop the first stage of alcoholic liver disease fatty liver. This is a �side-effect� of the liver breaking down alcohol into carbon dioxide and water. Fatty liver disappears when patients stop drinking excessively.*

[chazza]

I find that my hangovers are non existent when i take milkthistle before going out and before going to bed

[alijangra]

Also when alcohol dependant patients are admitted to hospital they are usually prescribed an IV infusion called Pabrinex which is basically just vitamins, also sometimes diazepam but no milk thistle!

[Champagne]

Or the other option is to drink vast amounts of alcohol so that you actually 'pickle' your body. Hey presto!

[hammerman]

Quite technical but worth a look

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/milktsum.htm