Milk thistle is a thistle of a plant named Silybum Adans., and has been used for over 2000 years to protect the liver against toxins and treat liver disease. Sounds like something we should investigate for hangover prevention and cure!
It is the potent extract of milk thistle, named silymarin, that we are most interested in. Silymarin is an antioxidant that protects the liver. This extract is used to prevent alcoholic hepatitis and early-stage alcoholic cirrhosis in alcoholics who have stopped drinking. While I hope you’re not that far along, we’ll still take the research that’s been done to our advantages during our occasional hangovers.
Milk Thistle Research
- Silymarin exerts hepatoprotective activity and is able to improve liver functions in alcoholic patients.[1]
- Silymarin helped many liver functions return to normal faster than a control after bouts of alcohol abuse.[2]
Note that if you’re an alcoholic with cirrhosis, Milk Thistle will not save your life. It did not have any effect on survival.[3] It may help the occasional hangover, but this is no cure to a lifetime of bad decisions.
Does Milk Thistle Really Work for Hangovers?
Yes, but in our honest opinions, NAC + B Vitamins and hydration are still king. If you can afford it, Milk Thistle comes next.
Where Can I Get the Best Deal on Milk Thistle?
First off, it’s important to note that we need a strong enough milk thistle. It needs to be standardized to at least 80% Silymarin to be effective. It’s the silymarin that helps, not the entire thistle. Don’t get ripped off by cheap non-extracts.
Knowing that, you can Buy Silymarin / Milk Thistle here from the best deal we could find (yes, we searched for the most mg of silymarin per dollar).
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2574842
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6753109
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9566830
