milk thistle is effective for liver cirrhosis?

[selinabd]

Can anyone share experience or evidence about effectiveness of milk thistle for liver cirrhosis?

[HectorSF]

"More recently, a group reviewed studies of the use of milk thistle for alcoholic or viral hepatitis and observed problems with study methods in most of them. For example, fewer than half of the studies were properly double-blinded, meaning participants or researchers might have been aware of which substance was being tested. In the clinical trials that were properly conducted, milk thistle did not show any effect."

"DID NOT SHOW ANY EFFECT"

Milk thistle, vitamins, supplement will not repair or stop you advanced liver disease from getting worse. Cirrhosis is a chronic degenerative disease in which normal liver cells are damaged and are then replaced by scar tissue. Cirrhosis changes the structure of the liver and the blood vessels that nourish it. The disease reduces the liver's ability to manufacture proteins and process hormones, nutrients, medications, and poisons. Cirrhosis gets worse over time and can become potentially life threatening.

Cirrhosis is the seventh leading cause of disease-related death in the United States. It is the third most common cause of death in adults between the ages of 45 and 65.

It is not something that can't be cured with home remedies. People with cirrhosis require medical specialists to manage it properly. The only thing that is effective for patients with cirrhosis is treatment of the underlying cause of the cirrhosis if possible. Whether it be alcohol, hep C or any other cause of advanced liver disease that can be changed. Unfortunately hereditary causes of liver disease can't be treated. Unless you treat what has caused your cirrhosis (which usually takes 20-40 years of liver injury to develop) your cirrhosis will continue to progress either until your liver fails or you develop liver cancer. Both are fatal without proper medical treatment.

Get the facts, not people's opinions not even mine. Go to a reputable medical web site like the Mayo Clinic. Read about cirrhosis and its consequences.

Get an appointment with a hepatologist (a liver specialist) soon. Ask for a referral from your doctor. Hepatologists can be found at liver transplant centers. Most states have at least one liver transplant center.

Here is a list of US liver transplant centers by state.
http://liversociety.org/html/liver_transplant_hosptials.html

Cirrhosis will progress over time. If you should wait too long your cirrhosis may become irreversible. Then your only option to stay alive will be a liver transplant. Don't let it get to that point.

Best of luck to you .
Hector

[flyinlynn]

From: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/milk-thistle

What is the evidence?
Silymarin has been studied extensively in the laboratory for the treatment of short-term and chronic liver diseases, and to a lesser extent for some types of cancer. Some research indicates that silymarin may be useful for treating certain liver diseases, particularly those caused by exposure to toxins. Commission E (Germany's regulatory agency for herbs) approved the use of milk thistle fruit (the part of the plant that contains silymarin) as a treatment for toxic liver disease and a supportive treatment for chronic inflammatory liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver.

One review of both clinical and laboratory research found that silymarin may be effective for patients with hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and cirrhosis. However, the researchers noted that all of the clinical trials were conducted outside of the United States, were difficult to interpret, involved small numbers of patients, and were not consistent in following scientific methods.

More recently, a group reviewed studies of the use of milk thistle for alcoholic or viral hepatitis and observed problems with study methods in most of them. For example, fewer than half of the studies were properly double-blinded, meaning participants or researchers might have been aware of which substance was being tested. In the clinical trials that were properly conducted, milk thistle did not show any effect.