Lowers cholesterol
High cholesterol can affect one’s heart health and raise their risk of stroke. Although it is not conclusive, some evidence suggests that milk thistle may have an effect on blood cholesterol levels.
According to a 2006 study, milk thistle may help lower cholesterol levels. It was discovered that patients taking milk thistle to treat diabetes had lower cholesterol levels than those receiving a placebo.
In a 2016 study, rats were given a diet rich in cholesterol. They found that the rats who received silybin (the milk thistle’s active ingredient) at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg of body weight had considerably reduced levels of triglycerides and total blood cholesterol.