Milk Thistle For Type-2 Diabetes: How This Herb Can Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels In Patients

Milk thistle can prove beneficial in handling diabetes

Type-2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body's ability to process blood sugar or blood glucose. There are close to 10 million reported cases of type-2 diabetes in India every year. Common symptoms of type-2 diabetes include feeling thirsty frequently and feeling the need to pee very often, as well as hunger, blurred vision and tiredness. The condition is largely manageable through medication, as well as diet and exercise therapy. Diet is a crucial part of managing diabetes or erratic blood sugar levels. Nutrients from foods directly impact the status of your health. Diabetes patients must be very careful about what they include in their daily meals. They need to have a set meal plan with foods that can regulate the levels of glucose in the blood and a number of herbs and spices are well-known for this very role. Milk thistle is one herb that type 2 diabetics may include in their diet to effectively control blood sugar levels. 

Milk thistle is a plant that has distinctive purple flowers and milk-white veins. The extract from the milk thistle plant is commercially available for consumption. The herbal extract is said to provide a number of health benefits, including protection of brain function, liver and bones, and even preventing skin infections like acne. Some research has also credited the bio-active compounds in milk thistle with potentially reducing side-effects of cancer treatments in patients. Milk thistle may also be used to lower blood sugar levels in people with type-2 diabetes. Here's how the herb can help.

Also Read: 5 Vegetables You Must Include In Your Diabetes Diet

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Milk Thistle Extracts For Regulating Blood Sugar

Milk thistle has long been used as a herbal remedy for a number of disorders. It is usually consumed in the form of Silymarin, which is a dry mixture of all the natural compounds found in the plant called flavonolignans. Silymarin is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in nature, and hence, is also known for its role in reducing blood cholesterol. It has come to be popular because of being hypoglycaemic, which means it may help lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity in patients of type-2 diabetes.

Also Read: How To Control Diabetes Naturally: 5 Remedies To Manage Your Sugar Levels

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Some studies on diabetic animals have shown that silymarin can trigger the pancreas to produce more insulin, in order to regulate blood glucose levels. A review and analysis of some studies found that silymarin people who regularly consumed milk thistle extracts experienced a reduction in their fasting blood sugar levels as well as their levels of glycated haemoglobin. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties in milk thistle may also help in preventing further complications like heart and kidney complications in type-2 diabetes patients.

Also Read: 7 'Healthy Foods' That Diabetics Are Advised To Avoid

Milk thistle may be consumed in the form of pills or packaged tea. Consult a doctor or diabetes specialist before you include this in your diabetes diet. Remember, a healthy diet can help you live a healthy life. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.