Natural antioxidants are good for your health and contain potential health benefits. Two of the natural antioxidants include curcumin and milk thistle. Curcumin is a yellow component found in turmeric, whereas milk thistle is a milky substance found when the leaves get crushed. You can buy milk thistle and curcumin supplements in powdered or pill form. You can be sure that they provide a lot of health benefits. So, if you continue reading this article, you can learn all about those benefits.
What are the health benefits of curcumin?
Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties and can help fight several diseases. Read on to know more of its benefits.
- It plays a vital role in treating depression: Depression is linked with low levels of BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Curcumin works as an effective anti-depressant because of its ability to improve BDNF levels. According to a study published in the Phytotherapy Research, curcumin is an effective and safe treatment for depression. You can consult your healthcare provider before purchasing them.
- It helps ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis: A review of the curcumin’s clinical use states that it is an effective and safe long term option for treatment because of its anti-inflammatory properties. A study with people suffering from osteoarthritis suggests that they saw considerable improvements in physical function and stiffness after eight months. As per another clinical trial, patients with knee osteoarthritis significantly decreased their stiffness and pain.
- It helps reverse or delay Alzheimer’s disease: Curcumin helps protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease by reversing or delaying it. It helps increase the BDNF levels by keeping the neurons healthy and regulating communication between the cells of the nerves. Brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease are linked with low BDNF levels.
What are the health benefits of milk thistle?
Milk thistle is derived from the plant of milk thistle. The extract of milk thistle has a large amount of silymarin that comprises antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Well, you can ensure that they are beneficial for your health. So, here are a few of the health benefits.
- It regulates blood sugar: Milk thistle helps regulate blood sugar levels by restricting the spike in the glycemic index. This spike generally occurs after meals, which aids in managing and controlling glucose levels. After all, too much blood sugar can lead to severe health issues such as kidney disease, stroke, heart disease, nerve problems, vision problems, etc. Hence, it is a must to maintain your blood sugar levels with the help of milk thistle.
- It supports liver health: A damaged liver can affect many organs of the body and cause complications like bleeding, infection and electrolyte deficiencies. Hence, it is vital to shield the liver from damage. Thanks to the milk thistle supplements, you can ensure that they effectively prevent damage and lower inflammation of the liver. Some evidence suggests that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the silymarin can reduce liver inflammation and damage in people with alcoholic liver diseases.
- It supports immune health and keeps your cholesterol in check: Research in humans and animals has shown that milk thistle extract can improve the body’s immune system response. When it comes to keeping the cholesterol in check, you can buy milk thistle supplements, consume them, follow a healthy diet and work out. According to a study, people who consumed milk thistle lowered their cholesterol levels more than those who took the placebo.
- It helps promote healthy skin: Many desire to have healthy skin, and you can achieve that with the milk thistle. Since it acts as a natural detoxifier, it purifies the blood and carries more oxygen. As a result, you can ensure healthy and glowing skin. When milk thistle acts as a powerful antioxidant, it prevents the onsets of acne and zits.
