As an antioxidant, the benefits of milk thistle are similar to other healing nutrients, like vitamin E or vitamin C, which help fight free radical damage and slow the aging process that can lead to disease development.
It specifically contains high levels of lipophilic extracts from the seeds of the plant, which act as bio flavanoid antioxidants that increase immunity and slow down oxidative stress.
While it has many different benefits, milk thistle is most well known for being a natural liver supporter and detoxifier.
Milk thistle seeds are a high source of the antioxidant flavonoid called silymarin, which is actually composed of several other active compounds known as flavolignans.
About 50 percent to 70 percent of the silymarin molecules present within milk thistle are the type called silybin, also known as silibinin