
Therefore, it is a transporter that enables the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis to function. It is a major portal for T4 and T3 to enter hypothalamus, pituitary and thyroid tissue. Almost every tissue listed in the Human Protein Atlas expresses the genetic mRNA for this transporter. The MCT8 transporter is important to many aspects of health. At concentrations used in clinical settings, it can directly compete with T3 and T4 transport into cells.
In 2016, scientists found that milk thistle’s silychristin (SC) is the most potent inhibitor of MCT8 known to science. As T3 rose, so did recovery of liver and kidney function (Jatwa & Kar, 2008). In 2008, an experiment on mice showed that T3 levels as well as T4-T3 conversion via deiodinase type 1 (D1) in liver rise significantly during SY treatment of chemically-induced liver fibrosis. Many insights into thyroid hormone metabolism are revealed by two studies of milk thistle and thyroid hormones. By changing different transport pathways, they have the ability to treat hypertension, angina, seizures, and so on. The general drug class of “membrane transport modulators” contains 86 drugs in the DrugBank database. It depends on whether they are used strategically in the right circumstances or naively in the wrong circumstances. Thyroid endocrine disruptors have the power to intervene therapeutically. However, this does not necessarily mean milk thistle is bad for everyone in all circumstances and at all doses. Both SY and its active ingredient SC fit within this definition as a selective T3- and T4-transport inhibitor.
National Institutes of Health, endocrine disruptors “interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system” ( NIH). Silychristin derived from milk thistle is an endocrine disruptor.Īccording to the U.S.
One component of silymarin is the flavonolignan called “silychristin” (SC). The milk thistle plant provides an extract consisting of many flavonolignans. However, in light of recent scientific discovery, caution - and hope! - is needed with regard to milk thistle’s downstream effects on thyroid hormone metabolism and signaling.įirst, let me introduce to you some terminology we need to be clear: Milk thistle extract is selling like hot cakes!
On the internet, many websites and blogs are proclaiming that milk thistle can support thyroid hormone health simply by means of promoting liver health. It is sometimes sold as “Silymarin” or “Chardon-Marie” (derived from carduus marianus). Milk thistle is widely promoted as a liver supplement. Milk thistle (also known as silybum marianum) is plant in the Asteraceae family.