Seunga (Jasmine) Han, PharmD Student
In a previous article, we discussed about breastfeeding; including when to start breastfeeding and the benefits associated with it. If you missed this article or need a refresher on this topic, take a look at this link for more information on breastfeeding. Today, we’ll take a look at another topic related to breastfeeding – promoting breast milk production.
Previously, we discussed what steps to take if you find you’re not producing enough milk to meet your baby’s needs. You could either seek help from an expert for support and assessment of your technique, or seek other treatment options. Perhaps you’ve heard of a herb called fenugreek that may be beneficial in promoting lactation. In today’s article, we’ll take a look at the evidence behind its use and its safety.
What is Fenugreek?
Fenugreek is an aromatic, clover-like herb that is native to certain regions of the world, including the Mediterranean, southern Europe and western Asia. The herb is used in some parts of the world to improve the taste of medicines since it tastes like maple syrup. In other parts of the world, it’s used in diabetes and to promote lactation. Fenugreek has also been used topically to relieve local inflammation, muscle pain, gout, wounds, ulcers, and eczema.1
What is the Evidence?
As you may have already guessed, there is limited evidence and research behind the use of fenugreek for the purpose of promoting lactation.1,2 To make the matter more complicated, the results are conflicting due to flaws in some study designs.1 The overall verdict seems to show that taking 1-2 grams of fenugreek three times a day for the first 1-2 days after delivery can increase breast milk production. If you’re not a huge fan of pills, you can also steep fenugreek seeds (¼ teaspoonful) in 250 ml of water for 10 minutes to make a tea which you can take three times a day for 3 days.1,2
Is it Safe?
It appears using amounts that exceed what is naturally found in food is likely unsafe for pregnant women. This is due to the potential harms it poses to the infant, including congenital malformations. However, its use in lactation may possibly be safe in doses of 1725 mg three times a day for 3 weeks. However, some side effects have been reported, such as the maple-like smell of urine, breast milk, and sweat, diarrhea, and worsening symptoms in patients with asthma or hypoglycemia. Overall, there is currently not enough evidence to support its safety.1
The Bottom Line
Breastfeeding can be stressful for moms, especially new moms, and hence, they must be provided with tremendous support. It’s important to remember that medications should never replace support, education and assessment of breastfeeding technique. Furthermore, frequent feeds and complete milk removal at regular intervals will increase milk production, and therefore pharmacological treatment may not be necessary.3 Prior to using any natural health products or natural remedies, we recommend consulting your health care provider or an expert in pregnancy and lactation for their advice.
We hope you took away something valuable from this piece. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this article or others, feel free to reach out to us on Instagram, Facebook, or at ask@orbishealth.ca with your feedback. We’d love to hear from you.
RESOURCES
- Natural Medicines
- RxTx
- DynaMed
- RxFiles
