According to Dr. James Abbey of InfantRisk,“…Herbal products are not regulated by the FDA and there can be significant variations in the potency and purity between different products or even between different lots of the same product. Herbs can also interact with each other and with prescription medications, so we tend to advise not taking them at all. As a general rule, breastfeeding is a time for simplicity. Focus on eating a balanced, nutritious diet and minimizing your use of extraneous stuff.”
“When it comes to dietary supplements, cleanses, and teas, “detox” is a marketing term that’s medically meaningless. Detox teas and supplements won’t release toxins into your breastmilk (or remove them from your body), but a lot of products contain powerful herbal laxatives, which can be harmful when used unnecessarily. If you want to reset and and feel healthier, eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding too much sugar, and drinking lots of water are great choices that are always safe!”
“Toddlers get much less milk relative to their body weights compared with infants and their ability to metabolize things approaches that of an adult. In extended breastfeeding, we really only worry about overtly toxic things (such as chemotherapy or industrial chemicals) and things that accumulate in the body (such as lead). Herbal products rarely fall into either category. Remember that kids can have allergic reactions to pretty much anything, so be on the lookout for new rashes, hives, or other otherwise unexplained skin changes.”
This is not a full list. Your best bet is to look up every ingredient with Infant Risk or The Nursing Mothers Herbal.
Ingredients to look for:
- Garcinia cambogia has been associated with several reports of liver toxicity, metabolic heart rate in babies
- Alfalfa and turmeric contain chemicals that may have an effect in the body similar to the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is known to suppress milk production when it is used in birth control pills. However, we don’t know whether these herbs can harm milk production, or what amounts you’d have to consume for them to have an effect.
- Goldenseal contains a chemical which can worsen jaundice in newborns. Though we don’t know whether enough of the chemical can pass through breastmilk to affect a breastfed baby, the use of goldenseal during pregnancy has been associated with a toxic buildup of bilirubin in newborns.
- Cranberry, meadowsweet, rosemary, and willow bark contain salicylic acid, a chemical that’s related to aspirin. Salicylic acid transfers into breastmilk, and in high enough amounts could be harmful to a breastfed baby.
- Ashwagandha, Astragalus, Ginkgo, Goji, Luo Han Guo, Schisandra MAY BE Unsafe for Pregnant Mothers.
- Seaweed often has high levels of arsenic or other heavy metals.
- Kelp/Bladderwrack may contain excessive amounts of iodine, enough to cause thyroid problems. Normal iodine levels in breastmilk are already four times higher than the RDA for infants, and supplemental iodine transfers into breastmilk at high levels. This could lead to thyroid problems in a breastfed baby as well as the mother.
- Chromium- The recommended amount for breastfeeding is 45MCG. Over this may be unsafe
- Papain- may increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage.
- Panax ginseng contains chemicals, called ginsenosides, that have an effect in the body similar to the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is known to suppress milk production when it is used in birth control pills. However, we don’t know whether Panax ginseng can harm milk production, or what amount you’d have to consume for it to have an effect.
- Bladderwack is listed as unsafe and to be avoided due to potentially high iodine concentrations and contamination with heavy metals.
- Puncturevine is unstudied and should be avoided
- Aloe is not safe for breastfeeding
- Barberry which is listed as a category c by nursing mother’s herbal. Moderate potential for toxicity, mainly dose related.
- Maca- which is unstudied and considered unsafe by infant risk. It also contains MSM which can cause toxins to be released into breastmilk but is currently unstudied and should be avoided if possible.
- Buckthorn-Causes loose stools in infants
- Coltsfoot (Farfarae folium)
- Dong Quai (Angelica Root)- No data exist on the excretion of any components of dong quai into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of dong quai in nursing mothers or infants. Although it is usually well tolerated in general use, it may increase the risk of bleeding in patients taking warfarin and antiplatelet drugs and cause photosensitivity reactions. Dong quai is best avoided during breast feeding.
- Ephedra / Ephedra sinica / Ma Huang- High dosages of bitter orange are often combined with caffeine and other stimulants in weight loss products, and the combinations may cause cardiac stimulation. Because of the lack of information on high dosages used in supplements and because animal data indicate that the adrenergic agents in bitter orange might decrease milk production, it should probably be avoided by nursing mothers, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
- Ginseng (Panax ginseng)-Because of its possible estrogenic activity and lack of information during breastfeeding, many sources recommend that ginseng not be used during lactation.
- Rhubarb- most recent reviewers state that rhubarb should not be used during breastfeeding because of possible cathartic effects on the breastfed infants
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