Fenugreek Tea for Milk Production

A recent study suggests that drinking an herbal tea made with fenugreek may have positive effects on breast milk production in new mothers.

Traditionally in India, fenugreek has been used as a milk flow stimulant (galactagogue), and some early evidence supports its use.

In the recent trial, researchers randomly assigned 66 mother-infant pairs to one of three groups: herbal fenugreek tea, placebo and control.

According to the researchers, milk production significantly increased in the herbal group and helped infants gain weight in the early postnatal days.

However, more research is needed to determine if the herbal tea is safe and effective as a breast milk stimulant.

For more information about other integrative therapies with galactagogue properties, please visit Natural Standard's Charts & Tables database.

References

Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/

Turkyılmaz C, Onal E, Hirfanoglu IM, et al. The Effect of Galactagogue Herbal Tea on Breast Milk Production and Short-Term Catch-Up of Birth Weight in the First Week of Life. J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Jan 24. View Abstract

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