The Breastfeeding Benefits of Placentophagy

Historically, traditional Chinese medicine has used the placenta to help increase lactation in women who had inadequate supply.  Research has now been done to help explain the benefits of this practice and give us a look into the science behind it.  It is interesting to note that almost all mammals ingest their placenta after birthing and easily nurse their young without problems.  Today, only 25% of women are still breastfeeding their children at 6 months, compared to 81% at birth.  There are many other reasons that women quit breastfeeding but one of the most common is that the woman has an inadequate supply. 

In a study of 210 postpartum women fed their placentas after birth, it showed that 86.2% of them had positive results.  This study used some first time moms and many second time moms that had experienced difficulty with milk supply while nursing their previous children.  Positive results were usually seen within 2 to 3 days after taking the placenta.  Another interesting study was being carried out at the same time using cows and studying their milk supply after placenta ingestion.  While definite results were not ye available, research so far showed that cows that consumed their placenta produced 1 liter more of milk per day than cows that did not.

So what is the substance is the placenta that has such a marked benefit on lactation?  Researchers thought that it might be protein and began another experiment.  In this, they used beef instead of placenta.  They treated the beef the same way they did the placenta and gave the same amount (65g) of beef to each participant.  The results yielded only a 33% positive result, with 66% of the participants showing no effect at all.  The conclusion of this study was that protein was not the main substance in the placenta that caused an increase in milk supply.

An interesting explanation is that placenta medicine is an effective form of tissue therapy.  The placenta is a piece of tissue expelled from a mammal and then after processing is reintroduced.  It is understood that tissues undergo a biochemical change when separated from an organism and undergoing unfavorable conditions (such as encapsulation).  These conditions cause substances to be formed that stimulate biochemical processes, called biogenic stimulators.  These biogenic stimulators are not present until the tissue leaves the organism.  According to the study:

“Biogenic stimulators, introduced into the organism one way or another, activate life processes, increase cellular metabolism and intensify the physiological functions of the organism.” (Placenta as a Lactagogon)

This is an interesting hypothesis on why and how placenta medicine works.  It may also explain the reason that placenta is beneficial as a supplement, but a retained placenta is detrimental to milk supply.  Another explanation is the hormones present in the placenta.  The placenta is full of hormones – including prolactin, all of which were specifically created by the mammal that ingests it.  Prolactin is the hormone that is responsible for stimulating the mammary glands to produce milk.  Hormones would most definitely have an effect on milk production and supply.