Herbal Tips for Breast Enlargement

Herbal Tips for Breast Enlargement
Photo Credit Fenugreek in White Bowl 2 image by Leena Damle from Fotolia.com

No clinical studies have demonstrated that any herb can increase a woman's breast size, according to Mayo Clinic internist Sandhya Pruthi. While herbal breast enhancement products have not been proved to be safe or effective, many women turn to them as an inexpensive alternative to cosmetic surgery. Several plant-based products can theoretically increase bust size by increasing the amount of estrogen in the body or triggering a hormone response similar to lactation. Do not use herbal breast enhancers if you have a history of breast or ovarian cancer. These products may stimulate the regrowth of cancerous cells.

Fennel

Lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata notes that fennel has a long-standing history as a galactogogue, or an herb to stimulate breast milk production. In 1980, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology hypothesized that fennel increases the amount of estrogen in the human body. Scientists have isolated anethole as the primary estrogenic compound found in fennel, but no recent studies have evaluated its safety or efficacy as a galactogogue or cosmetic breast enhancer.

Fenugreek

Commonly used as a seasoning and medicine in southern Asia, fenugreek is renowned for its ability to improve breast-milk supply in lactating mothers. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine acknowledges fenugreek's popularity as a galactogogue and women's health tonic.

Blessed Thistle

According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, blessed thistle has been used for centuries to stimulate breast-milk production. No modern studies have evaluated this herb's effect on hormone levels or breast size, but it may increase breast size in non-nursing women by mimicking the conditions associated with lactation.

Hops

This weakly sedative herb is commonly used as an ingredient in beer and ale. It may be responsible for beer's folk reputation as a galactogogue. According to Kelly Bonyata, no studies have evaluated the use of hops to increase breast size or breast milk supply.

Soy

The U.S. National Institutes of Health state that soy contains isoflavones-- estrogen-like compounds also found in alfalfa, red clover and a few other medicinal herbs. Medline Plus acknowledges soy's theoretical ability to increase breast size by elevating estrogen levels, but no studies have evaluated its effectiveness.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Apr 26, 2011

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