Health care providers generally frown upon the use of medicinal herbs for cosmetic purposes. Dr. Sandhya Pruthi of Mayo Clinic warns that no scientific studies have found herbal breast enhancers to be safe or effective. Nevertheless, women seeking fuller breasts often turn to hormone-affecting herbs as a low-cost, nonprescription alternative to cosmetic surgery. In theory, these products work by elevating levels of the hormones estrogen and prolactin, two hormones involved in pregnancy and lactation. Consult your health care provider before using any herbal breast enhancer, particularly if you have a family history of hormone-sensitive diseases like breast, ovarian or endometrial cancer.
Licorice
The root of the licorice plant has been used for centuries as a treatment for female hormonal imbalances. According to the National Institutes of Health, women taking licorice supplements sometimes experience a sharp increase in levels of prolactin and estrogen. In theory, this could improve blood-flow and cellular growth to breast tissue. The National Institutes of Health notes that licorice is unlikely to alter hormone levels in the confectionary or culinary amounts; a woman can not alter her breast size by occasionally eating licorice candy.
Anise
The seeds of the anise plant owe their licorice-like fragrance to anethole, a compound found in licorice, anise, star-anise and fennel. According to a 1980 report by the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, anise seed has a longstanding traditional use as a galactogogue, or breast milk stimulant. The journal attributes anise's medicinal properties to its estrogen-like chemical constituents.
Fenugreek
Another traditional galactogogue, fenugreek may alter breast size by mimicking the conditions associated with breast milk production. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine acknowledges fenugreek's traditional use as a breast enhancer, but notes that there is insufficient evidence to support this use. Fenugreek contains no estrogenic compounds and has few side effects compared to most medicinal herbs. The most common side effect is a harmless maple-like body odor.
Blessed Thistle
Blessed thistle and its botanical relative milk thistle both contain low levels of estrogen-affecting plant compounds. According to the National Institutes of Health, blessed thistle is traditionally used to increase breast size and breast milk production in nursing mothers. No well-designed studies have investigated blessed thistle's effects on reproductive hormones or breast tissue, but traditional herbalists may recommend it as a treatment for menstrual disorders and hormonal imbalances.
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