Breastfeeding is widely viewed as the ideal way to feed your baby, but many nursing mothers wonder which foods and supplements are acceptable to take. Chlorella is a popular dietary supplement promoted as an immune booster, but it's safety for nursing mothers remains under investigation. If you want to take chlorella for its potential benefits to a nursing infant, you should talk to a doctor knowledgeable about breastfeeding nutrition before starting to take the supplement on your own.
Chlorella
Chlorella are a type of algae containing high amounts of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plants green. Many people use chlorella as an herbal remedy for improving the immune and digestive systems. Proponents claim that chlorella can boost immune functioning, fight off bacteria and viruses, increase the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, lower blood pressure and cleanse the blood. Evidence for most of the supposed functions of chlorella remains lacking, although a review article published in May 2001 in "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine" concluded that the potential of chlorella to relieve symptoms, improve quality of life, and normalize body functions in patients with fibromyalgia, hypertension and ulcerative colitis warrants larger, more comprehensive clinical trials.
Nutrition
Chlorella is high in protein, vitamins and minerals, all necessary components of a breastfeeding mother's diet. Two nutrients of particular interest in chlorella are vitamin C and beta-carotene, which are both antioxidants that can help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Chlorella also contains high levels of B vitamins, which aid in growth and development as well as general health. Because it contains iron and protein, vegetarians often use chlorella to get more of these nutrients into the diets.
Safety
Chlorella has been safely used for thousands of years in Asia and is marketed as a dietary supplement around the world. However, few safety tests have been done on this form of algae, so breastfeeding mothers might want to err on the side of caution and not take chlorella while nursing. Some people develop allergies to chlorella, though this is rare. Extremely high doses of chlorella could cause an iron overdose, so you should keep this supplement out of the reach of children.
Possible Benefits
A study published in March 2007 in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" found that breastfeeding women who took chlorella supplements during their pregnancies had lower levels of dioxins and higher levels of IgA immune compounds in their breast milk than mothers who did not take the supplements. Dioxins are dangerous environmental compounds that can be transferred into human milk when the mother eats or drinks something contaminated with them. IgA is a type of antibody found in breast milk that can help prevent infections in babies. The researchers suggest that consuming chlorella while breastfeeding might also confer the same benefits to babies.
References
- American Cancer Society: Chlorella
- "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine"; A Review of Recent Clinical Trials of the Nutritional Supplement Chlorella Pyrenoidosa in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia, Hypertension, and Ulcerative Colitis; R.A. Merchant and C.A. Andre; May 2001
- Synergy Natural: Chlorella
- "Journal of Medicinal Food"; Chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) Supplementation Decreases Dioxin and Increases Immunoglobulin a Concentrations in Breast Milk; S. Nakano, et al.; March 2007
