Nope. Eating placenta does not give new moms an iron boost. Though, previously backed by stars like Tamera Mowry and Kardashian sisters, Kim and Kourtney -- the popular trend, believed to promote recovery after childbirth, as well as elevate a mothers’ mood and energy has recently been debunked.
When compared to taking a “dummy pill,” researchers discovered that eating human placenta in capsule form "neither significantly improves, nor impairs, postpartum maternal iron status for women consuming the recommended daily allowance of dietary iron during pregnancy/lactation," a new study, published in the Nov. 3 issue of The Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health reports.
According to former University of Nevada, Las Vegas, graduate student Laura Gryder, the study monitored 23 women over the course of three weeks. During that time, 10 women were given placenta capsules three times a day for four days following childbirth; twice a day for the next eight days; and once a day for nine additional days. Meanwhile, the remaining 13 women took a dummy pill -- containing dried beef -- on the same schedule.
Following the course of the test, the team revealed that blood tests of both groups reflected no difference in the women's iron levels.
You May Also Like
Of course, this is a big news for advocates of the centuries old Chinese practice. Though few scientific studies conducted on placental encapsulation -- the practice of ingesting the placenta after it has been steamed, dehydrated, ground, and placed into pills – have conclusively supported or dispelled possible benefits linked to the holistic medical custom, the American Pregnancy Association lists a number of potential advantages that come hand-in-hand come with chowing down on your placenta, including...
- Increased release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps the uterus return to normal size and encourages bonding with the infant
- Increase in CRH, a stress-reducing hormone
- Decrease in post-partum depression levels
- Restoration of iron levels in the blood
- Increase in milk production
Some of which stars like the Mowry sisters have claimed to experience in the past. During a bizarre stunt for the 2013 season finale of Style's “Tia & Tamera” reality show, Tamera administered with a dropper some of her placenta into her sister's mouth. Though it took some convincing – to the tune of mixing it with brandy - Tia surprisingly raved over the taste. “It's kind of good!” she exclaimed.
Of course, that hasn’t been everyone’s experience. It’s important to note that some mothers have reported experiencing negative symptoms such as dizziness or jitteriness after taking the pills.
For more information on eating placenta, check out the American Pregnancy Association.
