Appeared in a recent series of ads and commercials that promote various nutritional supplements that would help to increase “natural” volume of the breast. Promoters of these products say that the active ingredients used are extracted from plants, they produce a real increase in mammary gland tissue and, more than that, the breasts will become firmer and healthier.
What is actually the truth about these supplements?
Generally they are based on a number of plants that contain compounds with activity is similar to hormones. One of the most used ingredients is Serenoa repens, a plant commonly used to treat benign enlarged prostate to men. It was noted that this plant, by metabolism, increase the volume of the mammary gland, but its effects on general health of the woman is not yet understood. It appears that the effect of breast augmentation is less clear whether this plant is also associated with fennel and Trigonella foenum-graecum, dill seeds, dill oil, dill seed tincture or ivy.
In terms of clinical studies on the adverse effects of these herbs on the body, they are not, unfortunately, too many. In most cases, manufacturers of creams or pills claiming to enlarge the bust circumference claim to have examined adverse effects of these products and they can be safely used.
One thing is certain
In medical journals published there are no studies to support these assertions. But that was experimentally that by feeding female rats for 10 days with fennel seeds, there was a weight gain of the mammary glands of these and if doses were increased, the increase took place in the uterus.
But it is well known that excessive exposure to hormones such as estrogen favors the appearance of neoplasms. Therefore, it is not known if these products administered at recommended doses promotes growth of endometrial tissue or actually increase the incidence of breast or endometrial cancer. Thus, women suffering from endometriosis, diseases of cholecystitis, breast cyst or pregnant women, nursing, taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapies are are most exposed to these risks.
Verdict?
Until clinical trials will examine the management implications of these products, these breast enhancement supplements should be avoided.
