Nursing a baby is one of the best things a mother can do to improve her child’s lifetime health. And most of the time, it works out just fine. Sometimes, though, her body just can’t quite create enough milk to meet the needs. That’s where fenugreek can help.

Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum, “Greek hay”) was native to southeastern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, but this little legume is now widely cultivated in other parts of the world.

In Egypt, India and the Middle East, fenugreek, with its maple smell and flavor, finds its way into foods, beverages, confections, tobacco, and imitation maple syrup flavorings. As a curry spice, fenugreek imparts a strong, bitter taste, so is best used in small quantities when put in food. The bitter-aromatic seeds are essential part in the Bengali "five spice" mixture.

People have used fenugreek seed to increase milk production since biblical times. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants, and was used in Hippocratic and ancient Egyptian medicine.

It’s All Fenugreek to Me

Fenugreek has many therapeutic uses, but these days, it’s getting a lot of attention for promoting promote lactation (a galactagogue) and as an aphrodisiac. For centuries, in many cultures, women have consumed fenugreek to increase milk supply. Vermont folk medicine literature describes using fenugreek as fodder for dairy cows to increase milk production.

Rima Jensen, M.D., is a family practice physician in private practice in Mexia, TX. She mentions that she personally used fenugreek to aid low milk production. Using the herb, she increased her milk enough milk to feed her baby with feedings every 3 to 4 hours, a normal rate.She has recommended fenugreek to her patients to increase breast milk production and has no reservations about its safety in lactation. She says the breasts seem to increase production with only emptying, as if a new baseline is created.

Kathleen E. Huggins, R.N., M.S., is a Director of the Breastfeeding Clinic at San Luis Obispo General Hospital in California. She is the author of The Nursing Mother's Companion and co-author of The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning. She has been recommending fenugreek for over six years, whenever a mother's milk production is determined to be low. She has worked with at least 1200 women who have used fenugreek, and nearly all report an increase in milk production, generally within 24 to 72 hours. She says that most mothers find that they can discontinue the herb once milk production is stimulated to an appropriate level.

She has also used fenugreek successfully in a variety of situations including relactation, for women who have had breast surgery and for mothers who are exclusively pumping for non-nursing infants.

With more than 30 years in the field, Medela is a company that supplies breastfeeding aids, such as breast pumps. You will often find their rental stations in the birthing wards of hospitals. They recommend fenugreek as a safe and effective galactogogue. Lactation consultants often combine fenugreek with blessed thistle.

Fenugreek has centuries of safe and successful folk use, but scientific confirmation is scant. The few studies look positive. In one study, ten women used the herb. It significantly increased volume of breast milk.

In a paper published in the Journal of Human Lactation, scientists from the Drug Information and Medication Use Outcomes Section, at the University of Illinois at Chicago, concluded that use of fenugreek may be warranted after considering risks versus benefits.

The herb contains hormone-like phytoestrogens, which are plant chemicals similar to the female sex hormone estrogen. One of these, diosgenin, is a steroid sapogenin, found in fenugreek, is the starting compound for over 60% of the total steroid production (for birth control pills and related drugs) by the pharmaceutical industry. Fenugreek is richer in diosgenin and other saponins than yams, the current main commercial source. Like other legumes, it is as rich in these plant hormones as other legumes, such as alfalfa., Diosgenin has been shown experimentally to increase milk flow.Other sapogenins contained in fenugreek include yamogenin, gitogenin, tigogenin, and neotigogens.

Scientists do not know for sure how fenugreek increases milk supply. Jensen believes it is possible because breasts are modified sweat glands, and fenugreek stimulates sweat production.

Fenugreek is a popular natural medicine for a number of conditions. Traditional but scientifically unsubstantiated indications for this herb include arthritis, bronchitis, sore throats, coughs and fevers. It has been used topically for abscesses, boils, wounds, burns, eczema, gout, and skin ulceration.

A well-known medical application for fenugreek is blood sugar control, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Fenugreek is rich in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol.Fenugreek saponins also lower cholesterol and other blood lipids.The fiber acts as a bulk laxative and f

enugreek can decrease stone-forming calcium oxalate in the kidney.

A study from 2001 showed more than 70% inhibition of tumor cell growth compared to control animals.

The seeds may also be eaten as raw powder, or boiled. You may also use capsules. Dry roasting can enhance the flavor and reduce the bitterness. Debittered and defatted versions are available. Fenugreek can be taken in tea form, although tea is less potent- and bitter.

Cindy Curtis, R.N., I.B.C.L.C., is a registered nurse and lactation consultant. She suggests 600 mg capsules, at a dose of 6-12 capsules per day. Jensen concurs, and says that the milk response to fenugreek depends on the dose. A single dose of fifteen causes moderate engorgement about 36 hours later. And three capsules a day are not enough, she says. Huggins and the Medela company echo her opinion.

Commonly, sweat and urine smells like maple syrup. Some say that’s a sign that you have reached the right dose. Sometimes the baby will smell like maple syrup, too!

Fenugreek is generally regarded as safe by the F.D.A. Although there is good consensus regarding safety, the evidence of safety for the nursing infant is only anecdotal.

And fenugreek is not right for everyone. The only familiar side effect is mild digestive distress or loose stool when it is taken in high doses, but the herb has occasionally aggravated asthma symptoms and lowered blood sugar. Fenugreek is, along with peanuts, a legume and may cause an allergic reaction in moms who are allergic to these things. Two cases of fenugreek allergy show up in the literature.

Thomas Hale, Ph.D., in Medications and Mothers Milk, states, “The transfer of fenugreek into milk is unknown, but untoward effects have not been reported.” He classifies it as moderately safe.

Fenugreek seed can cause uterine contractions, so, to be on the safe side, do not take it while pregnant.