Keeping Up with the Kardashians fans watched in horror as new mom Kourtney Kardashian planned to serve a mystery dish to unsuspecting family members. Quite frankly, we couldn’t believe she was actually going through with it. So just what was this culinary wonder?
This “mystery dish” was placenta. Yes, you heard that right — placenta, otherwise known as afterbirth.
Delicately prepared by a family chef, it looked just like a regular piece of meat. The only difference was it had a string (umbilical cord) attached.
You see, Kourtney is just one of many stars who claims to have eaten placenta. In truth, it’s become quite a trend.
According to Rebel Circus, Alicia Silverstone consumed placenta in 2011, reportedly ingesting it in the form of pills. Gabby Hoffman (known for the HBO hit series Girls) consumed placenta in the form of seemingly innocent smoothie delights. And Holly Madison even jumped on the placenta train, saying she opted for the pill form.
So just why are stars and other moms jumping on the placenta bandwagon?
Some believe that eating placenta is natural — many animals are known to eat placenta following birth.
Those who are pro-placenta say it has numerous benefits. For starters, they claim that placenta is nutrient-rich. And they believe these nutrients may help moms fight postpartum depression and recover from childbirth in general. In pill form, they say it even boosts energy and helps with sleep. (Yes, that’s right, zzz’s and alertness in one fell swoop.)
Interestingly, experts say placentophagy isn’t new. Apparently, the Chinese and Vietnamese have consumed placenta for years. Italians have used it to boost the body’s ability to create breast milk, and Hungarians have used it to speed up labor.
Sounds great, right? Well, the jury is still out.
Recent research shows that this trend may have no nutritional benefits, or at least none that are proven.
A study published in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health, reviewed 10 studies, four human and six animal. “One examined the claim that consuming encapsulated placenta improves lactation, but the study did not adhere to current scientific standards, and no conclusions could be drawn. Neither animal nor human studies found good evidence for pain relief,” according to The New York Times. There are no placebo-controlled studies of placenta consumption, either.
“This is an unregulated practice with no evidence-based research about its risks and benefits,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Crystal T. Clark, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Northwestern. “It should certainly not be used in place of other treatments for postpartum depression or other postpartum complications until we have further research about its benefits.”
Here’s the startling thing — despite a lack of evidence-based research, some who consume placenta swear by its benefits. In fact, they say it helps with post-birth healing.
Houston resident Melissa Money told U.S. News & World Report she consumed placenta pills to treat postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her first child. And she tried it again after giving birth to a second and third child.
“My husband said it made a huge difference,” she says in the article. “If it’s something that can be used to stave off the depression that sometimes follows childbirth, I’d recommend it.”
But not all moms have had positive experiences when it comes to placenta consumption. Take, for example, the story of Genevieve , a blogger at MamaNatural.com who created video blogs about the concept on YouTube. U.S. News & World Report says that Genevieve turned to placenta consumption following the birth of her second child after being told about the practice by her doula.
“She shared her mixed experiences with the placenta pills in a YouTube video, where she explains she took six pills a day – two after each meal – and became engorged, leaking (milk) everywhere’ and began feeling depressed,” according to the U.S. News & World Report.
When a concerned reader shared a similar story, she discontinued the practice. “Within 24 hours her mood lifted and she felt like herself. The day after, her milk became more regular.”
In light of this experience, Genevieve wants moms to beware of bodily changes associated with placenta consumption. “Watch your body and see what your symptoms are,” she told U.S. News & World Report. “It isn’t the right fit for everyone.”
Strangely, she may not rule out the practice forever. In fact, she has stored the placenta pills in a freezer for possible use at a later time. “Maybe I’ll try them when I hit menopause,” she says in the article.
We know what you’re wondering. How do people actually consume placenta if they aren’t comfortable with creating a gourmet dish (as in the case of Kourtney Kardashian)?
One of the most popular forms of placenta consumption comes in the form of pills, like the supplements Genevieve is saving. Consequently, some have turned this into a business.
Claudia Booker is a well-known doula who claims that “the placenta contains vitamins, minerals and hormones that are specific to your body, replenishing and revitalizing your energy, supplementing your emotional and physical reserves called upon to attend to requirements placed on her by motherhood.”
Booker offers a service in which placentas are turned into this encapsulated form. “Placenta encapsulation involves cleaning, steaming, drying, grinding and encapsulating the placenta in vegan capsules. This provides all the benefits without unusual tastes or smells and preserves the placenta’s medicinal properties, ensuring many weeks of hormonal support. Some women save their placenta capsules for later in life, to ease the transition to menopause,” states Booker on her website.
Booker says she creates the capsules in her home. This makes life easier on new moms.
“I am not in favor of processing it at your home and imposing my presence and the aroma in your home during your immediate postpartum period at home where you and your family are bonding with your new baby,” she adds.
She tells moms to take one capsule twice a day for two to three weeks after birth. Then she recommends one capsule a day. However, she notes that doses vary.
If you are considering this option, give it a lot of thought before jumping into anything. Obviously, placenta consumption isn’t for most. And there isn’t enough recent research to prove its benefits.
At the end of the day, the choice as to whether or not to consume placenta following childbirth is yours. At least now you’ll know what this trend is all about.
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