Abstract

Breastfeeding provides the greatest benefits during the first six months of an infant’s life and is highly recommended for the first year postpartum, according to both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization. Despite this, many women prematurely discontinue breastfeeding for a variety of reasons. One reason often cited is a lack of adequate milk production. While pharmaceutical options are available to increase breast milk supply (e.g., domperidone, metoclopramide and metformin), these are met with mixed success, and some women are weary of consuming medications while breastfeeding, preferring natural alternatives instead. To this end, there is an emerging interest in the use of nutraceuticals, as new mothers seek optimal nutritional strategies to enhance breast milk supply. Specific agents of interest include fenugreek, milk thistle, moringa, and goats rue, with other galactagogue supplements and foods such as brewer’s yeast, fennel seed, oats, and flax seed also suggested as possibly beneficial. We review the scientific basis for the use of such agents, with consideration for clinical relevance, and provide suggestions for future directions in this line of research.