Beware of Breast Enlargement Supplements
Filed Under Dr. Zoltan Rona (MD) |
Q: In various health magazines, I’ve noticed ads for natural supplements that claim to increase women’s breast size. One such product contains wheat, barley, hops, rye, malt, wild oats and corn. Do these products actually work? More importantly, are they safe to use?
A: Breast size is determined primarily by heredity and estrogen activity. The herbal/botanical products currently on the market basically boost the effects of estrogen and theoretically could increase breast size.
If they really did that, they would also increase body fat percentage, weight and perhaps the size of existing tumors in the body, whether benign or malignant. When estrogen gets boosted in the body, it does not necessarily only stimulate the breasts but may, in fact, stimulate cells in the uterus, ovaries and fat cells.
Since no effect of such supplements has ever been proven, all I can advise at this time is “buyer beware.” Some studies are definitely needed here. I am sure there are plenty of researchers who would be interested in doing double-blind, placebo-controlled studies on the differences they measure in breast size over a number of months.
Dr. Rona
