Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Cobalt? Is Cobalt safe for nursing mother and child? Does Cobalt extracts into breast milk? Does Cobalt has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Cobalt influence milk supply or can Cobalt decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Cobalt lactation summary

Cobalt is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Cobalt is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Cobalt is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Cobalt does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Cobalt safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
  • Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.

Answer by Dr. Ru: About Cobalt usage in lactation

Gray powder or metal, odorless. There is a risk of asthma crisis if cobalt powder is inhaled. It can be a cause of skin, ocular and respiratory tract irritation. Acetate, sulfate, trioxide and nitrate cobalt salts are potentially carcinogenic. Mandatory measures to prevent inhalation (room air extraction and respiratory protection) and ingestion (avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the work place). The industry must ensure a Threshold Limit Value (TLV) (TWA as well) less than 0.05 mg/m3 (cobalt salts less than 0.002 mg/m3). Biological Exposition Index (BEI) on the last labor week day: 15 micrograms/L in the urine, 1 microgram/L in the blood. Benefits of breastfeeding are largely more important than risk related to the presence of mild level environment pollutants in human milk, in many instances, they are at lower content than those found in cow’s milk or other foods. (Codex alimentarius FAO-WHO).

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Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. We do not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.