Is Elder flower Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Elder flower? Is Elder flower safe for nursing mother and child? Does Elder flower extracts into breast milk? Does Elder flower has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Elder flower influence milk supply or can Elder flower decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
Elder flower lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for Elder flower is 3 out of 8 which is considered Low Risk as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 3 indicates that usage of Elder flower may cause some minor side effects in breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research indicates that Elder flower may cause moderate to no side effects in lactating mother.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Elder flower low risk in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- While using Elder flower We suggest monitoring child for possible reactions. It is also important to understand that side effects vary largely based on age of breastfed child and time of medication in addition to 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 Elder flower usage in lactation
Bush. Bark, leaves, roots, flowers and fruits are used for medicinal purposes in traditional medicine (diuretic, laxative, anti-infective for cold relief ...) without any scientific evidence on effectiveness.It contains flavonoids (quercetin, isoquercitin and rutin), phenolic acids, terpenes, minerals, tannins. Quercetin is excreted in breast milk in a concentration which increases with diets that contain products like elderberry. In the elderberry as well as other plants are contained endocrine disruptors that could display pro or counter-estrogen activity. Since it has no proven therapeutic benefit, it seems wise to avoid any consumption or doing it in very moderate way during lactation.