Is Cardamom safe while breastfeeding?

Summary of use during breastfeeding

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seed oil contains primarily alpha-terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole, with lower amounts of alpha-phellandrene, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpineol, beta-pinene, bisabolene, borneol, camphene, 1,4-cineole, citronellol, geraniol, limonene, linalool, linalyl acetate, myrcene, nerolidol, p-cymene, sabinene, and terpinene. Cardamom has been used during breastfeeding as a treatment for infant colic, and as a galactogogue as part of an herbal mixture with some literature support for these uses.[1-3] It has also been used as a postpartum tonic in Sri Lanka with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity attributed to its 1,8-cineole content.[4]

Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.

Effects on the breastfed infant

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on milk supply

A commercial preparation containing wild asparagus 2 grams, dill 1.5 grams, cumin 1 gram, and cardamom 0.5 grams (Ayush-SS granules, Central Council for Research Ayurveda & Siddha, India) per dose was studied in a randomized double-blind trial in Indian mothers whose infants were experiencing “insufficient lactation”. This dose was given twice daily for 12 weeks beginning when full-term infants failed to regain their birth weight by 14 days postpartum, exhibited a weight gain of less than 20 grams daily between days 15 and 90 of life, or had fewer than six urinations per day. A per-protocol analysis (dropout rate 22%) found that at six months, 74 of 106 (70%) infants in the Ayush-SS group were exclusively breastfed, compared to 47 of 105 (45%) in the placebo group. After 90 days, 81 of 106 infants (77%) in the Ayush-SS group gained at least 20 grams per day compared to 44 of 105 (41.8%) in the placebo group. Maternal perceptions of insufficient lactation were lower in the Ayush-SS group (15% vs. 58%). All of these differences were statistically significant. No severe adverse events related to the intervention were observed.[3] The study was well designed and performed, but no intent-to-treat analysis was performed.

Levels in milk

Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.