Is Cinnamon safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Cinnamon. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Ceylon cinnamon) contains cinnamaldehyde, polyphenols eugenol and cinnamic acid. Ceylon cinnamon should not be confused with cassia or Chinese cinnamon, which contains high amounts of the toxic ingredient coumarin. Other forms of cinnamon also exist. Ceylon cinnamon is "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use as a flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No data exist on the safety of cinnamon in nursing mothers or infants. In general, cinnamon is well tolerated, with occasional bloating, dyspepsia, heartburn and nausea reported. Cinnamon has been used in Ayurvedic, Chinese traditional and folk medicine as a galactogogue.[1-4] No scientific studies could be located that evaluate the effect of cinnamon on the milk supply. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[5,6] Studies on the exposure of nursing infants to cinnamon odor found no effect on growth parameters, whereas maternal odor and maternal milk odor may have an effect on infant weight gain.[7]
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
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
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.
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Cinnamon is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Cinnamon” (cinnamon). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.