Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1213
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
 
Publication type: Journal Article
Fugh-Berman A.
"Bust enhancing" herbal products.
Obstet Gynecol 2003 Jun; 101:(6):1345-9
http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/full/101/6/1345
Abstract:
“Bust enhancing” herbal products are widely advertised. No clinical trials have been published. These products contain a variety of ingredients, including grains, hops, saw palmetto, dong quai, chaste-tree berry, wild yam, kava, fennel, black cohosh, and fenugreek. Several of these herbs are hormonally active; for example, hops contain 8-prenylnaringenin, a phytoestrogen that is more potent than other dietary phytoestrogens. Many bust-enhancing dietary supplements contain substrates for Fusarium, a fungus that produces zearalenone, a potent estrogen that has been associated with breast enlargement in humans and other species. The use of bust-enhancing products should be discouraged because of lack of evidence for efficacy and long-term safety concerns
Keywords:
Animals
Breast/anatomy & histology
Breast/drug effects*
Dietary Supplements
Estrogens, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology
Estrogens, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use
Female
Fusarium
Humans
Isoflavones*
Phytoestrogens
Phytotherapy*
Plant Preparations/therapeutic use*