MadSci Network: General Biology |
Hello Laura: Before I give you my opinions, I want to say that I am not a clinician. None of the opinions I give should be construed as clinical advice, nor should any of this supplant the advice of a medical professional. The scientific name for Fenugreek is Trigonella foenum-graecum. It is claimed to have been used for centuries in the middle east in herbal healing. It was promoted in the USA in the 19th century as a tonic for menstural irregularities. Today, it is most often used as a flavoring for imitation maple syrup and in curry powder blends. There are phyto-estrogens and estrogen precursors found in various tissues of the plant. For this reason, there is some use by pharaceutical companys as a source of estrogenic compounds. The implication that this plant could be used to enhance breast development likely arises from it containing estrogenic compounds. As normal breast development requires estrogens to be present, it MAY follow that consuming estrogen MAY contribute to enhanced breast development. It is known that livestock, such as sheep, fed plants with estrogenic activity, can have disrupted reproductive cycle attributable to estrogen activity. So, it is without question that these steroids or molecules acting like these steroids can be found in plants, and they can have effects on mammalian reproduction. Unfortunately, I can find no scientifically based indication that breast development can occur from the use of these plants or extracts of such. Obviously there will be intense disagreement on this subject, especially by those who benefit (financially) from the distribution of such information. Please get the following articles: Prevention Magazine, Volume 53 Issue 7 (July, 2001) page 119. Varro Tyler, PhD details why he thinks that there is NO evidence for herbal breast enhancement. Prevention Magazine, Volume 53, Issue 1 (January, 2001) page 110. Douglas Schaar, Clinical Herbalist and PhD candidate describes the positive aspects of herbal breast enhancers. Also see: www.fenugreek.net and www.greenbush.net/fenmorin.html I would like to add that one should carefully examine why they want breast enhancement. A person is not better or worse based upon physical attributes. Furthermore, those who judge others based upon their physical attributes are missing whats important about people... Thanks for listening (reading) David Mallory, PhD Marshall University Huntington, WV
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on General Biology.