Kourtney Kardashian loves her placenta pills

The Kardashians are known for many things, one of them being unique health and beauty trends (think Kim Kardashian’s support of wearing a corset), and once again the latest celebrity headlines are abuzz over what is going on in this family. SEE ALSO: Bizarre health fads celebrities follow Kourtney Kardashian, who gave birth on December 14th, 2014, has been fairly quiet about her newborn but took to social media last week to announce how much is going to miss a particular part of post-pregnancy health: placenta pills. “Yummy…PLACENTA pills! No joke…I will be sad when my placenta pills run out. They are life changing! #benefits #lookitup,” read the caption to a photo Kourtney posted on Instagram this month. Yummy…PLACENTA pills! No joke…I will be sad when my placenta pills run out. They are life changing! #benefits #lookitup Une photo publiée par Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) le Janv. 10, 2015 at 4:35 PST But despite Kourtney Kardashian’s endorsement–as well as that of other celebrity moms–the benefits of placenta pills are not yet supported by the medical community. According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), there is little scientific research to back to practice of placenta consumption, also known as placenta encapsulation. What benefits have been reported are primarily from individual self-reporting. “Placental encapsulation is the practice of ingesting the placenta after it has been steamed, dehydrated, ground, and placed into pills,” stated the APA. “Traditionally, this is taken by the mother and is believed to impart numerous health benefits.  It is frequently taken shortly after giving birth, during a woman’s menstrual period, or during menopause with the belief that it helps counter some of the symptoms of menopause.” Benefits of placenta encapsulation are rumored to include: Increased release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps the uterus return to normal size and encourages bonding with the infant. Increase in CRH, a stress-reducing hormone. Decrease in post-partum depression levels. Restoration of iron levels in the blood. Increase in milk production. Not everyone is sold on the practice of eating placenta, however. Though scientific research does not necessarily support or refute the practice, some experts feel eating placenta means taking in all the bad as well as the good. During pregnancy, the placenta is where mother and child exchange nutrients as well as waste products. This means that placenta contains toxins as well as nutrients. While this risk appears to be minimal for the mother, people who take placenta pills that are not their own can run the risk of becoming ill. SEE ALSO: Tips on how to stimulate your baby in the womb “Placental encapsulation appears to carry no inherent risk if ingested solely by the mother,” explains the APA.  “Some mothers have reported experiencing negative symptoms such as dizziness or jitteriness after taking the pills. Again, most of the information regarding this practice is amassed from anecdotes, and not from research. In addition, if taken by other family members or friends, one must be aware of the possibility of passing along blood-borne diseases.” As with Kourtney Kardashian’s experience, the benefits of taking placenta pills remain a very personal experience. If you are considering this ancient practice, consult with your doctor first to make sure there are no underlying reasons to avoid placenta encapsulation.The post Kourtney Kardashian loves her placenta pills appeared first on Voxxi.