If you’ve ever dealt with a plugged milk duct or know a friend who has, you might have heard a thing or two about lecithin. The plant-based supplement is sometimes touted as a way to ease painful clogs and keep recurrent ones away.
But despite its popularity, the research backing this supplement is pretty thin. Here’s what breastfeeding moms need to know about lecithin supplements for clogged milk ducts and whether they’re worth a try.
What is lecithin?
Lecithin is a type of phospholipid — a fatty substance found in plant and animal tissues (including human cells). It occurs naturally in foods like soybeans, egg yolks and sunflower oil, and it’s added to a number of packaged foods. Breastfeeding women who take lecithin typically buy it as a supplement in capsule or powder form.
If your practitioner recommends lecithin supplements, you can find them derived from soy or sunflower oil. One isn’t necessarily thought to be better than the other when it comes to easing or preventing clogs. But if you have any concerns about soy allergies for you or your baby, it makes sense to stick with sunflower lecithin instead.
Can lecithin supplements prevent plugged milk ducts?
Clogged or plugged milk ducts are a problem that many breastfeeding and pumping moms face at some point. When you nurse, milk flows through your breasts through a system of pipes, or ducts. Sometimes a duct can become blocked or clogged, making it harder for milk to pass through. That can lead to the formation of a sore or tender lump in your breast.
Clogged ducts can usually be managed at home by nursing or pumping more frequently and gently massaging the area — and if you think you have one, you should deal with it quickly. While most blockages are little more than an annoyance at first, when left to fester, they can morph into an infection called mastitis.
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Proponents say that lecithin supplements can be a helpful complementary strategy for relieving clogged ducts. And some women who deal with frequent clogged ducts (which can sometimes happen when you have an oversupply or if you often find yourself becoming engorged) take it daily as a preventive, according to La Leche League International.
The thinking goes that lecithin can potentially help make milk more sticky, so it better holds onto fat globules that could otherwise get stuck in milk ducts and cause a clog. However, there’s little research to prove that lecithin supplements do much to relieve or prevent clogged ducts.
One small study found that adding lecithin to tube-fed breast milk helped the milk hold onto more fat. But there haven’t been any studies looking directly at the effect lecithin supplements might have on clogged ducts for lactating people.
If you want to try lecithin to keep future clogs at bay, consult your practitioner first. To fight recurrent clogs, La Leche League International recommends first trying to adjust your breastfeeding position and baby’s latch, then reducing saturated fat in your diet and, if your doctor recommends it, taking 1 tablespoon per day of lecithin.
If you’re using lecithin preventively and find that you can make it a week or two without a clog, gradually scale back your daily dose.
As with any supplement taken while breastfeeding, be sure to get the green light from your doctor and your baby’s pediatrician first. Lecithin capsules and powders — as with all supplements — aren’t extensively regulated before they go to market, and in many cases, the ingredients on a package label may not match up exactly with what’s inside or may even include harmful ingredients.
Do your research to ensure you’re buying a safe product, only purchase supplements that have been certified by NSF International or USP, and run your decision by your doctor before taking it.
Possible benefits of lecithin supplements while breastfeeding
Taken regularly, lecithin is thought by some to potentially help prevent future clogs if you’re prone to them, like if you have an oversupply or are going through a period where you’re dealing with engorgement.
Risks of lecithin supplements while breastfeeding
Lecithin is “generally recognized as safe,” (GRAS) according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It also isn’t known for causing serious side effects, though some people who take it find that it causes stomach upset or diarrhea.
It’s also possible that lecithin could pose an allergen risk, both to you or your baby. Soy lecithin is more likely to trigger a possible reaction compared to sunflower lecithin, since soy is a major allergen. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that soy lecithin is generally well-tolerated by soy-allergic children, but avoiding it is an easy way to play it safe.
Other tips to prevent clogged milk ducts
Lecithin is one potential tool in your box for fighting clogs. But it’s far from the only one, and there are other strategies that may be more effective. If you choose to take it, use it as a complement to these clog-reduction tips:
- Nurse often. Breastfeeding and pumping is safe when you have a plugged duct, and nursing frequently can actually help you de-clog. Nurse or pump from the affected breast first whenever you can and try to drain the breast fully before offering the other one.
- Pump when needed. If your baby doesn’t drain your breast during a nursing session, finish off with a pump until the milk comes out in slow drips.
- Get into position. Try ones that use gravity to help draw more milk out, like nursing on all fours with your baby positioned below you.
- Wear loose clothes. Tight bras or shirts can cause painful pressure on a breast with clogged ducts. Wear loose tops and go bra-free if you can, but if you can’t at least avoid underwires.
- Add heat. Applying a warm compress to the affected area for 30 to 45 minutes can help loosen the clog. So can standing in a hot shower with the water stream aimed towards your breast.
- Use massage. Gentle, circular pressure during and after feeding can also help loosen plugged ducts. Just don’t push too hard, or you could bruise the area.
- Call your doc. If the lump seems to get bigger, lasts for more than a few days, or if you start to develop a fever or flu-like symptoms, call your practitioner. These could be signs of an infection.
- Wean slowly. If you're weaning, don't rush it. Cutting out just one feeding a day every three to four days will help your body adjust and prevent clogged ducts from developing.
Bottom line? If you decide to try lecithin supplements, get the green light from your doctor first and don’t use lecithin as a substitute for proven clog-relieving methods.
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