Placentophagy: Is Eating Placenta Safe For Our Health?

Placentophagy and eating placenta. Before I continue, let me say that you should speak to your doctor about your needs and that of your baby before trying out any alternative medical practices. Every mammal on earth except for humans eat their placenta and it looks really normal for them but then it isn't the first time people are eating placenta although I haven't eating one and I do not think I will try one until at least 80% of the world's population are doing so because it is medically proven as safe.

I was seeing a piece with the Kardashians and I saw a picture video of Kim and Kourtney Kardashian actually did it and it looks like a lot of famous people are doing it and then we might be forced to ask if it is just another pseudoscience alternative medicine or is it backed by science or maybe just celebrities doing things to keep content going.

At the beginning, I wrote Placentophagy which is the consumption of placenta by humans but when it comes to animals, it is referred to as r Placentophagia and there are hypothesis to this act, one being that animals eat up their placenta so predators would not be able to smell their newborn and come attack them, and another hypothesis is that they do this for the sake of cleanliness. Anyways, this are just hypothesis but when we talk about humans, there are claims that are believed to be beneficial to health.

The claims include that placenta consumption can ward off postpartum depression, as well as increase post-birth energy in mothers that just put to birth. This claims aren't solid enough for me to believe and this is because postpartum depression is caused by a few things of which a major cause is the drop in estrogen level and progesterone level after giving birth to a child another reason is as a result of an increase in the stress and anxiety when dealing with the newborn and so on, so that doesn't fly at all for me.

According to William Ober. M.D. Placentophagy has been for a very long time, as far back as Ancient Egypt during the reign of King Narmer. Ober goes to mention that it it was a culture in the early mid-east. Placentophagy has also been documented in China since in the late 1500s where Li Shih Zhen wrote in the Phamacopoeia that breast milk and placenta was a good treatment for Chi Exhaustion which is characterized by Anemia, weakness in the extremities, coldness in sexual organ, and premature ejaculation.

Okay, what is the nutritional content of placenta (You see I didn't use the word value because I haven't tried it and don't think I would anytime soon). It is said to contain Calories, Cholesterol, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Protein and a plethora of different vitamins and minerals ranging from riboflavin, vitamin B6, B12, Potassium, Thiamin, Biotin, Phosphorus, magnesium, Selenium, Copper, Zinc, and Pantothenic Acid. it also contains hormones Oxytocin, Estrogen, progesterone, and Human Placenta Lactogen (HPL). Although there is still a debate on if the hormone will be available in the body after consumption just like steroids.

I also saw a scientific research that was published in 1918 that showed the effect of ingesting placenta and increased breast milk production but then is that the reason for people consuming it in recent times. Well, for now I am not a parent and I do not know what such effect would do but I still do not buy the idea.

Scientists also look at the risk of consuming placenta such as a person consuming cadmium which is often found in the placenta of women who smoked during pregnancy. Cadmium can lead to liver and kidney damage. Consumption of placenta can also lead to bacterial infection if not properly stored and most importantly THE CDC ADVISES AGAINST CONSUMING PLACENTA also Health Canada and other health organizations advise against it as it can contain infectious agents including viruses and bacteria.

---

---

Post Reference

---

---

_{https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6138470/
https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/ask-heidi/eating-the-placenta.aspx
https://www.learnreligions.com/tom-cruise-eat-katie-holmes-placenta-3975199
https://www.romper.com/p/11-celebrities-who-ate-their-placenta-are-happy-to-admit-it-13659
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postpartum-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20376617
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1807646/
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6625a4.htm
https://www.jwatch.org/fw113049/2017/06/30/cdc-warns-against-consumption-dried-placenta-capsules
https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258
https://globalnews.ca/news/3576512/the-cdc-is-urging-moms-to-stop-taking-placenta-pills-after-baby-contracts-deadly-infection/
https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/human-placenta-products-consumption-not-authorized-canada-may-pose-serious-health}

---

---

Image Reference

---

---

_{Image 1 || Wikimedia Commons || Placenta human newborn
Image 2 || Flickr || Ed Uthman Bilobate Placenta with Velamentous Insertion of the Cord}