Cinnamon and Breastfeeding

Summary of use during lactation

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Ceylon cinnamon) contains cinnamaldehyde, polyphenols eugenol and cinnamic acid. Ceylon cinnamon should not be confused with cassia or Chinese cinnamon, which contains high amounts of the toxic ingredient coumarin. Other forms of cinnamon also exist. Ceylon cinnamon is "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use as a flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No data exist on the safety of cinnamon in nursing mothers or infants. In general, cinnamon is well tolerated, with occasional bloating, dyspepsia, heartburn and nausea reported. Cinnamon has been used in Ayurvedic, Chinese traditional and folk medicine as a galactogogue.[1-4] No scientific studies could be located that evaluate the effect of cinnamon on the milk supply. Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[5,6] Studies on the exposure of nursing infants to cinnamon odor found no effect on growth parameters, whereas maternal odor and maternal milk odor may have an effect on infant weight gain.[7] Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.

Drug levels in milk and infant serum

Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date. Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects in breastfed infants

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on lactation and breastmilk

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

References

1. Low Dog T. The use of botanicals during pregnancy and lactation. Altern Ther Health Med 2009;15:54–8.19161049 PubMed
2. Mann BR, Zhang H. Improvement in lactation with traditional Chinese medicine and western herbal medicine: A case study. J Chin Med 2014;105:50–5.
3. Illamola SM, Amaeze OU, Krepkova LV, et al. Use of herbal medicine by pregnant women: What physicians need to know. Front Pharmacol 2019;1030733675 PubMed
4. Eid AM, Jaradat N. Public knowledge, attitude, and practice on herbal remedies used during pregnancy and lactation in West Bank Palestine. Front Pharmacol 2020;11:46.32116721 PubMed
5. Brodribb W. ABM Clinical Protocol #9: Use of galactogogues in initiating or augmenting maternal milk production, second revision 2018. Breastfeed Med 2018;13:307–14.29902083 PubMed
6. Breastfeeding challenges: ACOG Committee Opinion, Number 820. Obstet Gynecol 2021;137:e42–e53.33481531 PubMed
7. Bali Bilgi O, Acikgoz A, Cakirli M. The effect of olfactory stimulation on growth parameters in newborn infants: A systematic review. Breastfeed Med 2025;20:94–101.39659255 PubMed