Fenugreek Supplements and Home Remedies

Very true indeed... fenugreek promotes milk production in new moms. Traditionally in india all new moms are given a mixture of coconut, poppy seeds, fenugreek, jaggery, sesame seeds, ginger powder, all kinds of nuts, seeds and lots of other stuff to recover quickly and also to produce a lot of milk...it also keeps all colds n coughs at bay.....

Hi ! I have to comment and say that what happened to you is not strange since the herb Fenugreek is used to increase appetite and put on more weight for those who are underweight. Regards..

Well, indeed fenugreek can accomplish both:

increasing appetite - mainly by means of its bitter constituents and very small amounts of alkaloids that are known to act in a similar manner as those in cod liver oil. - That is in increasing appetite, - as said in a post before, esp. in individuals that are underweight and/or generally "suffer" from a lack of appetite.

As a supporting mechanism to this, the steroidal compounds in fenugreek, which act as potent phytoestrogens have a tendency to stimulate the secretion of FSH more than LH, which is deemed to accounts to a large part for fenugreeks galactogogue (lactation stimulating) effects, as it leads to a sudden significant rise in estrogen levels over progesterone levels, which is similar to the situation in women who have just given birth...

This hormonal situation can also account for a certain tendency of the body to "fill out" ...its lipid stores to better provide for the needs of lactation.
...That is also the reason for the definite "breast enhancing" effects noticed by most every woman who takes the herb for a prolonged time (more than 6 weeks).

On the other hand, - there is also a definite truh to fenugreeks ability to help reduce - sometimes drastically - hunger and food intake esp. in priorly overweight or even diabetic individuals.

This mechanism is based on the high (soluble as well as insoluble) fiber content of the seeds, the latter of which helps to create a feeling of fullness and satiety, without being itself digestible, but exerting a gentle yet effective laxative action; while first, the mucilage, acts as a prebiotic, and as such helps to restore a healthy gut flora, which will make digestion more effective and therewith reduce the body's feeling of the need of hightened energy intake.

This usually shows on the scale after a little while.

What I don't really understand, however, is the fact that the other poster claimed she had experienced these weight reducing effects with TEA. -

Tea, in my experience would normally rather account for the above described appetite-stimulating effects, while the described weight reducing mechanism would be achieved with about 1-2 tbsp. of ground crude fenugreek seeds before each meal...

So much from my experience...

(I am a Herbalist and my Masters thesis was on this herb..)

Many thanks for your feedback which was very interesting. I wonder if you know about the use of fenugreek for hair growth? We tried it at home, diluting some fenugreek in a little bit of coconut milk but it never really seems to dissolve. Online I found some instruction but they tell you to make a paste with a lot of coconut milk and just a tiny little bit of fenugreek, still for a paste you need more fenugreek than coconut milk I would say...... I am very much mixed up!

Question to 06/16/2010: B. Gioia (herbalist) from New Haven, Ct:

A friend who is taking Tamoxifin to remove estrogen as a cancer fighting remedy told me she has absolutely no appetite. I was ready to recommend Fenugreek and then read your comments about it stimulating estrogen. Does that mean it would be contraindicated? Do you know of an appetite stimulant she could take?

Please tell the method of using fenugreek for appetite and weight gain.

hi, I am male of 29 years. I am underweight. please tell me the method of using fenugreek for weight gain.

If one thing, fenugreek, works both ways - losing weight as well as gaining - does it not become dangerous to use without a doctor's supervision? Will you please also explain how weight gain mechanism works with fenugreek?

Warmly

Yes, it is estrogenic and some really expensive face creams are too. Estrogen can feed cancer cells. I use an estrogen cream by emerita so I am not saying I don't use it . I am saying use it with awareness. Fat cells also produce estrogen . They inject the food industry animals with estrogen to make them plump up. Pesticides cause estrogen dominance. Plastics also contribute to estrogen problems.

Read Dr. John Lee on estrogen or look up fenugreek properties.

Cut and paste is too hard for me to figure out. Blessings, Charity

What are you basing that on please? I have read this is good for a women that is breast feeding but not for breast enhancement.

Fenugreek, For breast enlargement. I'm happy to say, it has enlarged my breasts from 34c to38dd. I take Fengreek pills (2 pills twice daily) and I mix 2 caplets with lotion and massage into my breasts twice daily. My breasts are very firm.

hi i would like to ask how to take fenugreek, this is because i am still nursing my 1 year son and still want the same size when i stop feeding him

Fenugreek is a phyto-estrogen, that is to say, it is a plant with chemical properties that mimic female hormones. It is not typically going to help women with naturally small breast to increase in size. However, if you have had children or are near menopause, it is a safer means of supplementing a system with lower hormonal levels than prescriptions. Because the herb increase low hormonal levels, it may make the breasts of women with lower estrogen and progestrogen levels to reclaim some firmness and size. It is not a magical herb that will cause every woman's breasts to inflate like a balloon.

Fenugreek is a relatively cheap, common herb. You can buy it in capsule form, as a tea, or as sprouts in some health food stores. I would recommend beginning this herb by drinking two cups of tea a day.

As this is an herb that affects hormone levels, use it with caution. If you take artificial hormones by means of birth control or HRT, this may not be safe for you to take in addition. Also, if you consume a diet high in phyto-estrogens already, such as soy products, the addition of fenugreek may not be a good idea.

Fenugreek also lowers blood sugar levels, so if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, be careful. Many people find their appetite increases as a side effect of taking the herb. Also, constant usage of fenugreek will actually change your body odor. It is not an unpleasant smell, but it can be strong.

As a comment to the lady asking about fennugreek, I remember my lactation consultant instructing me in the quantity to ingest (in the form of capsules, could be the same with tea) she had said to start with a small amount, then increase every day a little, and when your urine starts smelling like maple syrup, you are taking the right amount! It really does happen as she describes it.

It is a popular remedy here for breatsfeeding woman to produce more milk also it is well know that fenugreek is best remedie to improve appatite and to gain weight. But the only negative thing about it that it gives the body bad smell.

How long did it take those of you ladies, who had success, to see results? Did you find that it added weight to any other parts of your body, like your hips? I have a very narrow, boyish body, and I am wondering if fenugreek would have a similar effect that the pill has on many women. This is that it makes breasts bigger, yes, but also hips. Thanks!

Hi, can somebody help me? Just wan to know how long will it take to see the result of fenugreek seeds? I'm really getting frustrated. As I've been drinking the juice of fenugreek seeds for 1 month now. Still --A cup for me. Your reply is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Yes works like magic myself I use the seeds. After 3months my boobs are now bigger and my hubby loves them can't keep his hands off them, friends are admiring them especially my gal friends. The problem is just the smell if you grind the seeds. And the skins get an extra glow loving it!!!

Babez, congrats, I am wondering when you say you use the seeds, can you tell me exactly what you mean by that? And how... The recipe you use and how much? Thanks

Hey can you please let us know how did u consume fenugreek seeds for brest enlargement?

Could taking fenugreek capsules increase breast size in a woman who is an A cup and is not pregnant or breast feeding? I've read lots about how fenugreek can aid in overall weight gain, but I was wondering that if I continue to control my caloric intake and excersize regularly, if my breasts will grow without the rest of my body weight increasing. Any help would be much appreciated. :)

Hi Maggie. I do not know about the fenugreek, but it is possible to increase bust size through exercise. You need to use weights and do the exercises in a slow motion. This is described in a book I have, "The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health Through Drugless Therapy" by Dr. Harold J. Reilly and Ruth Hagy Brod. Pages 284-285 explains the exercises. It has been over 10 years since I did these, but it did work for me.

About 20 yrs. ago I read that a female taking Saw Palmetto would increase breast size. As I was wanting to lose weight but not in the breast area I took it for a while and I do believe it worked. I did increase cup size.

My breast milk was greatly increased by using Fenugreek... there were times where I was exhausted and in a rush to get places with my baby, so I pumped instead of nursing... you don't get out as much milk when you pump instead of letting your baby nurse, so my milk supply went down a little.

3x a day I put 1 tablespoon of whole Fenugreek seeds in a cup and cover it with a cup of boiling water and let it sit for about 15 minutes. I'd drink the tea and eat the seeds. They tasted vile..I literally had to hold my breath while I did it and chase it down with a little bit of honey. But it was worth it... within 24 hours, my breasts were so full I was practically squirting across the room!!! LOL!

Very true indeed......it has been done in India for over thousand's of years now...starting from the ninth month of pregnancy soak 2 tbsp of fenugreek in a cup of water at night and in the morning boil the same for 7-10 min on medium flame.....add jaggery (let it melt for 5 min until the concoction cools) and a tsp of ghee and drink it warm........This helps to ease the labor prcess....timely birth of child.....and increases the milk production once the baby is born............I will upload the recipe of the fenugreek laddoo that all new mothers eat once the baby is born.....asap (have to ask me mom)...

I had a staph infection in my breast, I'm sure I picked it up at the hospital where I gave birth to my newborn. I found out about the staph infection two weeks after giving birth so I had to stop breastfeeding so I would not infect my newborn. I did not nurse for 5 weeks and my breastmilk left. However after the infection was gone, I started taking Fenugreek on the advice of a friend, and my breastmilk cam back and I nursed my child for a whole year. One extra note, once my infection was gone I started to nurse again even though there was not much milk at all, but when a baby nurses it also helps bring the milk back, if it had dried up. I know the Fengureek was key in helping my breastmilk return...and prayer :)

Dear Noni, As a master herbalist, I must disagree with your statements regarding the female response to hormonal fluctuations. It is not normal; or healthy, for a woman to experience such drastic changes in behavior. The main focus of my professional practice is hormonal balancing; for both men and women. When drastic changes in behavior are observed, hormones are out of balance! I would suggest to the OP to seek the assistance of a master herbalist. They will point you in the direction of herbs like black cohash, dong qui, and yes fennugreek, among many other that maid aid your partner in having a healthy functioning hormonal system. Noni, as for your hypothesis on the subject, it appears to be fueled by past hurt and negative experiences. I pray that one day you may release the hostility you have for men and find balance in your mind/heart emotional system. May I suggest starting with a daily intake of St. Johns wort and meditation? Maybe some some healthy emotional release activities ie kempo or dato ryu jujitsu, that combines meditation with emotional release?
May you find health and through health, peace! Dr. R. J. Dansby D. H.

I have enjoyed drinking fenugreek and other herbal teas to keep healthy since the 1970's. I am a seasoned old holistic health practitioner. I am no stranger to fenugreek or to men insisting that when a girlfriend throws them out of the house it is because the woman is PMS or just plain wrong. There might be other reasons that women unleash their anger during certain times of their cycle. Low oxytocin levels may not be a sign of weakness or error in women; it just might be Creator's way of seeing to it that for a few days out of every month women find it impossible to play "nice little mother" to their boyfriends but instead let our guys know what we really think of them and the imbalance in the relationship. Maybe low levels of oxytocin are what's needed to allow women to tell it like it is so that men can take responsibilities that they have been ignoring for so long that when women's oxytocin levels are low women can't hold the sweet posture up any longer (or the denied torrent of anger down any longer) thus she lashes out as an angry lion.

Maybe low oxytocin levels are Creator's plan to see to it that women put their food down and make efforts that their relationships are brought into balance in light of the fact that many wonderful women spend 3 weeks of every month pussy-footing around trying to please everybody! I know it would be convenient for the world to make women and children feel wrong every time they step outside the box and their attitudes are "inconvenient" or threatening to the powers that be ..... we can have kids and wives on strong calming teas or perscription drugs to sedate them, but then we'd miss the opportunity to learn from other people's extreme discontent with family and society! I think it is wise and fair to first assume that the reasons people are "acting out" are generally because they have deeper rights and needs that are being oppressed and need to be listened to and nurtured, rather than judged and treated as pathological. Just sayin'

Use fresh Fenugreek seeds which are alive and can be boiled and set to steep with a dab of honey and sipped as a tea. Seeds can be used over again with fresh boiling water several times a day and drank before eating the seeds (on a salad)or sprouting them or planting them in soil. They grow into a nice tall grass with an aroma of maple syrup when brushed against.

Fresh Fenugreek seed is a blood cleaner, thus the scent that exudes from your skin may smell a bit like fresh urine, especially if you are very toxic. Your fenegureek skin odor is a barometer for how toxic or clean you are. As one cleans up his diet and anatomy the skin odor will begin to smell more like maple syrup. But Fenugreek should not be used more than a few days every week.

Wow... Well said!!!

This response to George was uncalled for! He did not indicate ANY of the characteristics you accused him of. As a 64 yr old woman, mother and lover I do not find that kind of attack to be anything but an indictment of the attacker.

I have to agree with Mimi, that was a bit harsh to the OP. I too have felt the deep burning rage and resentment towards male oppressors throughout my life, but I understand every situation and person is different. Over time and through experiences working out issues with my husband, I also came to feel strongly that if this sort of male oppressive energy keeps showing up in our lives there is something in ourselves that needs to be addressed, for me it was bottling up every single emotion in order to keep the peace always. As soon as I quit doing that, and learned to speak up as soon as something bothered me my relationship completely changed into this beautiful partnership and has stayed that way for years. He wasn't being mean for the sole purpose of causing hurt, in retrospect he didn't even realize how nasty his behavior was, and he may never of realized it if I hadn't spoke up. I think back now and if I'd never learned to quit being a door mat, I think it quite likely I'd have developed a disease from drinking the poison of my own emotions. I've watched my Grandmother do this for years and the long list of cancers, diseases, surgeries etc. she's had to survive are incredible. This is not to say that random acts of evil do not exist for they do. What I'm trying to say is being a doormat can be just as much of a problem to ourselves and society as being an oppressor.