Breast enhancement pills

Many different internet companies advertise breast enhancement pills. Most of them claim that by taking their product you can increase your breast size by one to two inches (2 to 3 cup sizes) in just 90 days.

These herbal tablets contain chemicals called phyto-oestrogens. The companies selling these products claim that the chemicals will stimulate the oestrogen receptors in your breast tissue and permanently enlarge your breast size. Phyto-oestrogens are chemicals found in plant foods (phyto means ‘plant’). They are similar in structure to the female sex hormone oestrogen.

The tablets are supposed to work by ‘tricking’ your breasts into believing that you are pregnant. This means that the pills stimulate the production of oestrogen in your body in the same way that oestrogen is produced during pregnancy. The idea is that your breasts will enlarge in the same way as they would if you were pregnant. But the manufacturers say that you won’t produce milk and unlike that of pregnancy, the enlargement is supposed to be 85 to 90% permanent.

Herbal medicine uses plants or mixtures of plant extracts to treat or prevent disease. This includes all parts of the plant, the leaves, stalks and roots. Each part can differ in strength and effects. You need to be careful with herbal medicines, as with any medicine. Just because a product is called ‘natural’ or ‘herbal’, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is always safe to use.

Many modern drugs were originally made from plants. The effect they have depends on the chemicals in the plant, how they work in the body and on how the product is made by the manufacturer.

The combination of herbs in breast enhancement pills seems to vary depending on the company selling them.

Examples include all or a combination of some of the following

• Fenugreek Extract
• Saw Palmetto
• Wild Yam Extract
• Siberian Ginseng Root
• Avenal Satliva
• Chinese Red Ginseng Root
• Astragalus Root
• Cayenne Fruit
• Echinacea Whole Plant
• Fo Ti Root
• Golden Seal Root
• Guarana Seed
• Panax Ginseng Root and Extract

Scientific studies looking into herbal products are increasing and many of the herbs listed above have been individually researched. But we don’t know of any published clinical trials that have studied a combination of all these herbs. Herbs may interact with each other and with any existing medicines that you may be taking, which could cause harmful effects. We just don’t know enough about this yet.

Herbs and dietary supplements are starting to be regulated in the UK. But at the moment it is still difficult to find out if the dose and potency of ingredients in herbal remedies are within safe and acceptable limits. You can find out more about the safety of herbal medicines in our section about complementary and alternative therapies. And the following link takes you to an American cancer website with information on most of the individual herbs in the above list.

The Department of Health Care Sciences at George Washington University School of Medicine, in America have done some research into this. They published a paper in 2003 called "Bust enhancing herbal products".

They say that several herbs in breast enhancement tablets do actively work on your hormones. But they don’t recommend using them because we can’t be certain that they are safe or that they work as breast enhancers. No research has since been published to show that these pills are safe.

The effect of phyto-oestrogens on breast tissue isn’t really clear. You can find out about soya and phyto-oestrogens on the CancerHelp UK page about dietary factors and breast cancer.

You may want to look at our information about risk factors for breast cancer, including hormones.

Because we don’t know enough about the long term safety and effectiveness of breast enhancement pills we don’t recommend that you use them. Many of the companies who promote their use say that for women with small breasts, enlarging them will

• Boost your confidence
• Improve your self esteem
• Give you a fuller life!
• Regain the attention you deserve
• Help you fill out swimsuits and bras
• Put you in control of your body
• Make you the envy of all eyes!

These are all direct quotes from websites selling breast enhancement products.

We find this information very disturbing and misleading. Many women with small breasts have very fulfilling lives and don’t suffer low self esteem! Although we live in a society that seems to suggest that, ‘bigger breasts are better’, it isn’t necessarily true. Before you decide to take these pills we would strongly advise you to read all the information here. If you are still not sure then seeing your GP for advice may help.