Can I drink senna leaves during lactation
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
After giving birth to a child, many mothers will be much bloated than before, and constipation problems are often plagued.
In those days, when worrying about one's figure and being troubled by constipation, it's no wonder new moms can say it's easy. To ease constipation and make the intestines feel more comfortable, many mothers have resorted to taking castor oil. That's quite an effort!
However, mothers, have you ever considered whether it's safe to consume castor leaf during lactation? Don't solely focus on regaining your pre-pregnancy figure while neglecting the wellbeing of your little one who is still nursing.
It is advised not to consume laxatives like fenugreek during lactation, as consuming them can adversely affect the recovery of the mother and also affect the baby.
Senna leaves are sweet, bitter, and cold in nature, with a slight toxicity. They are considered irritant laxatives that stimulate intestinal motility by interacting with the intestinal mucosa and nerves. They are commonly used for symptoms such as acute constipation, abdominal pain due to constipation, and edema caused by fluid retention.
However, due to the potent effects of Senna leaves, it is also recommended that they be used sparingly.
Although Senna leaves have a good effect on constipation, it is generally recommended to use them sparingly or avoid them, as they are cold in nature and contain small amounts of poison. Frequent use can easily lead to side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in pregnant women.
Furthermore, during lactation, it's crucial to ensure dietary safety. If a nursing mother frequently consumes cascara tea, it can also affect the health of her baby through breast milk.
One point to note is that if you consume castor leaf water during lactation, you must first check whether the baby's bowel movements are normal. Only when they are normal can you take it.
The Ma Family Dictionary suggests that if a nursing mother experiences constipation during the breastfeeding period, it is advisable to consume more vegetables and fruits, or drink honey, rather than taking diarrheal tea.
During lactation, if a mother experiences symptoms of constipation, adjustments in her diet should be made. Ensure adequate hydration by drinking plenty of water and consuming fresh vegetables and fruits. Additionally, engage in moderate physical activity to alleviate constipation. It is crucial not to take laxatives like Phellodendron bark or similar substances, as they may affect the breastfeeding baby.
Can psyllium leaf be used to treat constipation during lactation? Many people are aware that psyllium is an effective laxative, and a stimulant laxative, often used for its ability to facilitate bowel movements and effectively relieve constipation. As such, many new mothers wish to use psyllium to address the troublesome issue of constipation.
Expert research has proven that Senna leaves are sweet, bitter, and cold in nature, containing trace amounts of a toxic substance. They belong to the Large Intestine meridian and possess the properties of purgating heat and facilitating bowel movements, thereby clearing heat from the spleen and benefiting constipation due to heat accumulation and stagnation.
Senna leaves have a strong irritant effect on the intestinal tract and are therefore more suitable for treating acute constipation than chronic constipation.
Most suitable for treating constipation due to heat accumulation, gastric and intestinal heat, food stagnation, chest and abdominal distention, characterized by dry stools, dry mouth, bad breath, flushed complexion, short urine, abdominal fullness and pain, etc. It is contraindicated in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency-cold.
Senna leaves, although they have a noticeable laxative effect, should not be used as a long-term medication for constipation. Specifically, taking large doses can lead to significant side effects, including frequent vomiting after taking the medicine, inability to eat due to vomiting, or abdominal pain and diarrhea.
During lactation, constipation can be managed by focusing on dietary changes: consume more bananas, pears, peaches, and oranges.
Eat more vegetables with a high fiber content, such as celery and garlic greens.
Drink more honey, it can help relieve the bowel and relax the bowels.
Drink more water to accelerate gastrointestinal peristalsis, promote digestion and absorption, and reduce constipation symptoms.
Strengthen exercise, mothers in breastfeeding should keep the life regular and massage abdominal, which can help the gut return to motility and prevent constipation.
It is advisable to consume appropriate amounts of Chinese medicines, favoring those with mild and gentle laxative effects. Do not use antibiotics or other medications, as they may affect breastfeeding.
Is it safe to drink senna tea during breastfeeding, or any other state? Generally, excessive consumption or improper use of senna tea can cause certain side effects.
Although senna leaf has the effects of promoting defecation, eliminating heat and stagnation, facilitating diuresis and reducing swelling, inhibiting bacterial growth and inflammation, and relieving spasms and gallbladder constriction, its main active ingredients are alkaloids and flavonoid derivatives. Long-term use may result in adverse effects: 1. Nefarious alterations in blood pressure: Elderly patients taking senna leaf may experience headaches and frequent vomiting, resulting in a dramatic rise or fall in blood pressure, even leading to shock. After discontinuation and symptomatic treatment, recovery can be achieved.
2. Addiction: When patients with constipation who have been long-term users of psyllium extract stop taking it, withdrawal symptoms occur. These symptoms include irritability and insomnia, anxiety, general malaise, and even pain or a sensation like crawling insects, dilated pupils, facial flushing, loss of appetite, fever, frequent yawning, rapid breathing, elevated blood pressure, and weight loss.
3. Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Patients present with severe abdominal pain, vomiting coffee-colored fluid, and hematochezia.
4. Neurological poisoning reactions: manifest as facial numbness, dizziness, or urinary and fecal incontinence or itching, with varying degrees of diminished pain sensation within the distribution area of the trigeminal nerve.
5. Jaundice: characterized by dizziness, fatigue, fever, jaundice of the sclera, hepatosplenomegaly, decreased hemoglobin levels, and elevated urine bilirubin.
6. Other conditions, such as pelvic organ congestion.
Taking during menstruation or pregnancy can lead to excessive menstrual flow or uterine bleeding.
Epileptic seizures, allergic reactions, acute urinary retention, etc.
7. For patients taking castor beans long-term, the side effects caused by overdose are more severe.
The presence of anthraquinones in St. John's wort can stimulate the intestinal mucosa, leading to pathological changes over time and clinically known as colonic melanosis.
Colonic melanosis is currently considered a pre-cancerous lesion, which can cause colon cancer.
Precautions for Drinking Senna in Breastfeeding: Senna is a herb used to alleviate constipation, promote hydration and reduce swelling, as well as inhibit bacterial growth and inflammation. However, senna can also be harmful to health if consumed improperly. Therefore, it is essential to take senna according to the correct method and at the appropriate dosage or under medical supervision. Additionally, when consuming senna, there are several precautions to note: 1. If you plan to drink senna tea during breastfeeding, you must first check whether the baby's stool is normal before taking it.
2. Avoid excessive consumption of castor leaves.
The laxative effect of Senna leaf varies from person to person, some may take 10g and have no effect on constipation, nor any adverse reactions.
However, some individuals taking 10 grams of this substance can cause significant gastrointestinal bleeding, presenting as abdominal pain and dark stools.
Therefore, the conventional dosage should also be used in small doses first and gradually increased.
Excessive use can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and may also lead to dizziness, unsteady gait, and facial numbness.
Generally, the dosage for diarrhea relief should not exceed 2 grams, and for severe diarrhea, it should not exceed 6 grams.
3. Avoiding the wrong medication is crucial.
Senna leaves are cold in nature, and purging can also damage healthy qi. Therefore, people with body deficiency and long-term constipation should not use this severe purging.
Clinically, it can be seen that some elderly patients who take senna leaf for a long time to induce diarrhea may have smooth abdominal qi for a while, but it is not the cure. Moreover, it will aggravate the damage of qi and yin deficiency, which is not conducive to fundamentally solving constipation symptoms.
At this time, you should add cistanche, cynomorium cynomorii, phlogistic, etc. to nourish the kidney, nourish the yin, and moisten the body. Use a small amount of senna leaves to slow down, and gradually remove senna leaves.
4. It is recommended that women avoid using it during lactation, menstruation and pregnant women.
Too much dose of senna leaves can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
* The medical part covered in this article is for reading and reference only.
If you feel unwell, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately, and the medical diagnosis and treatment will be subject to offline diagnosis.