Are Green Tea Supplements Safe for Nursing Moms?

Green tea supplements are among the most popular in the world, and for good reason. Although many of the benefits of green tea are still too under-researched to know for sure, we have good evidence that green tea can prevent several forms of cancer and heart disease, which are among the most common causes of death in the United States. Many breastfeeding mothers may be interested in taking green tea supplements to help with weight loss or to improve general health, but some caution is warranted. Green tea supplements for nursing moms can be problematic and even dangerous.

The National Institutes of Health considers green tea itself (in the form of a tea, not a refined supplement) to be "possibly safe" for breastfeeding moms. Although the NIH regards small amounts of green tea as healthy and acceptable for women who are nursing, it does express concern and hesitation about the possible effects of caffeine on a breastfed baby.

Excessive amounts of caffeine can and do pass into breast milk, making some babies cranky, uncomfortable, or physically sick. Renowned lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata considers a cup or two of fresh-brewed green tea to be perfectly acceptable for most moms, although she warns that some moms may need to eliminate caffeine altogether while nursing, since a few babies are unusually sensitive to caffeine in breast milk.

However, in general, green tea supplements (which have been refined and put into the form of a pill or capsule) contain far more caffeine than would be found in brewed green tea. For example, the popular "Mega T" Green Tea supplement contains a whopping 150 milligrams per pill, with the manufacturer recommending three pills per day. Used as directed, the supplement would increase a nursing mom's caffeine intake to 450 milligrams per day, which is far above the mere 30 milligrams of caffeine found in a single daily cup of green tea. Even without other sources of caffeine in the nursing mom's diet (such as cola, chocolate, and coffee), this would also far exceed the 300-milligram-per-day cap recommended to most nursing moms.

Another major concern regarding green tea supplements is a lack of oversight by the Food and Drug Administration. Unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which are carefully regulated to ensure potency and purity, nutritional supplements are subject to only the most minimal regulations. Because of that, green tea supplements might be inaccurately labeled and might contain contaminants such as lead. These contaminants can be dangerous for anyone, but for nursing women, they can be catastrophic because they affect a developing baby's sensitive body. That's one of the reasons that nursing moms are often advised to avoid most supplements, unless a doctor specifically recommends taking them.

If you're breastfeeding a baby or toddler, it's probably fine to have one or two cups of green tea per day, so long as you and your baby don't have any medical conditions that can be exacerbated by caffeine. However, green tea supplements can contain dangerously large amounts of caffeine and could be hazardous to a nursing mom or her baby. It's best to play it safe by avoiding green tea supplements while you're nursing unless your doctor specifically recommends taking them.