Those who are pro-placenta say it has numerous benefits. For starters, they claim that placenta is nutrient-rich. And they believe these nutrients may help moms fight postpartum depression and recover from childbirth in general. In pill form, they say it even boosts energy and helps with sleep. (Yes, that’s right, zzz’s and alertness in one fell swoop.)  

Interestingly, experts say placentophagy isn’t  new. Apparently, the Chinese and Vietnamese have consumed placenta for years. Italians have used it to boost the body’s ability to create breast milk, and Hungarians have used it to speed up labor.

Sounds great, right? Well, the jury is still out. 

Recent research shows that this trend may have no nutritional benefits, or at least none that are proven.

A study published in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health, reviewed 10 studies, four human and six animal. "One examined the claim that consuming encapsulated placenta improves lactation, but the study did not adhere to current scientific standards, and no conclusions could be drawn. Neither animal nor human studies found good evidence for pain relief,” according to The New York Times. There are no placebo-controlled studies of placenta consumption, either.

“This is an unregulated practice with no evidence-based research about its risks and benefits,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Crystal T. Clark, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Northwestern. “It should certainly not be used in place of other treatments for postpartum depression or other postpartum complications until we have further research about its benefits.”