Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia

The Basics

What is Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia?

Has long history of use in aromatherapy to promote sleep and relaxation and to relieve anxiety.

Brand names for Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia

N/A

How Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia is classified

Complementary Therapies, Food, Phytotherapy, Plants, Medicinal

Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia During Pregnancy

Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia while pregnant

N/A

Taking Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia?

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) flowers, leaves and oil contain linaloyl acetate, linalool, perillyl alcohol, 1,8 cineole (eucalyptol), and at least 100 other known compounds. Lavender has no specific lactation-related uses. Lavender preparations have traditionally been used for anxiety and other neurologic conditions, infections, pain and a variety of other conditions, often as aromatherapy. None of these uses have good scientific evidence to support their use. Lavender is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In general, lavender is well tolerated, but no data exist on the excretion of any components of lavender into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of lavender in nursing mothers or infants. Lavender oil has estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity, so topical application around the breast should be avoided. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) flowers, leaves and oil contain linaloyl acetate, linalool, perillyl alcohol, 1,8 cineole (eucalyptol), and at least 100 other known compounds. Lavender has no specific lactation-related uses. Lavender preparations have traditionally been used for anxiety and other neurologic conditions, infections, pain and a variety of other conditions, often as aromatherapy. None of these uses have good scientific evidence to support their use. Lavender is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In general, lavender is well tolerated, but no data exist on the excretion of any components of lavender into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of lavender in nursing mothers or infants. Lavender oil has estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity, so topical application around the breast should be avoided. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.

Possible effects of Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia on milk supply

Gynecomastia occurred in 3 prepubertal boys who were using grooming products containing lavender oil. The gynecomastia resolved after the products were discontinued. In vitro testing found that lavender oil possesses mild estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity.[4] The relevance of these finding has been questioned,[5][6] but no further testing has been reported to confirm or refute the findings as of the revision date.

Possible alternatives to Lavender / Lavendula angustifolia

None listed