Linda writes:
>I still hear professionals telling moms to drink alcohol (especially beer)
>to increase their milk supplies or to help let-down reflex. This is another
>example of non-research-based myth.

I have sometimes recommended trying a beer when mums are experiencing
transitory low milk (either real or perceived), based on a letter I have
from JAMA Feb. 19/88 Vol. 259 No. 7, p. 1016 (I think--my copy is very poor)
that cites 2 studies on beer and milk production.

The author of the letter is responding to an question by a physician in the
Oct. 16/87 issue of JAMA that asked "if there is any scientific basis for
the use of beer by lactating women as a stimulant to milk production." The
letter writer, Dr. Elmer R. Grossman of Berkeley, California, says that the
4 consultants replying to this question "agree that there is no such
evidence, apparently having overlooked two pertinent studies. De Rosa et al
gave equal amounts of beer and ethanol to 11 normal women and showed
significant increases in serum prolactin from mean basal levels of 11.6
ng/mL to mean peak levels of 27.1ng/mL within 30 minutes of drinking 1L of
6% ethanol-containing beer. There was no significant change after drinking
6% ethanol solution or sparkling water. Carlson et al gave 800 mL of beer
that contained 4.5% ethanol to five men and seven women and an equal amount
of nonalcoholic beer to one woman. In men, the prolactin levels increased
from a mean of 7.0 ng/mL to 12.0 ng/mL; in women, the levels increased from
9.6 ng/mL to 22.6 ng/mL. The subject who drank nonalcoholic beer had a
similar response.  Pretreatment of the women in the study with naloxone had
no effect on prolactin response. A further group of eight women had a test
drink of 240 mL of cocoa; their prolactin levels did not rise."

The letter writer goes on to say: "Taken together, these two studies suggest
a scientific basis for the commonly observed success of beer in increasing
mothers' milk. Until I saw this work, I had thought that the increased
lactation I observed in my pediatric practice was probably due to what Frank
Falkner, MD, describes as a soothing effect, but a specific increase in
prolactin seems to be a more likely reason. Even old wives are sometimes
correct."

The citations, which I can barely read on this copy, for anyone who would
like to dig them up and see if they agree with the conclusions, are:

1.  Beer and the breast-feeding mom, QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, JAMA 1987: 258,
2126
2.  De Rosa, G., Corsello, SM, Ruff??, MP, et al. Prolactin secretion after
beer, Lancet 1981 2:934
3. Carlson, HE, Wasser, HL, Reidelberger, RD. Beer-induced prolactin
secretion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1985, 60: 673-677.

Leslie Ayre-Jaschke, BEd, IBCLC
Peace River, Alberta, Canada
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