Some people believe that consuming human placenta — whether raw, cooked or dried, pulverized and then encapsulated in a capsule — is good for your health. However, after reviewing a handful of studies on the subject, scientists have found no evidence to suggest a benefit from consuming the placenta. Consumption of placenta has long been suggested, with claims that it reduces pain, boosts the immune system, improves the mother-baby bond, speeds uterine recovery, and prevents postpartum depression, sleep disorders, and menstrual disorders. Writing in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health, the researchers reviewed 10 studies, four in humans and six in animals. One study examined the claim that “consumption of placenta capsules improves lactation,” but it neither followed current scientific standards nor drew any conclusions. Evidence from both animal and human studies was insufficient to confirm its pain-relieving effect. There are no randomized, placebo-controlled trials of placenta consumption. While it is unclear whether there are potential adverse effects of consuming the placenta, the placenta itself is not sterile, and there have been several studies that have found the organ to be contaminated with bacteria, as well as selenium, cadmium, mercury and lead. “This is an unregulated practice whose risks and benefits have not been studied in an evidence-based manner,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Crystal T. Clark, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Northwestern University (NWU). “Until its benefits are further studied, it clearly should not be used as a substitute for other therapies to treat postpartum depression or other comorbidities.”