What's in a Placenta #1

Moms don't consume the placenta primarily for this, but it is awash in... Vitamins! Particularly Vitamin B6 is actually required for over 100 different enzyme reactions; the abundant resource of placental vitamin B6 serves to prevent depression in the mother, improve mental clarity, and also fortifies her immune system while supporting postpartum wound healing.[1] And vitamin B6 is just one of the water-soluble vitamins in the placenta. According to the study “Transplacental Transport of Water-Soluble Vitamins: A Review,” the placenta is awash in A and B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folate, and cobalamin), as well as vitamin C and vitamin D, which are useful in replenishing depleted body stores.[2],[3],[4] The placenta is also full of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose stores.[5]

[1] Higham, B. “Waste Product or Tasty Treat?” The Practicing Midwife, 12 (9): 2009, pp 33–5.

[2] Prasad, P. D., F. H. Leibach, and V. Ganapathy. “Transplacental Transport of Water-Soluble Vitamins: A Review.” Placenta, 19 (S1), 1998, pp 243–257.

[3] Smith, C. H., A. J. Moe, And V. Ganapathy. “Nutrient Transport Pathways Across the Epithelium of The Placenta.” Annual Review of Nutrition 12 (1), 1992, pp 183–206.

[4] Ramsay, V. P., C. Neumann, V. Clark, And M. E. Swendseid. “Vitamin Cofactor Saturation Indices for Riboflavin, Thiamine, and Pyridoxine in Placental Tissue of Kenyan Women.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37 (6), 1983, pp 969–973.

[5] Jones, H. N., T. L. Powell, and T. Jansson. “Regulation of Placental Nutrient Transport: A Review.” Placenta 28 (8–9): 2007, pp 763–774.