The controversial practice is said to help with postpartum depression and can promote a healthy hormone balance in the body as well as improve mood, energy and milk supply, per the Mayo Clinic, but it’s not recommended by many health professionals. It poses the risk of carrying infectious bacteria and viruses that can be passed on to your baby.

But despite the risks, many celebrities are completely on board for the practice. Many stars have been very open about their decision to consume their placenta — and say it’s completely benefited them, even though it’s controversial.

Find out what these stars had to say about their placentas…

After Kim Kardashian welcomed her second child in 2015, she shared that she was planning to encapsulate her placenta in the hopes of avoiding postpartum depression. She shared that she felt instant results when she took the pills and got a quick energy boost.

“I’m having it freeze-dried and made into a pill form — not actually fry it like a steak and eat it (which some people do, BTW). Every time I take a pill, I feel a surge of energy and feel really healthy and good. I totally recommend it for anyone considering it!” she wrote in a post on her former website.

Mandy Moore has consumed her placenta more than once. When she welcomed her first baby in 2021, she shared on Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy podcast that she had encapsulated her placenta. Then, after welcoming her second child the following year, Mandy posted to her Instagram story with a photo of the capsules, writing, “Round 2 with @feelgoodplacenta.”

After welcoming her son Miles, Chrissy Teigen opened up about consuming her placenta while sitting down for an interview on CBS Sunday Morning. When host Rita Braver seemed skeptical about the idea, Chrissy said she was under the impression it was widely practiced.

“Really? That’s not a normal thing?” she said during the interview. “I’m in L.A., it’s very normal. They grill it here. You can try some of mine after.”

Katherine Heigl worked with a naturopath throughout her pregnancy, so when it was suggested that she freeze-dry her placenta, she was all in. After giving birth, she had a company make the pills and she began taking them.

“They told me that another mother down the hall had a company that freeze dries pills. This guy came, he was a total cowboy: Cowboy hat, cowboy boots…and a bag of placenta! He took it to his wife who freeze-dried it and turned it into pills and I’ve been taking them,” Katherine told People.

Kourtney Kardashian has long been a proponent of new moms consuming their placenta. Back in 2015 after welcoming her son Reign, she shared a photo of her freeze-dried pills and admitted she was going to be sad when she ran out.

“Yummy…PLACENTA pills! No joke…I will be sad when my placenta pills run out. They are life changing!” Kourtney captioned a photo on Instagram.

Sharna Burgess welcomed her first child in 2022 and later opened up about her decision to eat her placenta after giving birth. During an Instagram Q&A, Sharna shared that she took the pills twice a day like a vitamin and explained that they are “said to help with hormone balancing, milk production, PPD prevention and all around recovery.” She credited the placenta pills with being part of her “amazing” postpartum recovery.

“I highly recommend this. So I had my placenta picked up by our baby nurse who is also a doula. She processed my placenta…and put it into capsules for me,” Sharna wrote on Instagram. “My recovery has been amazing and my mood and milk the whole time have been positive.”

Back in 2012, January Jones shared that she had her placenta dehydrated and made into vitamins. While she admits she was initially “hesitant” about the idea, she says it ended up being a big help for her during postpartum recovery.

“It’s something I was very hesitant about, but we’re the only mammals who don’t ingest our own placentas,” she told People. “It’s not witch-crafty or anything! I suggest it to all moms!”

Alicia Silverstone first revealed that she encapsulated her placenta in her 2011 parenting book, The Kind Mama. When later asked about the experience, she said she was grateful she did it and felt that it really helped through the postpartum period.

“Someone gifted me my placenta in the form of a pill. They encapsulate it. I thought that’s harmless. I’ll try it. And I have to tell you that I really loved it,” she shared on Live! with Kelly and Michael. “I’ve got to the point that my husband said ‘Did you have your happy pills today? And I was really sad when they were gone. It really helped me.”

After welcoming twins, Kim Zolciak chose to consume her placenta in the hopes of avoiding postpartum depression. On the season 3 premiere of Don’t Be Tardy, Kim and her then-husband, Kroy Biermann, drank a placenta smoothie together.

“Dr. Hood has really scared the s–t outta me with this whole postpartum depression, especially with twins because your levels are through the roof and my friend Google told me eating your placenta can help with that. I can do anything by my babies,” Kim said on the episode.

In 2017, Nikki Reed shared that she had encapsulated her placenta and had been taking them daily while recovering from giving birth. She explained that it had been recommended by her doula and she was sad that she was almost through her jar.

“Last day of placenta pills. Not ready to say goodbye!!!!!” she wrote on Instagram. “Ps sending love to all you mamas out there doing whatever feels right for you! This was recommended to me by my doula but that does not mean it’s for everyone :). Just do you! ❤️”

After welcoming her daughter Banks in 2018, Hilary Duff revealed that she drank her placenta in a smoothie. While she admits she was a little “wigged out” by the idea at first, she decided the potential benefits were worth it. From there on out, she began taking it in ice cube form.

“It was the most delightful smoothie I’ve ever had,” she shared on Dr. Elliot Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy podcast. “I haven’t had a smoothie that delightful since I was 10. It was calorie-filled with juice and fruit and everything delicious.”

Teddi Mellencamp took her placenta in pill form following two of her pregnancies and says she noticed a major difference. While chatting on her Instagram story, Teddi explained that she felt so much extra energy when she had them.

“I’m, like, beyond obsessed. I’m scared for them to run out. I didn’t have them with Slate. I swear when I did them with Cruz and now when I take them with Dove, I have so much energy,” Teddi shared on her story.

In Padma Lakshmi’s memoir, Love, Loss, and What We Ate, she revealed that she ate her placenta after the birth of her daughter Krishna in 2010. Since she had dealt with depression at points in her life, she said she did it in the hopes of “warding off postpartum depression, something I feared more than fatigue.”

“I would have done anything to defend myself against collapsing from stress and fatigue and succumbing to the postpartum depression I was so afraid would beset me,” Padma wrote.