Essential oils can be inhaled, applied to the skin (after blending with a carrier oil), or added to products to clean and sanitize. They are also used in aromatherapy.
The smells of essential oils stimulate the limbic system, a part of the brain that plays a role in emotions, behaviors and memory.
Benefits
Essential oils can be used as aromatherapy, in massage, in dietary supplements and to help with natural cleaning. They can also kill bacteria and keep insects away. But more research is needed to understand how they work and what effects, if any, they have on human health.
Some essential oils have been shown to help relieve headaches and other symptoms. For example, peppermint oil may ease irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms when taken in an enteric-coated capsule. And lavender oil can help relax the mind and improve sleep quality.
But when selecting an essential oil, look for the botanical name, batch number and GC/MS report on the label. Because the industry is unregulated, some essential oils can be adulterated or contain other ingredients. And the quality of the oil can vary greatly, as well. Buy from a reputable company that has been around for several years. And purchase essential oils in dark-colored glass bottles to protect the integrity of the oils.
Safety
As a whole, the use of essential oils is safe for most people when used appropriately. That said, the safety of different oils varies widely. The best way to ensure safe usage is to educate yourself on the various options available, and only use high-quality, pure, unadulterated oils.
Look for a brand that prioritizes purity through transparency and third-party testing. Choose a reputable source that offers reliable customer service, detailed product information, and exclusive deals not found anywhere else.
It’s important to know how potent these oils are before using them, as they can irritate the skin and cause respiratory distress when inhaled (De Groot and Schmidt, 2016b). Inhaling essential oils may also irritate the lungs and sinuses in individuals with preexisting conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Likewise, they may also cause reactions in the digestive tract, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This is more common when the oils are not diluted correctly.
Precautions
Essential oils are highly concentrated and can cause side effects when not properly diluted or applied to the skin. When the recommended dilutions are used and safety guidelines are followed, side effects are typically minor and can be treated at home.
It is important to keep essential oil bottles out of the reach of children. Young children have been known to unscrew caps and ingest the oil, which can be very toxic. Symptoms of oil ingestion include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
If an accidental eye exposure occurs, immediately rinse the eyes with milk (fat-containing). This will dilute and remove the oil from the eye without irritating it further.
Pregnant women should always consult their doctor before using any essential oil, especially for therapeutic purposes. Pregnancy places a lot of demands on a woman’s body, and while many natural methods of support can make pregnancy and childbirth more comfortable and positive, only your doctor can tell you what is safe for your unique situation.
Ingredients
The chemistry of an essential oil determines its scent, therapeutic properties and health benefits. A single oil may contain several hundred different chemicals, with the majority being at levels of less than 1%.
The chemical structure of an essential oil depends on the plant species and the method used for its extraction. Most essential oils are extracted by distillation using steam or water. Other methods of extracting essential oils include expression, cold pressing and solvent extraction.
The chemicals in essential oils form 2 main groups, hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds. The hydrocarbons are mainly mono- and sesquiterpenes (e.g. thymol, cinnamaldehyde and carvacrol), which are also known as isoprene units. Oxygenated compounds are made from the mono- and sesquiterpenes by various reactions to produce esters, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and phenols. The chemistry of an essential oil can vary between plants and within the same plant depending on climate, soil conditions and harvesting times. These differences can be identified by the botanical name, batch number and GC/MS (purity) report shown on the essential oil bottle label.
