10 Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits – These May Surprise You

The Benefits of Peppermint Oil

Did you know there are a number of peppermint essential oil benefits that can improve your overall health?

When you think about peppermint, it's usually candy canes at Christmas, toothpaste, and chewing gum. But how about organic peppermint essential oil?

Not usually.

For a long time, peppermint oil has been a refreshing addition to many foods like ice cream and peppermint-flavored shakes and smoothies.

However, you can utilize peppermint as an essential oil in far more ways than just flavoring food or drink. Peppermint oil has amazing and revolutionary benefits for your health!

10 Surprising Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits

Peppermint Oil

This essential oil is one of the best choices for promoting optimal health and can be used as a natural remedy for many common ailments.

1. Dental Care

We all know that many kinds of toothpaste promote a peppermint ingredient in their product, but nearly all of them do not have a peppermint essential oil as an ingredient.

But, a pure “organic” peppermint essential oil has an antiseptic element that alleviates oral bacteria from growing and eliminates halitosis, otherwise known as bad breath. Dr. Mercola recommends adding two drops of peppermint essential oil to your toothpaste.

2. Repel Insects

You have probably given up at times and fled for the indoors on a hot and humid summer day when mosquitoes are so relentless you feel like you're being eaten alive!

Try adding organic peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water. It is a natural bug repellent to alleviate annoying mosquitoes, ants, and even spiders. Spray the area that is overrun with insects, and it will deter them for hours!

3. Healthier Skin

Whether it is dry and hot weather or the cold and bitter winter season, many of us have times during the year when our skin looks duller and drier than other times.

Or maybe you have an ongoing issue with dry patches on your skin, or that glow is gone from your face that you used to have all the time.

According to the Organic Facts website, peppermint essential oil actually helps with oily skin. [1]Nagdeve, M. (2020, January 29). 31 Surprising Peppermint Oil Benefits & Uses. Organic Facts. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from … Continue reading For any skin issues, peppermint essential oil can help.

Healthy Focus describes it as an organic nourishing product that improves the skin's texture, particularly oily skin problems.

Acne can also be an ongoing issue that peppermint essential oils can help to reduce. Manufacturers of chopsticks have even been known to add peppermint essential oil to their products in order to alleviate chapped lips!

According to a study from the National Center Biotechnology Information (NCBI), peppermint essential oil was found to be effective against 22 different strains of bacteria. [2]Pattnaik S, Subramanyam VR, Kole C. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro. Microbios. 1996;86(349):237-46. PMID: 8893526

The peppermint essential oils also have cooling properties, relieving many other skin conditions, including soothing itchy skin from exposure to poisonous plants like ivy and oak.

4. Alleviates Pain

There are too many pain relief pills, gels, and other medicines on the market to mention, and nearly all of them actually contain menthol.

So, why not go right to the natural source for menthol and use a peppermint essential oil instead to help with pain?

This includes additional help with sore and aching muscles by adding organic peppermint essential oil to a massage session.

You can also put a drop or two on each temple and gently rub it in to alleviate a particularly painful tension headache or use it on joint areas to relieve inflammation and pain.

5. Help Respiratory Problems

We have all had a dreaded cold a time or two and tried to get rid of it quickly by buying Vick's Vapor Rub and using it around our nose to relieve congestion and open up our nasal passages so we could breathe!

But did you know that peppermint essential oil is actually stronger than products such as this?

Peppermint oil will not only minimize issues with congestion and a stuffy nose, but it will also work on your respiratory system, reduce inflammation, and help with infections in your upper respiratory area!

6. Nourish Damaged Hair

You now know what many medical and salon professionals know about peppermint essential oils, and that is that it is a secret weapon to healthier hair.

Dr. Axe recommends adding three drops of peppermint essential oils to any brand of shampoo or hair conditioner to help stimulate your scalp tissue and hair follicles as well as minimize problems with dandruff. [3]Axe, D. J. C. (2021, December 25). Top 15 Peppermint Oil Uses and Benefits for Gut Health, Headaches & More. Dr. Axe. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from … Continue reading

7. Helps Reduce A Fever

Taking a pill every three hours as your fever goes up and down for days has been the most common remedy for reducing fevers. But peppermint essential oil, which has cooling properties in its menthol to help your body cool down, is the best natural alternative to help reduce a fever.

Just take a jar of coconut oil and add several drops of peppermint essential oil to it. Then, rub it on the soles of your feet and feel as your fever begins to reduce.

8. Relief From Stomach Pain

Peppermint oil is the most well-known remedy to relieve stomach discomfort and even pain. In fact, peppermint tea has been used for over 200 years as a remedy for nausea and bloating, as well as to reduce indigestion in a variety of forms, typically in the form of peppermint tea oil.

And according to Dr. Mercola, it is considered to be a natural and safe substitute for medicines when you have problems with colonic spasms.

This is because the menthol property in organic peppermint essential oil is actually two times stronger in an oil form than in any other peppermint product.

So, peppermint works on reducing muscle spasms, and it is twice as strong in the organic essential oil form! Dr. Mercola explains that peppermint oil can also help you with chronic irritable bowel syndrome disease.

9. Chronic Gastric Conditions

If you suffer from gastric emptying conditions, then peppermint essential oil can be your organic solution to what ails you.

A study from the National Center Biotechnology Information (NCBI) shows that peppermint oil in its natural form help improve gastric functions and reduce issues with this disease. [4]Inamori, M., Akiyama, T., Akimoto, K., Fujita, K., Takahashi, H., Yoneda, M., Abe, Y., Kubota, K., Saito, S., Ueno, N., & Nakajima, A. (2007, July 25). Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric … Continue reading

10. Energy Boost and Stress Relief

The go-to oil for problems with stress has usually been lavender. But now you can consider a better option to reduce your stress level and re-energize when you use peppermint essential oil instead.

It also has properties in its menthol that will promote better concentration and clarity in your thinking process at work and anywhere that you may be having a particularly low-energy day and need a boost!

According to the health and wellness website Young Living, just adding a few drops to the palm of your hand does the job! [5]Living, Y. (2022, July 27). Relieving Stress with Essential Oils—Part I. Young Living Blog. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from … Continue reading

Final Thought

In conclusion, peppermint oil has become increasingly popular over the past decade because it offers numerous health benefits.

There are several types of peppermint available, including oils extracted from fresh leaves and oils made from dried mint leaves. Both are equally effective when used topically, though the latter tends to be more expensive.

The main reason that peppermint oil is so widely used is its ability to relieve pain and headaches. In fact, studies show that it can help reduce migraine symptoms by as much as 50 percent.

Peppermint oil also helps ease nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy and motion sickness. When taken internally, it can help relieve indigestion and stomach cramps.

As far as topical use goes, peppermint oil works best when applied directly to the area where pain or discomfort is felt. For example, rubbing a small amount onto the temples can help alleviate tension headaches. However, applying it to the chest can cause severe coughing fits, so be careful when using it around children.

Peppermint oil is safe for internal use, but keep in mind that it shouldn't be consumed regularly. Too much can lead to digestive problems, so try to limit yourself to two drops per day.

References

References
1 Nagdeve, M. (2020, January 29). 31 Surprising Peppermint Oil Benefits & Uses. Organic Facts. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-peppermint-oil.html
2 Pattnaik S, Subramanyam VR, Kole C. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro. Microbios. 1996;86(349):237-46. PMID: 8893526
3 Axe, D. J. C. (2021, December 25). Top 15 Peppermint Oil Uses and Benefits for Gut Health, Headaches & More. Dr. Axe. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://draxe.com/essential-oils/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/
4 Inamori, M., Akiyama, T., Akimoto, K., Fujita, K., Takahashi, H., Yoneda, M., Abe, Y., Kubota, K., Saito, S., Ueno, N., & Nakajima, A. (2007, July 25). Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying: a crossover study using a continuous real-time 13C breath test (BreathID system). Journal of Gastroenterology42(7), 539–542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-007-2067-3
5 Living, Y. (2022, July 27). Relieving Stress with Essential Oils—Part I. Young Living Blog. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.youngliving.com/blog/relieving-stress-with-essential-oils-part-i/
Jerry Connel is a fully qualified nutritionist and personal trainer. He is also currently undertaking a Ph.D. in Food Science at Oregon State University in the US. He has been a keen bodybuilder throughout his adulthood and is well-versed with health supplements.