Peppermint is a cross between Spearmint and Water Mint, and Peppermint essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from the fresh branches and leaves of the above-ground parts of the flowering plant.
Peppermint is one of the world’s most versatile essential oils, along with lavender, and is suitable for a variety of oral and skin applications. Beneficial for body repair, health maintenance, and spiritual healing, there is little that it cannot offer to help.
Some of the most common benefits of peppermint essential oil include:
- Relieves stomach pain
- Relieves digestive problems
- Refreshing bad breath
- Relieves headaches
- Antibacterial properties
- Improves concentration
- Cleanses the respiratory tract
- Increases energy
- Relaxes tight muscles
- An inexpensive and natural alternative to western medicine
I can’t see any reason why peppermint essential oil shouldn’t be in your home medicine cabinet.
22 Uses for Peppermint Essential Oil
Relieves Muscle Soreness
Peppermint essential oil is a very effective natural pain reliever and muscle relaxant. It is particularly helpful in relieving back pain, muscle soreness, and tension headaches.
A study has shown that topical dermal application of peppermint essential oil has beneficial effects in relieving pain associated with fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.
In addition, herbal preparations such as peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus, menthol, and capsaicin are all helpful in relieving pain.
Sinus Care
Inhaling aromatic peppermint essential oil can often immediately clear your sinuses and relieve an itchy throat.
Peppermint also has expectorant properties that can relieve colds, coughs, sinusitis, asthma and bronchitis.
Joint Therapy
When you have joint pain, apply some pure peppermint essential oil mixed with lavender essential oil to cool your muscles like an ice bath, but it will help keep you warm and dry.
Reduces appetite
Inhaling peppermint essential oil can help you avoid overindulging in snacks and can help you feel fuller faster.
If you don’t have a diffuser handy at dinner, try applying a modest amount of essential oil to your temples or chest, or sniffing directly from the bottle.
Energy boost
To find a non-toxic alternative to dangerous energy drinks, inhale peppermint essential oil (1 to 2 drops of peppermint essential oil in a glass of water is recommended, provided it is CPTG grade pure essential oil). It will give you a boost on long trips, to school or any other time you need to “drive the night away”.
For those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, peppermint essential oil can improve concentration.
Improve your shampoo
When you get up early to wash your hair, add 2 to 3 drops of peppermint essential oil to your shampoo or conditioner to stimulate your scalp, lift your spirits and help you wake up.
Peppermint essential oil is also a powerful antibacterial agent that can help remove dandruff and lice.
You can make your own safe and economical shampoo blend of rosemary and peppermint essential oil for the whole family.
Allergy Relief
Peppermint essential oil is very effective in relaxing the nasal muscles and can help clear nasal mucus and pollen during allergy season.
Peppermint, clove, and eucalyptus essential oils blended together to diffuse the fragrance can reduce allergy symptoms.
Itch Relief
Whether you’re fighting a rash or an allergy caused by poison ivy, applying some peppermint and lavender essential oils will surely cool and relieve the itch.
Reduce Fever
Due to the cooling effect of peppermint essential oil, it is an excellent essential oil to use as a natural remedy to help reduce fevers, especially in children.
Simply mix peppermint essential oil with coconut oil and apply to your child’s neck and soles of the feet (it is recommended to include the entire spine) to help control the temperature instead of using aspirin or other medications.
Natural Insect Repellents
Ticks aren’t the only insects that hate peppermint essential oil. In fact, ants, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitoes, rats, and even ticks will all be repelled. Follow this recipe for a natural way to clean your floors to prevent and remove pests.
Promotes healthy skin
Peppermint essential oil has a calming effect on skin inflammation.
You can mix peppermint essential oil into a lip balm or body lotion to give you a cooling sensation when you use it.
A blend of peppermint and lavender essential oils can also be used in topical skin applications to improve eczema and psoriasis.
Treating Acne
According to medical research, one of the best uses for peppermint essential oil is facial care, which is an excellent ingredient to help treat acne due to its antibacterial properties.
Relieves headaches
Peppermint essential oil has the ability to improve circulation, heal the intestines and relax tense muscles.
All of these conditions can cause tension headaches or migraines, so peppermint essential oil is also an excellent natural remedy.
A study by clinical researchers from the Department of Neurology at the University of Kiel in Germany found that a combination of oils, including peppermint essential oil, had “significant pain-relieving effects while reducing sensitivity to headaches. Applying these oils to the forehead and temples provided pain relief.
Hair Growth
Peppermint essential oil is often used in many high-quality hair care products because it naturally increases hair volume and nourishes damaged hair.
Simply add some peppermint essential oil to your existing shampoo, or make your own blend of rosemary and peppermint essential oil to help prevent hair loss and thinning hair.
Soothe sunburn
Peppermint essential oil can moisturize sunburned skin and reduce the pain associated with sunburn. Mix peppermint essential oil with an appropriate amount of coconut oil and apply directly to the affected area, or make your own sunscreen to relieve pain and support healthy skin renewal.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Treatment
Peppermint essential oil taken internally in capsule form has been shown to be effective in the natural treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). One study found a 50% reduction in symptoms in 75% of IBS patients.
Improves bloating and indigestion
Peppermint essential oil has been recognized as a natural alternative to drugs such as antispasmodic (Buscopan, a peripheral anticholinergic that is a digestive drug) to reduce colonic spasms. It works by relaxing the intestinal muscles, which can also reduce bloating in the abdomen.
Try drinking peppermint tea or drinking water with 1 drop of peppermint essential oil before meals.
Reduces nausea
A medical study found that peppermint essential oil reduced chemotherapy-induced nausea better than standard drug therapy.
Simply drinking 1 drop of peppermint essential oil in water, or applying 1 to 2 drops of essential oil behind the ears, or even diffusing with an aromatherapy diffuser, can reduce nausea.
Improve your airway
Peppermint essential oil can open your airways and act as a decongestant.
Mixing peppermint with eucalyptus essential oil and mixed coconut oil (applied to the throat and chest) can help reduce symptoms of asthma and bronchitis.
Relieving Colic
Medical studies have found that the use of peppermint essential oil is as effective as simethicone, a medication used to treat colic in infants, and without the side effects associated with prescription medications.
Peppermint essential oil is an important part of my natural remedy for colic.
Teething
Peppermint essential oil is a great natural remedy for relieving teething pain in infants.
Simply mix peppermint essential oil and coconut oil in a 1:1 ratio (infants are advised to dilute the ratio, even more, mixing at least 1:10 and applying in divided doses) and apply to the gums.
Hormone balancing
Peppermint essential oil has hormone-balancing effects and can be used to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Peppermint essential oil for insect repellent effect
There was a study that compared the interactions of seven different commercial insect repellents. As expected, all-natural essential oil repellents (including a blend of cinnamon, clove, geranium, peppermint, and lemongrass essential oils) were the safest and most effective repellents!
Best of all, it contains absolutely no toxic chemicals, such as mosquito repellent.
Another study showed that peppermint essential oil was effective in protecting against mosquito bites for 150 minutes, yet only 0.1 ml of the oil was applied to the arm. The researchers noted that after 150 minutes, the effectiveness of peppermint essential oil diminished and needed to be reapplied.
Precautions for using peppermint essential oil
Peppermint essential oil is generally considered safe when taken orally and can be used as a topical skin application.
Ingestion of peppermint essential oil may cause a number of side effects, including heartburn, flushing, mouth ulcers, and headaches.
Some prescription and over-the-counter medications may have adverse effects on peppermint essential oil. Enteric peppermint essential oil supplements may cause heartburn, nausea, and accelerated absorption of certain medications due to rapid dissolution, necessitating precautions.
Iron supplements are taken at the same time as peppermint essential oil may reduce the absorption of iron. Allow at least three hours between the two. Simultaneous administration with peppermint essential oil also increases the absorption of quercetin and the interval should be at least three hours.