Ingesting Essential Oils - some things to consider

November 28, 2024

When it comes to essential oils, their incredible benefits are widely known, but so are the myths surrounding their use. As an aromatherapist, I’ve occasionally found myself at a crossroads, hearing people casually mention adding essential oils to salads or taking them directly to fend off illness. These practices are concerning, and this blog post is my opportunity to explain why ingesting essential oils should never be taken lightly.

Understanding Essential Oils: The Basics

Essential oils are highly concentrated, aromatic compounds extracted from plants. Extraction methods include steam, or water, distillation, and mechanical expression. Whilst the origins of essential oils are natural, we regard them as safe, however, their potency in bottled form is far from what we encounter in nature. 

Historically, essential oils have been used widely for various purposes—medicine, perfumery, and spiritual rituals—through inhalation, topical application, and ingestion. However, modern applications must consider their chemical complexity and impact on the human body on a cellular and system level.

The Dangers of Ingesting Essential Oils

1. Over-Concentration: Essential oils are potent and measured in milligrams, not drops. A drop of oil can vary greatly in weight, making consistent dosing nearly impossible without proper equipment.
2. Toxicity Risks: Ingesting oils, such as oregano, often believed to boost immunity, can also irritate the gastrointestinal lining or even overwhelm the liver, which works hard to eliminate these unfamiliar compounds.
3. Potential Interactions: Essential oils can interact with medications, amplify side effects, or trigger allergic reactions.
4. Damage You Can't See: Unlike skin irritation, internal harm from ingesting essential oils may not be apparent until damage has occurred and may lead to chronic issues or poisoning.

Safe Practices and Alternatives

Essential oils are not dietary supplements and should not be treated as such. Whilst essential oil can be ingested safely, I encourage research via reliable sources and consultation with a qualified practitioner who has extensive knowledge of aromatherapy, pharmacology, and physiology, who can recommend safe methods, such as; dilution and ways to bypass stomach irritation.

For home use, alternatives like inhalation or topical applications are far safer and equally effective for conditions such as stress, insomnia, or mild pain. Lavender essential oil, for example, has proven benefits ranging from antibacterial properties to relaxation and can be used in diffusers or diluted for massage.

Final Thoughts

While the therapeutic benefits of essential oils are undeniable, they should always be used with caution and respect for their potency. We can all enjoy the benefits of essential oils without compromising safety.

By making informed decisions, we can fully embrace these gifts from nature—without unnecessary risks.

Author note; this blog post is a summary of a paper I prepared a final assessment task to complete the Diploma of Aromatic Science at The Tisserand Institute 2022-2023.

REFERENCES:

Battaglia S. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Third Edition. Vol 1-Foundations & Materia Medica (p 4, 5, 46, 125, 359, 360, 367). Black pepper Creative, Zillmere, Australia. 2018Nutrition, Well-Being and Health, Edited by Bouayed J, Bohn T. Chapter 7, pg 158, The Therapeutic Benefits of Essential Oils Djilani A, Dicko A, Janeza Trdine, Rijeka, Croatia 2012
Koyama S, Heinbockel T. The Effects of Essential Oils and Terpenes in Relation to Their Routes of Intake and Application. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Feb 25;21(5):1558. doi: 10.3390/ijms21051558. PMID: 32106479; PMCID: PMC7084246.
Pereira I, Severino P, Santos AC, Silva AM, Souto EB. Linalool bioactive properties and potential applicability in drug delivery systems. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2018 Nov 1; 171:566-578. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.08.001. Epub 2018 Aug 3. PMID: 30098535.
Tisserand R & Young R. Essen􀆟al Oil Safety. Second edition (pg5). Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, Edinburgh, London, New York, Oxford, Philadelphia, St Louis, Sydney, Toronto. 2014
Ratajc P. (2022). Diploma of Aroma􀆟c Science, Essential Oil Kinetics, Lesson 1, pg 3,4, Lesson 5, p 2, 4. Tisserand Institute.
Bowles J. (2022). Diploma of Aromatic Science, Aromatic Chemistry, Lesson 2, pg3, 4. Tisserand Institute.
Ratajc P. (2022). Beyond the Bottle. Lesson 1, pg 9. Lesson 4, pg 4. The Tisserand Institute.
Tisserand R. (2022). Diploma of Aromatic Science, Essential Oil Safety. L1, p4. L5, p3, 5. Tisserand Institute.
The Tisserand Institute. Materia Aromatica Database, 2022
Tortora, J & Grabowski SR, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (p818, 820, 821), 9th Edition. John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York, Chichester, Weinham, Brisbane, Singapore, Toronto 2000.

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