 And now, the benefits of Peppermint! It actually took people quite a long time to recognize all of the benefits of peppermint, but as early as 1704, Ray's Historia Plantarum was touting peppermint as a superior mint for treating stomach weakness and diarrhea. By 1721, peppermint leaves had attained official status in the London Pharmacopia, although spearmint was still the medicinal mint of choice. Oh, you dastardly spearmint! I will catch you yet! And it certainly did, because peppermint is now the most widely used essential oil in the world. So you're clear? Peppermint is actually a hybrid between spearmint and water mint. And although it's considered very similar to spearmint in many of its benefits, peppermint is actually far more powerful than certain benefits. Yes Thanos, feel the power of peppermint! But the odd thing, given its potency, is it doesn't actually have much nutritional value as far as vitamins and minerals. While it does contain some manganese, copper, and vitamin C, it takes about four ounces of raw peppermint just to get your daily recommended allowance of vitamin A. So yeah, not terribly packed with vitamins! But where it packs its real punch is in its antioxidants and compounds like menthone, rosmarinic acid, limonene, and most especially menthol. And menthol is where you're gonna find all of peppermint's primary benefits. So what are all these benefits? Let us explore, herb lovers! Uh, almost. There are a few uh, provisos, a couple of quick pro quotes. There are quite a few problems that peppermint tackles, which is great, but it makes for a long video. And really, this is just the research highlight reel here. I could have easily made this video over an hour long, given the amount of research that's available. Come on man, why wasn't there this much research available for Basil? Click on the card to see that video. So if you're in a hurry to find out if peppermint is good for a specific melody, just look in the description below for the handy list of timestamps, so you can skip right to what you want to know about. It may be the key to the whole plan, get it? Got it. Good. But hey, if you're ready to learn everything that peppermint's good for, then grab yourself a cup of tea, sip back, relax, and enjoy! Peppermint has lots of research, showing just how good it is for gas, bloating, nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea. Various animal studies indicate that peppermint relaxes your digestive system and may ease pain. It also prevents your smooth muscles from contracting, which relieves spasms in your gut. And this is backed up by research from the University of Maryland Medical Center. Now they say that peppermint helps calm your stomach and improve the flow of your bile, which makes it suitable for people who have indigestion. A 2017 review of 14 different clinical trials in nearly 2,000 children showed that peppermint reduced the frequency, length, and severity of abdominal pain. Yeah, take that stomach pain! Peppermint is on the case! Capsules containing peppermint oil reduced incidences in severity of nausea and vomiting in a study of 200 people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. One small study did say that aromatherapy can help with this as well, but unfortunately there are several other studies that say aromatherapy for peppermint oil has little to no effect on nausea. A review of nine studies and 926 people with irritable bowel syndrome treated with peppermint oil for at least two weeks concluded that peppermint provided significantly better symptom relief than a placebo. In one study of 72 people with IBS, peppermint oil capsules reduced IBS symptoms by 40% after four weeks, compared to only 24.3% with placebo. In fact, one double-blind study out of Italy, which gave people with IBS peppermint oil capsules for four weeks and found that symptoms were slashed by 75%. However, a 2019 randomized double-blind trial of 190 people with IBS found that peppermint oil did not significantly reduce symptoms. Well, thanks, Killjoy! So apparently some further research is needed. Currently there isn't any research on peppermint tea directly, but it is widely believed that the tea can help with these symptoms as well. Peppermint has been shown to have significant antiviral and antibiotic properties, helping to support and strengthen your body's immune system. In one study in pineapple and mango juices, peppermint oil was found to kill and prevent the growth of common foodborne bacteria including E. coli, listeria, and salmonella. Let's hear it for clean juice. That's tasty. Peppermint oil also kills several different types of bacteria that lead to illnesses in humans, including big ones like staphylococcus and pneumonia-related bacteria. One study found that incubating peppermint oil with several strains of staphylococcus aureus, some of which were antibiotic-resistant, inhibited the production of an important bacterial toxin. Golly, I wonder why peppermint is used in so many toothpaste, mouth washes, and chewing gums. Might it actually help with your breath? A 2015 review states that peppermint oil has antibacterial properties that may help reduce the bacteria that cause plaque and gum disease. A 2017 study of people who received a rinse made with peppermint, tea tree, and lemon oils showed that they experienced improvement in bad breath symptoms compared to those who did not receive the oils. And yet another study, schoolgirls given a peppermint mouth rinse experienced an improvement in breath after only one week. No peppermint tea evidence yet again. Hmm, I'm sensing a pattern. As I mentioned earlier, mint has that tough anti-inflammatory and antioxidant called rosemaryic acid. Research on rosemaryic acid has shown it to be quite effective in the treatment of allergies, runny nose, itchy eyes, asthma, and other upper respiratory problems. According to a 2019 review published in Frontiers and Pharmacology, the mint family provides a range of plant compounds that have great anti-allergenic effects. In one randomized 21 day study in 29 people with seasonal allergies, those given an oral supplement containing rosemaryic acid had fewer symptoms of itchy nose, itchy eyes, and other symptoms than those given the placebo. A 2019 study on rats found that rosemaryic acid reduced symptoms of asthma, and yet another study on rats confirmed that peppermint extract reduced allergic symptoms, such as sneezing and itchy nose. And finally, a 2016 study suggested that vapors from peppermint oil may help alleviate certain types of upper respiratory infections. Can maybe stand to lose a pound or two? Bring on the peppermint! One Spanish study of people drinking peppermint juice twice a day resulted in 52.5% showing lower blood pressure, 43.8% presented weight loss, and 48.7% showed a reduced BMI. A study in 13 healthy people taking peppermint oil capsules resulted in the people showing reduced appetite compared to the people not taking the peppermint. On the other hand, an animal study showed that mice given peppermint extracts gained more weight than the control group. Oh, I know why they were just going to their coffee clutch and having peppermint frappuccinos. So deceptive how many calories are in those frappuccinos, especially when you have with cream. While it could very well curb your appetite in your sweet tooth, more research is needed on peppermint and weight loss. Oh my god, my brain is like pounding and spinning and spinning and pounding. Make it stop. Headaches are no fun. Well, good news, peppermint lovers, because in one randomized clinical study of 35 people with migraines, peppermint oil applied to the four head and temples, significantly reduced pain after two hours compared to a placebo oil. In another study, researchers found that peppermint oil gel provided significant improvement by at least one severity level just two hours after application. Wow, I just got a big headache. One study that looked at the topical application of a 10% menthol solution for migraine treatment found that when applied to the four head and temples, participants had a longer duration of pain relief, less nausea, and less light sensitivity. A study examining the effects of peppermint oil tablets on people with difficulty swallowing and non-cardiac chest pain found that over half of the participants reported an improvement in their symptoms. One 2016 study suggested that topical peppermint oil can help alleviate pain and relax muscles as much as paracetamol or acetacillic acid. That's the fancy name for aspirin in case you didn't know. In another study of 41 people, peppermint oil applied to the forehead was found to be as effective for headaches as 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen. And that's the fancy name for paracetamol. Not that paracetamol isn't a fancy enough name by itself. The research shows that natural compounds in peppermint has a beneficial effect on energy. Woohoo! Let's get peppy with peppermint! Oh yeah, I went there. In one study, 24 healthy young people experienced less fatigue during a cognitive test when given peppermint oil capsules. In another study, peppermint oil aromatherapy was found to reduce the incidence of daytime sleepiness. Okay, I gotta say at this point. Really, people? Where's the peppermint tea research, man? Come on, you know it's awesome. Let's just confirm it with some research! Give me my tea research! And now, back to the benefits. Which should include tea. Oh, research. Tired. No problem, peppermint can help you out there too. Maybe. The research is actually very conflicted on this one. Oh, the drama! In one study, peppermint oil lengthened the sleeping time of mice given a sedative. However, another study found that menthol did not have a sedative effect. Well, it is true that peppermint is caffeine free and has been shown to be a muscle relaxant, help airways and even head problems. There isn't any definitive research on peppermint that says it definitely helps sleep. At the most, we can claim that it can help you relax and maybe breathe a little bit easier before beddy by time. Because peppermint works as a muscle relaxant, it may also help with menstrual cramps. Of course, peppermint tea hasn't been studied. I know! You know, I know, I got it. In one study in 127 women with painful periods, peppermint extract capsules were found to be as effective as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and reducing the intensity and duration of pain. Some research shows that mint leaves could help relieve pain caused by breastfeeding. A study conducted by the Alzara Teaching Hospital in Iran showed that applying peppermint gel was significantly more effective than lanolin at preventing nipple cracks in nursing mothers. That's good! Another study published in the International Breastfeeding Journal found that daily use of peppermint water could prevent nipple cracks and women who used it also reported less pain. Huh? What were we talking about? I suffer from short-term memory loss. Maybe you need peppermint. In one study, smelling peppermint oil was found to improve memory and alertness, better than Lang Lang, another popular essential oil. The International Journal of Neuroscience reports that peppermint may even have a positive effect on self-confidence. Another study published in the North American Journal of Psychology showed that peppermint scent was effective at reducing fatigue and anxiety while improving alertness. A study on 180 volunteers showed that drinking peppermint tea may have a positive effect on mood and increasing alertness. Yes! Yes! Peppermint tea has finally been given its due! Now many people know how peppermint oil is often used in cosmetic products, but its effects on itching may very well surprise you. Researchers found that a 1% solution of peppermint oil led to improvements in how long itchiness lasted and the severity of the itch. Another study examined the effect of applying peppermint oil on the skin to reduce itching during pregnancy. Researchers found that applying a 0.5% solution of peppermint oil twice a day for two weeks significantly reduced itch severity compared to the control group. A study in mice compared peppermint oil to Rogaine and other control compounds. The researchers found that a 3% solution of peppermint oil led to growth of thick, long hair in the mice after four weeks of treatment, which is similar to results obtained using minoxidil, the primary ingredient of Rogaine. Now the menthol found in peppermint may also help soothe skin and treat conditions such as dermatitis. A study that included 84 babies with Candido diaper dermatitis showed that topically applied menthol may be an effective alternative to regular treatments. Well cover me in peppermint oil and call me happy! So far studies have suggested that peppermint is cytotoxic, which means it may be effective when dealing with cancer and tumors. Because of the high antioxidant content, peppermint oil or peppermint tea may very well be effective in helping the liver as well. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of research to back this up yet. Peppermint can help relax the colon during enema examinations. It sure doesn't sound pleasant but believe me, if you've ever had one of these examinations you'll be happy for peppermint's help. And research does show that peppermint oil as an ingredient in enemas does seem to help relax the colon during barium enema examinations. Also by taking peppermint oil by the mouth before the start of a barium enema seems to decrease spasms. That's gotta be it right man, there's no way peppermint can do anything more. Au contraire mon frère! I hope that means what I think it means. One study tested peppermint along with 11 other essential oils on 12 different types of fungi. Results showed that it had moderate fungocidal activity on almost all of the tested samples. And among the essential oils, clove, rose geranium, patchouli and peppermint were deemed the most effective. And finally in one in vitro study on 12 different types of fungi, peppermint oil was effective on 11 of the 12 different types of fungi. Are we there yet? We get there when we get there! Almost there, we gotta take side effects. Peppermint is on the FDA's generally recognized as safe list when used as seasoning or flavoring. However, medicinal use of the plant and oil can cause some adverse reactions. Used improperly, people have been known to get skin irritations and rashes, especially people with eczema. If you have a sensitive stomach, there is potential for stomach aches. For people with achlorhydria or diarrhea, taking peppermint pills with an enteric coating is not advised. Since the coating might dissolve too early in the digestive process and cause stomach issues as well. There has also been a record of respiratory problems in people with a sensitivity to inhaled products. According to a 2019 review, peppermint commonly acts as a trigger for symptoms for gastroesophical reflux disease. People with a specific enzyme deficiency called G6PD deficiency should also avoid peppermint as an extract or oil in aromatherapy. Peppermint oil aromatherapy can also inhibit an enzyme called CYP3A4, which is responsible for breaking down many different types of medication. And if you're taking prescription medications, please talk to your doctor about taking peppermint oil. Spearmint is highly recommended as an alternative to peppermint when it comes to kids 8 or younger. Menthol can be too harsh for most young children and can cause side effects, especially if you're trying to apply peppermint oil to the skin of children. Peppermint aromatherapy can also be toxic to pets such as cats and dogs. It's also important to remember that peppermint oil is highly concentrated and should always be diluted properly before topical use. In excess, it can be toxic because of the compound PULGON, which has been found to cause liver damage and death when taking in excessive amounts. So just be careful and stay within the recommended guidelines. Follow what we said about the side effects and consult your doctor if needed. You do all that and everything should be just fine. Now how's that for a list of benefits? There's so many, right? Thanks so much for watching! You know there's a handy dandy little like button and subscribe button right down there? If you want to learn more amazing things about peppermint, please check out the history of mint or the mythology of mint, or maybe check out the benefits of spearmint. Have you actually used peppermint for any of the medicinal properties we talked about today or for something else? Sweet! Well, please let me know in the comment section down below. I would love to hear about it. Until next time, you guys take care of each other, please, and don't out there and enjoy a nice healthy cup of peppermint tea, which deserves more research.