In recent years, essential oils have become a staple of home remedies in the public consciousness. Eucalyptus oil, in particular, has received lots of love for everything from keeping bugs away to controlling blood sugar. But, what is eucalyptus oil actually good for? Are eucalyptus oil health benefits a real thing or is it all just trendy talk?
We’ve dug up some research to help you learn more about eucalyptus oil benefits and what they can do for you. From benefits to side effects, we’ll give you the scoop on all things eucalyptus oil and eucalyptus oil uses.
Eucalyptus Oil Health Benefits
As we mentioned, eucalyptus oil has had a lot of press in the past few years due to its purported health benefits. You may be wondering if the headlines are true. So, are there many health benefits of eucalyptus oil? Well, according to Indian Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicine traditions, there are quite a few benefits of eucalyptus oil, including many for your health.
These are nine of the most commonly touted health benefits.
1. Eases joint pain
Eucalyptus oil is said to be very good for inflammation and infection. With this in mind, eucalyptus oil could help relieve joint pain.
2. Opens the airways
Eucalyptus oil could also help open up your airways. Breathing in the steam of eucalyptus oil may help relieve the symptoms of asthma.
It might also help reduce the amount of mucus in your system if you are suffering from a cold or if you have a wet cough.
One easy way to use eucalyptus oil as a vapor is to throw a couple of drops into the steam center of a sauna and just breathe it in as you relax.
3. Heals wounds
Eucalyptus oil has disinfectant properties that make it useful for healing skin and cuts. So, using a little eucalyptus oil on a fresh wound may be a good idea. It could help clean out the would and promote its healing.
4. Relieves muscle pain
If you are suffering from muscle pain, eucalyptus oil may be able to help you out. Eucalyptus oil is said to have a relaxing effect on muscles.
If you are feeling some muscle pain, simply massage some eucalyptus oil into the muscle to help the muscles relax.
5. Helps teeth and gums
Eucalyptus oil’s disinfectant properties may also extend to your teeth and gums. Eucalyptus oil could help fight gum disease and infections, as well as reduce dental plaque and cavities.
6. Cleans the intestines
The disinfectant properties of eucalyptus oil may help clean out bad bacteria and infections in your digestive tract, especially in the intestines.
7. May relieve diabetes symptoms
Eucalyptus oil has a few properties that appear to help those who may be suffering from diabetes. It seems that eucalyptus oil can help facilitate better blood circulation and possibly help lower blood sugar. Massaging eucalyptus oil into the skin can also help with these symptoms.
8. May alleviate pneumonia and tuberculosis symptoms
Beyond your run of the mill breathing issues, eucalyptus oil could also alleviate the symptoms of pneumonia and tuberculosis. It works best if the oil is massaged over the lung area on the back and chest.
9. Helps with cold sores
Applying eucalyptus oil directly to cold sores can help clean out the virus (temporarily) from the cold sore, allowing it to heal.
As you can see by this list, there are several potential eucalyptus oil health benefits that could help you get through small health issues like colds, and they may also help with larger issues like diabetes. But, the benefits of eucalyptus oil may extend further.
Other Uses of Eucalyptus Oil
There are many other reported eucalyptus oil health benefits, but there are also many alternative uses and benefits that are more cosmetic in nature. From hair care to fresh breath, eucalyptus oil could help you out so many ways. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Hair Care
Eucalyptus oil has a few benefits related to hair care. A few drops mixed in with your normal shampoo, or just on its own, may not only help moisturize your hair, but it may also help prevent dandruff and itchy scalp. Eucalyptus oil could also keep away lice.
2. Bug Repellent
Eucalyptus oil also works as a natural bug repellent. In addition to keeping lice at bay, the potent oil can also repel mosquitoes and other bugs that might want to feed on you.
3. Breath Freshener
Mint isn’t the only natural breath freshener. This is due, in part, to eucalyptus oil’s antibacterial properties. As we mentioned in the health benefits section, eucalyptus could clean out infection and plaque from your mouth. A side effect of this is usually fresh breath. You can do a small swish in your mouth with eucalyptus oil or even brush with it.
4. Exhaustion Reliever
Eucalyptus oil may serve as a bit of a stimulant. Inhaling the vapors of eucalyptus oil could help stimulate your senses, and take you an out of a mental fog during times of exhaustion.
So, eucalyptus oil appears to have a multitude of benefits for your health and personal care, but your more skeptical side may also be curious about its possible side effects.
Possible Side Effects of Eucalyptus Oil
So, with all of the good things that come with eucalyptus oil, there has to be some bad, right? Unfortunately, there are a few issues that come with eucalyptus oil, which you may want to be aware of before you start using it in its various forms.
1. Allergies
As a drwback of any natural remedy, an allergic reaction may also arise with the use of eucalyptus leaves and eucalyptus oil. If this is the case, taking eucalyptus oil can result in some bad effects depending on how severe your sensitivity is.
2. Contact Dermatitis
Eucalyptus oil can attract airborne contact dermatitis in some cases. The issues associated with contact dermatitis range from discomfort to dangerous.
3. Toxicity
Depending on the concentration and the amount used, eucalyptus oil can be toxic. You should ingest eucalyptus oil under the guidance of a doctor for this reason.
While the many eucalyptus essential oil benefits are certainly worth considering, you should always talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss whether eucalyptus oil is right for you.
Eucalyptus Oil: A Multi-Purpose Remedy?
It’s hard to imagine many other essential oils with the same number of benefits as eucalyptus oil, especially in terms of your health.
And when you factor in the alternative uses and benefits, as well as the very few side effects, you may want to try eucalyptus oil now if you hadn’t considered using it before. If you have any worries, seek out a medical professional to ensure that the use of eucalyptus oil won’t have a negative impact on your health.
Source:
Butler, N., “9 Unexpected Benefits Of Eucalyptus Oil,” Healthline, December 13, 2016; http://www.healthline.com/health/9-ways-eucalyptus-oil-can-help#overview1, last accessed May 5, 2017.
“15 Wonderful Benefits Of Eucalyptus Oil,” Organic Facts; https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-eucalyptus-essential-oil.html, last accessed May 5, 2017.
Russo, J., “Eucalyptus Oil Side Effects,” Livestrong, August 16, 2013, http://www.livestrong.com/article/112181-eucalyptus-oil-side-effects/, last accessed May 5, 2017.