The Science Behind Aromatherapy

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I've recently become interested in aromatherapy and set out to learn more about it. I have always found that a bath with lavendar essential oil does wonders to ease tension and relax my mind and body. I met a man who swears that diffusing essential oils pretty much takes care of his asthma and he doesn't require inhalers anymore, which is tempting for me to try. Some people use essential oils for skin conditions or internally for digestive issues, or topically to relieve pain. It seems there are a thousand uses for it but most of what I've learned about it's effectiveness is anecdotal.  I've also heard that aromatherapy can be helpful for animals. Apparently there are aromatherapists who specialize in treating animals.

I'd like to better understand the science behind it (if there is any). I did a little research this morning and found this article that basically says there is no evidence that it is effective. https://www.scimednet.org/sapphire/main.php?url=/aromatherapy. However, it's hard to ignore the claims that people make about how it's cured this ailment or that. This brief article says that it hasn't been well studied http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aromatherapy/AN02140 and I've seen articles that offer some support to it's effectiveness. How do you know what to believe, and is there any harm in experimenting with this stuff if you enjoy it and it feels good so long as you're not substituting it for medicine?

If I happen to find the scent of lavendar soothing, would synthetic artificial lavendar scent have the same effect on me as pure essential lavendar oil? Aromatheraptists would say no, and so does my own personal experience, but I'm not sure I understand why.

Anybody have any experience with essential oils for aromatherapy?

[Adina P]

I'm curious why they are called "essential oils" -- essential fats like omega 3 fats are 'essential' because our body requires them but can't make them on their own (we must eat them).  But I'm curious why lavender, etc is called 'essential'.

[Adina P]

Oh haha...got it!  Different form of essence.  Duh...Adina =)

[F, Calla & Luca]

And inhalation of terpenes has been a cause for concern.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have no experience but I am sure that a lavender scented bath would relax most people. After a while you associate the smell with relaxation and that alone helps. Aromas are very evocative of memories and moods. I worry about the safety of inhaling these oils often. This site is an essential oil purveyor and yet they have a whole section on precautions.

http://www.essentialoils.co.za/steam-inhalation.htm#Safety%20with%2...

I wouldn't think using oils instead of your asthma medications is a good idea. I would never use one of those plug indiffusers in my home. Even burning candles a lot is not a good idea.

http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/0810/airfresheners.htm

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I would never use one of those plug in diffusers either. There is also really no such thing as 'aromatherapy candles'. That is a made up term. the problem with armoatherapy is that it isn't regulated so anyone can slap a label on any old bottle of poop and call it 100% pure, organic, aromatherapy blah blah. Plug ins, candles and air fresheners that are 'scented' are not the same thing as actual essential oils, which are extracted from plants and come completely from nature. Real essential oils have no synthetic fragrance or filler oils, they are really potent and should only be used with an appropriate diffuser. They have to be stored in glass bottles and only one or two drops at a time is all you need to use.

I can't tolerate a lot of synthetic scents, my body reacts to it instantly. I have problems with perfume, and I can't breath after 2 seconds of being in a room with air freshner. Even some strong candles cause irritation. However, with the pure essential oils that I've tried the smells are devine and I don't have the same reaction at all.

As for the asthma, I wouldn't think it practical to stop using the inhalers and completely swtich to using essential oils. The person who told me about it said that once he started using eucalyptus and whatever else (can't remember off the top of my head) that he no longer needed his inhalers. It was a sort of gradual phasing out. He just needed them less and less until not at all anymore.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Most essential oils are toxic to cats, even externally or when inhaled , so be very careful with using them around Kitty. They don't have to ingest them to have a reaction.

Here's a good article with a list of the ones that are most toxic to cats:

http://cats.about.com/od/housekeeping/a/aromatherapy.htm

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks Karen, this is really good to know.

[F, Calla & Luca]

As Karen and I have said many a time, so called "natural" does not mean harmless. Think arsenic and radon etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There was a period about 10 years ago when I was battling insomnia, and lavender did absolutely nothing for me. Personally, I don't put much stock in the "therapy" part of aromatherapy, in terms of treating actual medical conditions like asthma, and I would be very skeptical that it can "cure" anything, but I do think that scents can affect our moods. Perhaps from a psychological standpoint there is some value in . I've always been struck by how powerfully a scent can evoke a memory for me and actually bring back a feeling of time and place.

Also, for any moms of young sons out there who may be reading this, lavender can have undesirable hormonal effects on boys, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, so keep it out of their baths, etc.: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20070131/lavender-oil-may-spur-...

 

[Adina P]

I remember reading about this but also that the effects wear off once you stop....

[F, Calla & Luca]

Talk about the law of unintended consequences and also talk about "natural" stuff.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I don't think there is harm in experimenting with it, if you want to.I wouldn't experiment with ingesting the oils though, that can have bad effects. However, if you do research on what it is you are using, rubbing it on the skin or something like that doesn't seem like it could do much harm. My MIL is very into essential oils and natural healing and HATES any kind of modern medicine or doctor. I think the danger is when she extends that to her kids. She wouldn't let SIL go to the doctor to get treatment for a urinary tract infection because she wanted her to heal it naturally. It ended up progressing into a kidney infection and they had to go to the ER. Similarly, there have been issues with her not allowing her daughter to get treated for strep throat, take pain medication after a bad injury that required 20+ stitches, etc. Those situations are the ones in which I think natural healing is dangerous. Take medicine if it's a serious illness, only do it yourself, never force others, and make sure you know what you are using and consider the source (is the website that says a product is good selling that product)

Lastly... and this may be too skeptical or cynical on my behalf. But the placebo effect is a real and strong thing... that is what I will say about all of the anecdotal evidence. As long as it's helping people though, it's good I guess.