Essential Oils: Science confirms that they really work thanks to this effect on the brain

A study confirms that some essential oils are effective against anxiety and depression due to their antioxidant effect on the brain

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New research confirms that certain essential oils can help improve mood and symptoms in those suffering from anxiety and depression. But why do they offer such benefits? The reason is to be found in the antioxidant effects on the brain.

New research, led by a team at Monash University School of Chemistry in Australia and published in the journal Neurochemistry International, has found why certain essential oils can benefit mood.

Essential oils are blends of volatile compounds extracted from plants that are used in different ways in aromatherapy. The benefits they offer are also many and varied, depending on the type and use made of them.

However, despite the potential health benefits, essential oils are often used without carefully considering which one to choose, as well as without knowing the right dose to guarantee the desired benefits.

As Dr. Louise Bennett, lead author of the study, said:

Aromatherapy under particular conditions is said to consistently improve emotional health, including reducing anxiety and depression. However, to get benefits you need to understand which types are best and what dose is needed.

The new research has also intervened on these aspects, in particular in relation to some essential oils that are beneficial to the brain in the treatment of anxiety and depression. First of all theessential oil of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which has been repeatedly shown to be able to improve mood, if inhaled, but also Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary).

But why do some essential oils have this beneficial effect? The authors of the new study argue that the benefits come from the fact that their active ingredients are bioavailable to the brain and in particular perform a good antioxidant effect on the brain.

We believe that the interaction of essential oils with naturally elevated levels of ascorbate (e.g. vitamin C) in the brain can produce antioxidant or pro-oxidant effects. It is the antioxidant, but not pro-oxidant, effects that lead to the benefit of mood.

And the purpose of the study, which will continue with further investigations, is precisely to understand not only which essential oils are most useful to the brain but also at what doses, so as to be able to apply what was discovered therapeutically:

We are working on developing essential oils for a number of applications, including: treating depression and anxiety, infections, inflammation and potentially even cancer.

This research represents a significant breakthrough precisely in that it characterizes the effects of essential oils on the brain so as to optimize their therapeutic potential. Which could lead to the development of inexpensive yet effective treatments for the brain.

A great potential, except that Europe seems to be preparing to ban lavender essential oil right now as it is potentially toxic. (Read also: The European Union towards a ban on lavender essential oil: will it be classified as toxic?)

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Fonte: Neurochemistry International