Essential oils really do boost your mood, study suggests
Essential oils may have a reputation for being a little "woo-woo", but new research suggests the relaxing scents really could boost your mood.
The oils are made up of a mixture of plant compounds that can be inhaled at room temperature. While evidence supports aromatherapy's mood-boosting potential, how this occurs was somewhat unclear.
Writing in the journal Neurochemistry International, scientists from Monash University in Australia have reported how essential oils may interact with vitamin C in our brain. This then suppresses the production of the chemical hydrogen peroxide, improving our emotional wellbeing.
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Calming lavender and rosemary oils may particularly suppress hydrogen peroxide's production.
The scientists are now investigating whether essential oils can be utilised to treat conditions like depression and anxiety.
Many people swear by essential oils to relieve anxiety, but aromatherapy's relaxing properties were "not well understood".
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"Aromatherapy under particular conditions is reported to consistently enhance emotional health, including lowering anxiety and depression, however, achieving benefits requires understanding which types are best and what dose is required," said lead author Professor Louise Bennett.
High levels of vitamin C in the brain suggest it is a key signalling molecule and regulator of "internal stress".
In a laboratory study, the Monash scientists found that when essential oils are exposed to vitamin C, they either enhance or suppress hydrogen peroxide's production.
Lavender and rosemary essential oils in particular dampen the chemical, suggesting this is what gives these essential oils their mood-boosting effects.
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"We believe the interaction of essential oils with the naturally high levels of ascorbate [vitamin C] in the brain can produce either antioxidant [suppressing hydrogen peroxide] or pro-oxidant [enhancing hydrogen peroxide] effects," said Professor Bennett.
"It is the antioxidant, but not the pro-oxidant effects, that lead to the mood benefit."
Watch: Create a calm WFH space with aromatherapy
Essential oils that drive hydrogen peroxide's production "are proposed to be more useful for their potential anti-microbial or cancer cytotoxic [toxic to cancerous cells] applications".
"For the first time, this work paves the way to select and classify EOs [essential oils] according to their mechanistic properties and to potentially develop inexpensive but effective therapies for the brain," said Professor Bennett.
"We are working towards developing EOs for a range of applications including treating depression and anxiety, infection, inflammation and potentially even cancer."
The scientists are also working to understand the optimal dose of different essential oils to reap their benefits.
"We can predict the volatile and potentially inhalable 'dose' of any EO and at any temperature, including climatic extremes," said co-author Minoli Aponso, a PhD student.
"This research represents a significant breakthrough as it characterises the effects of EOs in the brain so as to optimise their therapeutic potential."
Watch: How to use essential oils in your hair
