When applied topically in a diluted form or used in aromatherapy, benefits of lemon oil has several health advantages. Lemon oil may provide several health advantages, including:
Boosts mood: Lemon oil has a fresh, citrusy scent that can help uplift your mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
Supports respiratory health: Lemon oil’s antibacterial and antiviral properties can support respiratory health by lowering inflammation and cleaning nasal passages.
Promotes skin health: Lemon oil can make skin look better by making age spots, scars, and blemishes less obvious.
Supports digestion: Lemon oil can help support digestive health by stimulating the production of digestive juices and enzymes, aiding digestion, and reducing symptoms of indigestion.
Boosts immunity: Lemon oil’s antibacterial and antiviral properties can help boost your immune system by fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses.
Supports weight reduction: By encouraging detoxification and improving metabolism, lemon oil can aid with weight loss.
It’s vital to remember that lemon oil should never be eaten without the guidance of a healthcare provider and should only ever be used in diluted form. Lemon oil can also be phototoxic, irritating the skin when exposed to sunshine. Lemon oil should therefore be diluted with a mover oil before being applied to the skin, and it is advised to stay out of the sun for at least 12 hours following application.
Table of Contents
What You Want to Know About Lemon Essential Oil?
Although research indicates there may be health advantages, the FDA neither monitors nor controls the quality or purity of essential oils. Before utilizing essential oils, you should see a healthcare provider and always check the caliber of a brand’s products. Always test an essential oil on your arm first.
One entirely natural item that can be used as a remedy at home is lemon essential oil. It is extracted from the fresh lemon peel using steam extraction or, less frequently, a “cold-pressing” method that spins and pricks the peel to liberate the oil.
The lemon essential oil can be diffused into the air, inhaled, diluted, and used directly on the skin. Some revere lemon essential oil as a remedy for fatigue, depression, skin clearing, eradicating pathogenic bacteria and viruses, and reducing inflammation.
Recently, the claims made by people who have used lemon essential oil for years have begun to be supported by the medical literature.
It may reduce anxiety and depression symptoms
You may have found that after using lemon-scented cleaning supplies, you feel more at ease or boosted and are generally happier.
The natural outcome of freshening up your surroundings may account for some of it, but the aroma of lemons probably contributes to that relaxing effect.
A 2006 study by Trusted Source on mice revealed that lemon essential oil was a potent soothing and mood-improving agent in three stress test tests. The same study decided that lemon essential oil was superior to lavender and rose essential oils in reducing stress.
In a small 2016 study, it was discovered that using lemon essential oil following orthopedic surgery helped participants feel less anxious.
There are encouraging signs that some symptoms of anxiety and sadness can be reduced by diffusing lemon essential oil.
can lessen the signs of morning sickness
Two of the most typical symptoms in the first trimester of pregnancy are nausea and vomiting. There may be justification for thinking that lemon essential oil can lessen these sensations’ intensity if not completely relieve them.
Aromatherapy using lemon essential oil dramatically reduced nausea and vomiting levels in a 2014 study Trusted Source of 100 pregnant women.
Can make your skin healthier
One of the many essential oils that can eliminate dangerous bacteria that might develop on your skin is lemon oil.
The lemon essential oil was found to be efficient against bacteria types like Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in a recent studyTrusted Source. It is a fantastic option for treating minor wounds topically.
Other studies have confirmed the effectiveness of lemon essential oil against infection-causing bacteria and suggested that it may reduce skin inflammation. These studies included a lab experiment in 2017 besides in vitro and in vivo research in 2018.
Antioxidants in it, for example, have preventive qualities that could brighten and maintain the tone of your skin. However, it can make skin more sensitive to the sun, as most citrus oils do. In a moment, more on this.
It can act as a pain reliever
As a natural analgesic, lemon essential oil is occasionally used in aromatherapy. This oil may assist our bodies in perceiving our pain without panicking, contributing to its anti-stress and antidepressant properties.
The use of lemon oil aromatherapy altered how the mice’s brains responded to painful stimuli, according to a 2014 studyTrusted Source.
More research is required to understand how lemon oil affects people in pain.
It may help you breathe easier and soothe a sore throat
Lemon essential oil is a fantastic home cure for a cold or a sore throat.
Consider setting up a diffuser with the oil to release the delicious, zesty aroma of lemon oil in your room while you sleep. Lemon oil has relaxing effects that can ease throat muscles and your thoughts.
Although there isn’t much clinical evidence to support using lemon oil aromatherapy to treat colds, we know that lemon juice’s vitamin C and antioxidant properties can help you breathe a little easier.
However, vitamin C is not added to the oil during the steam extraction process used to extract the essential oil from lemons. There is a slim probability that vitamin C may be present in cold-pressed lemon essential oil, but most of it is lost to processing water.
It helps you feel alert and concentrated
The lemon essential oil will lift your mood but may also increase your mental capacity.
In a tiny study of fourth graders conducted in 2004, those who took language instruction in a room with lemon oil diffused did substantially better on their tests.
Additional small research 2008 study by Trusted Source concluded that aromatherapy using essential oils like lemon could help Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive performance.
It may be effective in treating and preventing acne breakouts
Numerous skin issues can be treated with lemon oil. Dependable source, also for acne.
When diluted and practical topically, Lemon essential oil can eliminate bacteria that could get caught in pores and result in acne outbreaks. Additionally, it can clarify your skin by gently exfoliating dead skin cells that frequently clog pores and hair follicles.
Lemon oil contains therapeutic capabilities, so using it has the extra benefit of hastening the healing of breakouts and treating acne scars.
May promote wound healing
Given how potently antibacterial it is, you would not be surprised to learn that lemon essential oil may belong in your first aid bag.
In an animal experiment, lemon essential oil from Trusted Source accelerated the healing of mange-infected tissue.
A tiny cut or scrape can be cleaned with diluted lemon oil to prevent infection, promote wound healing, and sanitize the area.
Has antifungal properties
Strong antifungal characteristics in lemon essential oil make it an effective treatment for several skin overgrowths. A 2017 assessment of studies conducted by Trusted Source found that when used topically, it is effective against the fungi that cause yeast infections, athlete’s foot, and thrush.
Potential side effects
Lemon essential oil is often safe for topical and aromatherapy use, just like the other essential oils from the citrus family. Notably, it is safe for expectant mothers and babies older than three months.
Case studies exist. When using any citrus essential oil, avoiding direct sunlight is best because lemon essential oil from Trusted Source makes your skin more sensitive to sunburn.
This inflammation, known as phototoxicity, results in a transient redness that resembles a mild sunburn. Additionally, the area of your skin where you applied the lemon oil might feel raw or burning.
You may avoid adverse reactions by appropriately diluting any essential oils you use and performing a patch examination on your skin before applying them to a larger area.
The use of lemon oil on animals is not safe. When consumed or inhaled by pets, several essential oils can have hazardous effects. When you use aromatherapy, consider the furry buddies that may be nearby.
How to use this essential oil?
The lemon essential oil can be applied topically or diffused without risk.
Put three or four drops of lemon essential oil in the diffuser of your choice to utilize it. Make sure you’re in a place with good ventilation, and keep your aromatherapy sessions to no more than 30 minutes.
Mix lemon essential oil thoroughly with your preferred carrier oil before applying it topically.
Before using the combination on delicate areas of your skin, like your face, test it on a tiny, discrete region of your skin, such as your forearms. Do not use the mixture if, after 24 hours, you notice redness or irritation.
Remove the lemon oil from your skin before going outside in the sun to prevent skin damage.
Why are carrier oils essential?
If you utilize a carrier oil, the topical lemon essential oil is harmless to apply directly to your skin. Carrier oils are less concentrated, noncorrosive oils that won’t damage your skin’s top layer.
Add 12 drops of essential oil to an ounce of your base or carrier oil to safely dilute it. Almond oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil are examples of common carrier oils.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not test the safety of essential oils because they are not intended for use in food. Because lemon essential oils have unstable constituents, they are susceptible to oxidation and eventual spoilage.
Avoid consuming any essential oil, including lemon essential oil, for your safety.
Conclusion
Lemon essential oil is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substance that can improve your mood, bring clarity to your thoughts, lessen tension, and do other things.
Remember that a product’s designation as “natural” does not automatically rule out the possibility of any adverse side effects. Never ingest any essential oil or apply lemon oil to your skin without a carrier oil.
Essential oils can be a terrific addition to your daily health and wellness routine, but they shouldn’t be used in residence of prescription medications from your doctor.
