Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial shrub characterized by its needle-like, linear leaves that are adorned with glandular hairs that release aromatic, volatile essential oils.
Despite its common use as a food seasoning, this plant is globally recognized for its aromatic and medicinal properties.
We extract the essence, or primary components, of rosemary and package it into small bottles as essential oil.
According to a 2018 update review, rosemary oil’s historical medicinal properties have sparked interest in its potential application in the development of novel pharmaceuticals.
Even though the majority of this research is still in its infancy, it provides support for some traditional oil applications and suggests potential new ones.
Benefits of rosemary oil
The following are 10 possible applications and benefits of rosemary essential oil.
1. Stimulates hair growth
Androgenetic alopecia, more commonly referred to as male pattern baldness, is a prevalent form of hair loss that can also impact females.
A testosterone metabolite that targets hair follicles may contribute to androgenetic alopecia.
Men diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia who applied diluted rosemary oil to their scalp twice daily for six months observed an equivalent increase in hair thickness as those who used minoxidil (Rogaine), a widely used remedy for hair regrowth.
Furthermore, in comparison to minoxidil, rosemary oil was associated with less severe scalp irritation, suggesting that rosemary may be more tolerable.
Additional research suggests that rosemary oil may be effective against alopecia areata, a condition that impacts approximately 20% of individuals over the age of 40 and up to half of the population under the age of 21.
Alopecia areata patients who applied a blend of rosemary essential oil to their scalps daily for a period of seven months experienced a 44% reduction in hair loss, whereas the control group, which utilized the neutral oils jojoba and grapeseed, observed a mere 15% improvement.
2. Improve brain function
It was believed in ancient Rome and Greece that rosemary could improve memory.
According to scientific research, rosemary oil inhalation inhibits the degeneration of acetylcholine, an essential brain chemical for cognition, focus, and memory.
A research investigation examined the cognitive performance of twenty young, healthy adults who were randomly assigned to be exposed to diffused rosemary oil in a small room for different durations. The results revealed that the duration of oil diffusion had a direct correlation with the improvement in speed and accuracy.
Furthermore, researchers discovered that certain rosemary compounds were more prevalent in their bloodstreams, suggesting that the body can only absorb rosemary through inhalation.
Ravenalborg and other essential oil inhalations may enhance cognitive function in elderly dementia patients, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, according to additional research.
Remember that additional research is required.
3. Relieve pain
Because of its moderate analgesic properties, rosemary is used in herbal medicine. Additionally, researchers have investigated it as a non-pharmaceutical supplement for pain management
In a two-week study, stroke survivors with shoulder pain who received a blend of rosemary oil and acupressure twice daily for 20 minutes each day reported a 30% reduction in pain. Individuals who solely received acupressure experienced a 15% decrease in discomfort.
4. Repels certain bugs
As an all-natural substitute for chemical products, rosemary oil may serve to repel pest insects that aim to strike you or infest your garden.
Spraying greenhouse tomato plants with EcoTrol, a pesticide formulated from rosemary oil, resulted in a 52% reduction in the population of two-spotted spider mites while causing no adverse effects on the plants.
Additionally, rosemary repels specific blood-sucking insects that are capable of transmitting dangerous viruses and bacteria.
In comparison to eleven other essential oils, rosemary oil exhibited the most prolonged repellent effect against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are known to transmit the Zika virus. For ninety minutes, a 12.5% dilution of rosemary oil repelled one hundred percent of the insects.
5. May ease stress
A variety of factors, including school exams, can cause stress. Rosemary oil inhalation may assist in alleviating test anxiety.
When nursing students inhaled rosemary oil from an inhaler prior to and during exams, their pulse decreased by approximately 9 percent; in the absence of rosemary oil, there was no significant change.
Because elevated pulse rates indicate transient apprehension and stress, rosemary oil may naturally reduce stress.
Furthermore, 22 young adults who inhaled rosemary oil for five minutes had 23% less stress hormone cortisol in their saliva than those who inhaled a non-aromatic compound.
Elevated levels of cortisol have the potential to impair immune function, exacerbate insomnia, induce mood fluctuations, and induce other adverse effects.
6. Potentially energize you
Folk medicine frequently uses rosemary oil to treat mental stress and fatigue.
Twenty healthy young people who breathed in rosemary oil said they felt about 30% more alert and 25% less sleepy than when they breathed in a placebo oil.
At the same time, brain waves changed with this increase in awareness. However, more research in this field is required to confirm these results.
7. Increase circulation
Circulation issues are a frequent source of complaints. It may be most evident in the legs and feet.
Even in relatively warm temperatures, consider using rosemary oil if you have cold extremities and toes.
A woman with the circulation-impairing disease One study discovered that massaging her hands with a blend of rosemary oil was more effective at warming her fingertips than using a neutral oil for Raynaud’s disease. Thermal imaging validated the aforementioned effects.
When you have Raynaud’s disease and are cold or stressed, the blood vessels in your fingers and toes constrict, causing them to turn cold and lose their color.
By aiding in the dilation of blood vessels, rosemary oil could promote enhanced blood circulation to the fingertips and toes.
Although additional research is required to corroborate these effects, rosemary may prove to be a cost-effective and worthwhile experiment.
8. Reduce joint inflammation
The research on non-pharmaceutical approaches to pain and inflammation reduction is limited. On the contrary, initial findings indicate that rosemary oil might have the capacity to mitigate tissue inflammation, which is characterized by pain, stiffness, and edema.
It may accomplish this, according to laboratory experiments, by impeding the migration of white blood cells to damaged tissues that are responsible for releasing inflammatory chemicals.
The body’s immune system causes inflammation and damage to the joint membrane of joints, including knees and other joints, in rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder.
In two weeks, individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who received 15-minute knee massages three times per week infused with rosemary oil experienced a 50% reduction in inflammatory knee discomfort, compared to a 12% reduction in the control group that did not receive the oil. The anti-inflammatory effects of rosemary require further investigation.
The bottom line
Scientific studies are now demonstrating the usefulness of rosemary essential oil, which comes from the common cooking herb, in traditional medicine.
Some early studies suggest that this essential oil may be good for your health by helping you concentrate and remember things, stopping hair loss, reducing pain and inflammation, keeping some bugs away, and lowering your stress.
You can try rosemary oil by breathing it in or putting a weakened version on your skin. Keep in mind that you only need a few drops at a time because the oil is very strong.
