Essential Oil Poisoning Is on The Rise. Here's What You Need to Know (2024)

FAQs

Can you get poisoned by essential oils? ›

Essential oils are not safe to consume and can cause significant poisoning even if small amounts are ingested. The Western Australian Poisons Information Centre (WAPIC) has recorded an increase in poisonings as a result of essential oil ingestions in children.

"The onset of toxicity can be rapid, and small quantities (as little as 5 millilitres) can cause life-threatening toxicity in children," the researchers write in their report.

However, if administered improperly, rash and other side effects may occur. Some essential oils can even be poisonous if absorbed directly through the skin. Others, like orange, lime, and lemon, can cause phototoxicity if applied before exposure to sun.

When essential oils are applied to the skin they are absorbed and travel around the body via the bloodstream. In this way they are able to deliver a range of benefits to the body's systems and organs. Absorption is increased by massage, as this increases the circulation in that area of the body.

In addition, some essential oils are harmful to inhale or can irritate the skin. Use on young children may cause severe irritation or could be poisonous if ingested.

Toxicologist Ron Kirschner, MD, also warns of their danger. "Ingesting essential oils like camphor, eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil or pine oil has been associated with changes in mental states and seizures. Ingesting lavender oil can cause severe allergic reactions and pennyroyal oil can give you toxic liver damage."

Most foreign substances, including essential oils, can potentially damage the liver by depleting glutathione. Glutathione is one of the most potent detoxifying substances in the body. It is responsible for removing a wide variety of foreign chemicals from the body.

Despite the relatively low toxicity of cinnamon oil, medical professionals should be aware of its potential for misuse.

20-40 minutes – eugenol and linalool (these chemicals are components of many common essential oils including cinnamon and rose). 40-60 minutes – anise, bergamot and lemon. 60-80 minutes – citronella, lavender, geranium and pine needle. 100-120 minutes – coriander, peppermint and rue.

Lavender oil is generally not poisonous in adults when breathed in during aromatherapy or swallowed in smaller amounts. It may cause a reaction in children who swallow small amounts. The major effects are due to allergic reactions of the skin.

How many drops of essential oil can you take internally? ›

The way to ingest an essential oil formulation is to put NO MORE than 3 drops in a veggie capsule filled with olive oil or coconut oil. This capsule can be taken 3 or 4 times a day. So we are talking about ingesting no more than 9-12 drops of oil in a day.

Furthermore, many studies have suggested that the inhalation of essential oils improves mood, increases memory, and decreases stress [13–15]. It has been found that some essential oils, containing 1,8-cineole, menthol [16], β-pinene [17], and limonene [18], can have a stimulating effect on brain wave activity.

Currently, no U.S. regulatory agency certifies or approves essential oils for their quality and purity. Manufacturers use many marketing terms, such as “therapeutic grade” or “pure” to sell products. However, those terms do not reflect the product's quality.

Although it is not scientifically proven that essential oils decrease your risk of heart disease, they could help reduce your stress levels. Lavender, cypress, lemon and clary sage can soothe the mind and relieve stress, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.

The inhalation of essential oil vapors is not generally dangerous, but very intensive inhalation for more than about 20 minutes may lead to respiratory distress and/or neurological symptoms, such as headache, nausea, burning of eyes and throat, cough, shortness of breath, or slowed breathing in young children.

Anytime you accidentally find yourself with some essential oil on your skin, it's best to use soap and water to clean up. If the skin continues to be red or irritated, then apply a thin layer of Coconut Oil or Aloe Jelly to the area.

Eucalyptus oil has been used widely for centuries as a home remedy for respiratory conditions. Eucalyptus oil contains an ingredient called cineole. A 2013 study found that cineole had antimicrobial effects on some bacteria that cause respiratory illnesses.

Hyssop essential oil should be avoided, as it has isopinocamphones, which are known to raise blood pressure. It would also make sense for people with high blood pressure to avoid stimulating essential oils, such as rosemary and citrus (lemon and grapefruit) oils.

Lavender can affect blood pressure and your central nervous system. If you need surgery or dental work, stop taking lavender at least 2 weeks ahead of time.

So, high doses of essential oils over a long period of time can cause liver and kidney damage. If you're ingesting them, then you're using them as medicine and you need to work with someone who is educated in that kind of medicinal work.

Is water with lemon good for your liver? ›

Lemon water can also benefit your liver health. Studies have observed that the liver produces more enzymes in the presence of lemon when compared to other food items. Enzymes are essential to stimulate, accelerate, and catalyze various chemical reactions in the human body.

Terpenes and terpenoids, the primary constituents of these essential oils are small, lipid soluble organic molecules that can be absorbed through the skin or across nasal mucosa into the systemic blood circulation. Many terpenes can also cross the blood-brain barrier.

But it is unsafe to take pure eucalyptus oil by mouth. Taking only 3.5 mL (less than one teaspoon) of the pure oil can be fatal. Eucalyptus oil can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Eucalyptus poisoning can cause stomach pain, dizziness, muscle weakness, feelings of suffocation, drowsiness, seizures, and coma.

Large Doses Lead To Risk Of Seizures

If you are experiencing nausea, difficulty in breathing, slowed heartbeat, dizziness, and/or convulsions, then it could be because of using peppermint oil. Call in for medical care at the earliest to avoid complications.

Thinner skin, such as behind the ears and the inside of the wrists are very permeable. The palms of the hands and feet, armpits and scalp will more readily absorb oil molecules than the arms, legs, belly, back, etc. Oils are also easily absorbed through cuts, scrapes, and abrasions, burns, eczema, etc.

Yes, Essential Oils can be stored in the refrigerator. This option is especially ideal for those who use their oils infrequently – for example, a couple of times a year.

Most notably, inhalation of essential oils can communicate signals to the olfactory system and stimulate the brain to exert neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin and dopamine) thereby further regulating mood.

There is growing evidence suggesting that lavender oil may be an effective medicament in treatment of several neurological disorders. Several animal and human investigations suggest anxiolytic, mood stabilizer, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties for lavender.

What Do We Know About Safety? Peppermint oil appears to be safe when taken orally (by mouth) or applied topically in the doses commonly used. Peppermint oil has been safely used in many clinical trials. Possible side effects of peppermint oil taken orally include heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain, and dry mouth.

Just inhaling a few deep breaths of essential oils could be all you need to start feeling better instantly-and their benefits go beyond helping you find your Zen. Lavender essential oil, in particular, has been shown to help zap stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and boost mood.

Can you put essential oils in your drinking water? ›

Using essential oils for better health is common these days, but did you know that some people swear by adding essential oils to their water? It's true… some oils can be added to water (and food, too). Adding a drop or two of an essential oil to your water can enhance the flavor—and make staying hydrated tastier.

Add Lemon essential oil to your water for a refreshing taste or as an alternative to sodas and sugary drinks. When taken internally, this esential oil can also naturally cleanse the body and aid in digestion. * You can even add a drop of Lemon essential oil and sliced fruit to your water for a delicious infused flavor.

The most important component of frankincense is its resinous part and the main ingredients are incensole acetate and boswellic acid. According to previous studies, frankincense can have a positive effect on brain development, and possibly on the formation of dendrites and axons and improving their communication [24].

Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it, and lengthened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness.

What the research says. Limited research has suggested that peppermint, Roman chamomile, and lavender essential oils may assist with nerve pain.

Walmart has recalled about 3,900 bottles of Better Homes & Gardens-branded Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones because of the possible presence of a rare and deadly bacteria, according to an announcement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Users often ask, is CBD considered an essential oil? CBD is just one of the chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. It is a short form for a compound called cannabidiol (CBD). Since essential oils are a mix of numerous aromatic and volatile compounds, CBD isolate cannot be regarded as an essential oil.

Are Essential Oils FDA-Approved? The FDA does not regulate essential oils, just like it doesn't regulate herbs or supplements. That means that there is no FDA approval for any essential oil. It also means that there are no real regulations on the companies that produce essential oils.

Frankincense. Often referred to as the “king of oils,” frankincense or Boswellia is one of the most potent and medicinally useful essential oils on the planet.

Pure, undiluted, and made of the highest quality, this oil is uplifting and versatile enough for any of your favorite crafts! Details: Scent: Vanilla. Volume: 0.5 Fluid Ounces.

Can lavender oil poison you? ›

Lavender oil is generally not poisonous in adults when breathed in during aromatherapy or swallowed in smaller amounts. It may cause a reaction in children who swallow small amounts. The major effects are due to allergic reactions of the skin.

Frankincense is natural, but like many other natural substances, it can be poisonous. Some people who have used frankincense extract have experienced: stomach pain. nausea.

Possible Side Effects

Lavender essential oil may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction in some individuals. If you experience nausea, vomiting, or a headache after using lavender, discontinue use immediately.

When the essential oil moves into the liver, specialized enzymes work to break down individual compounds into metabolites. These metabolites continue to circulate within the body before being eliminated, primarily in urine (1).