Researchers at the University of Lancashire found that taking 100 microliters of peppermint oil twice a day for 20 days reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 8.5mmHg, according to new research published in PLOS One. The study involved 40 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received a small daily amount of peppermint oil while the other received a peppermint-flavored placebo without the active oil. Blood pressure improved in the peppermint oil group, while the placebo group showed no meaningful change.
Lead author Dr. Jonnie Sinclair highlighted that high blood pressure is one of the biggest causes of heart disease and death worldwide, and it costs a huge amount of money to treat. Although medicines are commonly used to treat it, they can cause unwanted side effects and their long-term effectiveness is not always clear. Peppermint oil could provide a simple, inexpensive, and well-tolerated option for people with slightly elevated blood pressure. The researchers also examined several other measures including body measurements, blood test results, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, mental well-being, and sleep quality, all of which showed positive findings in the peppermint oil group. Dr. Sinclair added that peppermint oil is low in calories and price so it’s proved to be a very simple and cost-effective solution to potentially treat millions of people around the world.