Does lemon balm induce sleep?
While frequently sold in extract form for use in aromatherapy, lemon balm leaves are also dried to make tea. This citrus-scented, aromatic herb has been used for reducing stress and improving sleep since the Middle Ages. Evidence shows that lemon balm increases GABA levels in mice, indicating that lemon balm may act as a sedative ( 16 ).
Is lemon balm bad for thyroid?
Thyroid disease: Don't use lemon balm. There is a concern that lemon balm may change thyroid function, reduce thyroid hormone levels, and interfere with thyroid hormone-replacement therapy. Click to see full answer. Keeping this in consideration, what herbs should I avoid with hypothyroidism?
Is lemon balm good for the skin?
Useful tips:
- Lemon balm astringent is suitable as a cleanser for oily and acne prone skins.
- It is not suitable for dry skins because it will make your skin dryer.
- Apply on problem areas of skin with cotton wool. Use it together with moisturizer to compensate for dryness.
What are the medicinal actions of lemon balm?
- Insomnia
- Cold sores
- High cholesterol
- Genital herpes
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
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What does lemon balm do for the body?
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is considered a calming herb. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion (including gas and bloating, as well as colic).
How much lemon balm is safe per day?
How to use: Take 300 to 600 mg of lemon balm three times per day. You can take a higher dose in acute episodes of anxiety.
Does lemon balm raise blood pressure?
Lemon balm may lower your blood pressure and therefore should be used with caution if you are taking medications with similar properties. It can also lower your blood sugar levels and people with diabetes should use lemon balm with care.
Is lemon balm safe in tea?
Lemon balm tea is generally safe for consumption when consumed in small to moderate quantities. As with many teas and herbal remedies, lemon balm tea may cause adverse reactions in certain individuals.
Does lemon balm have side effects?
When taken by mouth: Lemon balm is likely safe when consumed in amounts found in foods. Lemon balm supplements are possibly safe when used at a dose of up to 500 mg daily for up to 6 months. Side effects are generally mild and might include increased appetite, nausea, dizziness, and wheezing.
Is lemon balm good for your liver?
Lemon Balm and Its Constituent, Rosmarinic Acid, Alleviate Liver Damage in an Animal Model of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Nutrients.
Does lemon balm affect thyroid?
Thyroid disease: Don't use lemon balm. There is a concern that lemon balm may change thyroid function, reduce thyroid hormone levels, and interfere with thyroid hormone-replacement therapy.
How quickly does lemon balm work?
You won't have to wait long to start feeling the soothing effects of lemon balm. Its anxiety-reducing influence may be noticeable within as little as 1 hour. The anti-anxiety effects of lemon balm could last about 4 to 8 hours.
Does lemon balm help with weight loss?
Does lemon balm work for weight loss? Because it has anti-inflammatory effects, can help you cope with stress, improves digestion and supports metabolic health, it may be useful for maintaining a healthy weight. It's a not a magic bullet, but help with weight loss might be a potential secondary effect.
Is lemon balm good for the brain?
Bolsters Memory - Lemon balm extract impacts on receptor binding properties, which in turn, have shown benefit for improved cognitive effects such as alertness and memory8.
Is there caffeine in lemon balm?
CAFFEINE FREE: botanical name: Melissa officinalis, known as lemon balm or balm or balm mint leaves, are naturally caffeine free. Lemon balm is mint family herb that is known and popular for its lemon mint aroma.
Is lemon balm antifungal?
The results of this study suggest that lemon balm and sage EOs can be considered as natural antifungal agents that can be used to inactivate ochratoxigenic P. verrucosum with respect to food safety applications.
How long does it take for lemon balm to work?
You won't have to wait long to start feeling the soothing effects of lemon balm. Its anxiety-reducing influence may be noticeable within as little as 1 hour. The anti-anxiety effects of lemon balm could last about 4 to 8 hours.
How does lemon balm affect thyroid?
Test tube studies have found that lemon balm blocks attachment of antibodies to the thyroid cells that cause Grave's disease (hyperthyroidism). The brain's signal to the thyroid (thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH) is also blocked from further stimulating the excessively active thyroid gland in this disease.
Does lemon balm increase GABA?
Lemon balm significantly reduces excitatory transmission in the brain by inhibiting an enzyme called GABA-T that breaks down GABA, thus increasing the amount of GABA available in the brain.
Is lemon balm good for lungs?
The essential oil made from lemon balm is high in compounds called triterpenes, which are rapidly absorbed through the lungs and have a calming effect on the body through aroma therapy. Essential oil created from the leaves can also eaten and used as an antioxidant (Marangui et al., 2004).
What Is Lemon Balm Used For?
Lemon balm contains a compound known as rosmarinic acid that appears to have powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage, while antimicrobials kill infection-causing organisms like bacteria and viruses.
What is lemon balm essential oil?
It can be consumed as a tea, taken as a supplement or extract, or applied to the skin in balms and lotion. Lemon balm essential oil is also popular in aromatherapy, where it is believed to promote calmness and ease stress.
How to make lemon balm tea?
How do you make lemon balm tea? 1 Start by snipping a few fresh lemon balm leaves. Avoid those that are yellowing, discolored, or have evidence of mold. Rinse the leaves thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels. 2 Cut or tear the leaves into smaller pieces and place them into a tea infuser. You can even muddle them with the back of a spoon or chopstick to extract more of the herb's oils. Do this last minute; the leaves blacken and dry out if you cut them too far in advance. 3 Pour one cup of hot water over one packed tablespoon of leaves and infuse for about five minutes. You can double or triple the recipe as needed.
How long can you use lemon balm oil?
It can help relieve stress and keep you calm. It is safe for short-term use but shouldn't be used for longer than six weeks. Stop using lemon balm two weeks before you have surgery. This is because it may slow down blood clotting.
How long does it take for lemon balm to stop bleeding?
Serious allergy reactions are rare. Lemon balm may slow blood clotting. If you are scheduled for surgery, stop using lemon balm for at least two weeks to avoid excessive bleeding.
Where does lemon balm come from?
When choosing essential oils, go for ones that are certified organic and include both the plant genus name (in this case, Melissa officinalis) and the place of origin. Ireland remains a major producer of lemon balm essential oil. Hungary, Italy, and Egypt are the largest growers of the medicinal herb.
Is lemon balm safe for short term use?
Lemon balm is considered safe for short-term use. Side effects may include headache, nausea, bloating, gas, vomiting, indigestion, dizziness, stomach pain, painful urination, anxiety, and agitation. The risk of side effects tends to increase with the size of the dose. The long-term use or overuse of lemon balm is not recommended.
What Is Lemon Balm?
The perennial lemon balm plant is a member of the mint family. Known officially as Melissa officinalis, it is sometimes referred to as common balm or balm mint.
How to treat tooth pain from lemon balm?
If you have a toothache, apply a small amount of lemon balm oil to the painful area. You can also inhale the oil or tab it on your temples and neck to help fight headaches.
What is the best natural remedy for insomnia?
Sometimes, the most beneficial natural health remedies are the ones that have been around the longest. That’s certainly the case with lemon balm, a fast-growing plant that’s been studied for its effects on everything from insomnia to cancer.
Where did lemon balm originate?
Today, its benefits have been widely studied, especially in Europe and the Middle East, where the plant originated. Once you realize how many ways you can benefit from the many lemon balm uses described below, I’m sure you’ll be itching to grow some in your own garden.
Does lemon balm help with cholesterol?
Studies suggest that lemon balm essential oil has the ability to protect the heart and liver, in part by lowering high triglycerides and improving cholesterol synthesis in the liver.
Is lemon balm a drink?
In fact, lemon balm is an ingredient in Carmelite water, an alcoholic extract beverage formulated in the 14th century that’s still for sale in Germany. In classic literature, characters often added lemon balm to wine or tea in order to treat various illnesses, like high fevers, headaches, nerve pain, wounds, bites and stings.
Is lemon balm safe for thyroid?
What are the side effects of lemon balm? Lemon balm is generally safe for most people, but because it affects thyroid activity, people taking thyroid medication or who have severely underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) should not take it.
What is Lemon Balm?
Lemon balm is a perennial plant. It was originally native to south-central Europe and the Mediterranean, but it can now be found growing wild throughout the United States and much of the rest of the world.
Benefits of Lemon Balm
There are many purported health benefits of lemon balm. This is a popular herb that has a good amount of human clinical research verifying its benefits.
Lemon Balm Safety
The Botanical Safety Handbook puts lemon balm safety rating of 1, meaning it can be safely used when appropriately consumed. It has an interaction class of “A” which suggests no clinically relevant adverse reactions are expected to occur ( 10 ).
Naming & Taxonomy
Melissa officinalis belongs to the Lamiaceae (mint) family of plants. It’s a herbaceous perennial that grows to about three feet in height.
Lemon Balm Sustainability
Lemon balm is a fast-spreading plant that grows throughout the world. As such, there are no concerns in regards to the sustainability of this plant.
History & Traditional Use
In ancient Greek and Roman medicines, lemon balm was steeped in wine and used orally and topically for wounds and venomous bites ( 9 ).
How to use lemon balm oil?
How to use: Use a cotton swab to apply lemon balm oil to the affected area as needed. Be sure to select an oil that has already been diluted by a carrier oil, such as jojoba. If you purchase pure lemon balm oil, you should dilute it. Essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin until they are diluted in a carrier oil.
What is lemon balm used for?
Lemon balm is said to soothe symptoms of stress, help you to relax, and boost your mood.
How long can you take lemon balm?
Lemon balm should only be used for a short period of time. A general rule of thumb is to take one week off after every three weeks of use. You shouldn’t take lemon balm for longer than four months at a time without a break.
How to use lemon balm cream on cold sores?
How to use: Apply a lemon balm cream to the affected area several times per day. Be sure to patch test the cream on the inside of your forearm before applying it to the cold sore. If you don’t experience any irritation or inflammation within 24 hours, it should be safe to use. 6.
Where does lemon balm come from?
Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis) is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint. The herb is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, but it’s grown around the world. Lemon balm has traditionally been used to improve mood and cognitive function, but the potential benefits don’t stop there.
Is lemon balm good for kids?
Researchers in one 2006 study found that children who took a combined dose experienced a 70 to 80 percent improvement in symptoms. Both the researchers and parents regarded lemon balm as being a good or very good treatment. Still, more research is needed to validate these findings.
Does lemon balm help with anxiety?
Lemon balm may also be used to help reduce symptoms of anxiety, such as nervousness and excitability. Research published in 2014 examined the mood and cognitive effects of foods containing lemon balm. The supplement was mixed into a beverage and into yogurt along with either natural or artificial sweeteners.
How much M. officinalis is bad for you?
A double-blind study published in Psychosomatic Medicine (2004) reported that the consumption of 600 milligrams of M. officinalis under laboratory-induced psychological stress, along with significantly increased self-ratings of calmness, caused decreased alertness with and without drowsiness.
Does lemon balm help with stress?
Although the results of the study suggest the potential of lemon balm to mitigate the effects of stress, they also highlight that the side effects of lemon balm are connected with higher-than- recommended dosage, especially when this herb is consumed during the day.
Does lemon balm affect heart rate?
Lemon balm may cause heart rate alterations. Although no human studies have been conducted, a laboratory trial published in Research in Cardiovascular Medicine (2015) showed that elevated doses of M. officinalis may affect healthy cardiac functioning, slowing ventricular conductivity by blocking sodium, potassium, or both.
Does lemon balm interact with other herbs?
Lemon balm may cause undesirable effects under certain health conditions and interact with other herbs , supplements, or medications.
Does lemon balm tea cause dependency?
The study concluded that, although lemon balm tea side effects are extremely unusual and it is preferred by many people as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, there is a risk of dependency if it is taken in large doses for a long time. Lemon balm can decrease alertness.
Can lemon balm cause withdrawal symptoms?
However, some side effects have been reported: Lemon balm may have a dependency risk. It can lead to withdrawal symptoms when consumption is abruptly discontinued. According to a case study published in Medical Archives (2015), a university graduate who started an herbal treatment with Melissa officinalis and drank it regularly at night, ...
Is lemon balm safe to use?
Although lemon balm has been safely used since ancient times - and it is still widely popular - there are some possible side effects and interactions to consider before consuming it.
