Wintergreen is used in some over-the-counter skin preparations to relieve pain. It creates a feeling of warmth because it causes blood vessels to enlarge. BUT – a big but – oil of wintergreen is very dangerous if more than a tiny amount is swallowed.
Is wintergreen oil safe or toxic?
Wintergreen Oil: Safe or Toxic? During my training, Wintergreen was on the list of “banned essential oils” that we were taught never to use in aromatherapy. In the Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Julia Lawless), Wintergreen is described as “toxic, irritant and sensitizing”.
Can I use Wintergreen essential oil with anticoagulant medications?
Due to the presence of methyl salicylate, wintergreen essential oil should not be used with individuals on anticoagulant medication or who are just about to have a major surgery. Topically applied methyl salicylate can potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin, causing side effects such as internal hemorrhage.
What are the risks of methyl salicylate and wintergreen oil?
Methyl salicylate and wintergreen oil can both increase the effects of anticoagulant and blood-thinning drugs. Wintergreen can be very dangerous and even fatal if swallowed. In fact, a single teaspoon of methyl salicylate is roughly equivalent to 90 baby aspirin tablets. Seneviratne MP, et al. (2015).
How does Wintergreen essential oil work in the body?
After ingestion, methyl salicylate is readily metabolized by the body to salicylic acid, which is the same bioactive intermediate as in aspirin. This means that wintergreen essential oil’s mode of action on the body is identical to that of its conventional medication counterpart.
Is wintergreen safe to diffuse?
Due to the potential for toxicity when ingested and limited evidence of its efficacy in aromatherapy, wintergreen oil isn't recommended for use in aromatherapy, such as in a room diffuser.
Can breathing essential oils be harmful?
“In fact, breathing in the particles released by the oils may actually trigger airway inflammation and asthma symptoms,” she says. “The strong odors emitted by essential oils may contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are chemical gases that worsen air quality and can irritate the lungs.”
Is wintergreen essential oil safe for babies?
Never diffuse wintergreen, peppermint or eucalyptus [nlm.nih.gov] around infants or children under the age of 10. Even without toxicity findings, young children can experience unknown allergies or contact sensitivities to oils that could result in hives, rash or respiratory complications.
Which essential oils are toxic to humans?
Highly toxic essential oils include camphor, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, tea tree, and wintergreen oils, the researchers noted. Many essential oils can cause symptoms such as agitation, hallucinations and seizures.
What essential oils should you avoid?
Popular essential oils that should never be used on or around infants and children:eucalyptus.fennel.peppermint.rosemary.verbena.wintergreen.
How long do essential oils stay in your bloodstream?
When applied topically, it takes 2 – 3 minutes for an oil to reach the bloodstream, 20 minutes to affect every cell in the body, then metabolized within 2 ½ hours. Did you read that? They metabolize out of the body within 2 1/2 hours, so they need to be applied more often. I usually apply my oils every 2 to 3 hours.
Is wintergreen essential oil safe to use?
Wintergreen oil is POSSIBLY UNSAFE to take by mouth. Taking wintergreen oil can cause ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stomach pain, and confusion. As little as 6 mL (a little over a teaspoon) of the oil taken by mouth can be fatal.
Why is wintergreen safe during pregnancy?
Wintergreen oil contains methyl salicylate, which is related to aspirin. The amount of wintergreen oil (and therefore methyl salicylate) in commercially available muscle rubs is generally small and use according to the manufacturer's instructions in pregnancy is unlikely to cause problems.
Is wintergreen oil safe for pregnancy?
1. Wintergreen. Wintergreen essential oil is high in methyl salicylate (the naturally occurring version of aspirin) and should be avoided during pregnancy and birth because of its blood thinning properties.
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.
Is it safe to inhale essential oils from a diffuser?
Breathing in essential oils can cause a severe lung infection known as pneumonitis in some people. In general, however, essential oils are safe when used externally (not ingested) in low concentrations. ' Ideally, you should use your diffuser in a well-ventilated area, for no more than 15 minutes in an hour.
Can oil diffusers cause breathing problems?
VOCs within the diffused oils can affect indoor air quality causing a similar pollutant effect as air fresheners, scented candles, and incense. Poor indoor air quality can worsen existing respiratory symptoms from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses.
What are the negative effects of essential oils?
Symptoms of toxicity include:drowsiness, slow/shallow breathing, coma (after large ingestion)seizures.persistent cough, gagging/choking, shortness of breath, wheezing.nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.skin irritation (skin exposure)eye redness, irritation or pain (eye exposures).
Can you sniff too much essential oils?
Inhaling essential oils that are diffused is safe for most people. However, some people may react to the fumes and get an asthma attack. Breathing in essential oils can cause a severe lung infection known as pneumonitis in some people.
What essential oil is good for the lungs?
Orange and bergamot are two citrus essential oils that may benefit the respiratory system. A 2015 study found that concentrated compounds from orange and bergamot had a protective effect in the respiratory system, preventing oxidative damage in the lung cells that leads to issues such as COPD.
Where does wintergreen oil come from?
Wintergreen oil is an essential oil that’s traditionally derived from the leaves of the wintergreen plant. Methyl salicylate, the active ingredient of wintergreen oil, can be chemically synthesized and is often referred to as wintergreen oil in many products.
What is the process of making wintergreen oil?
The production process involves fermentation of the natural material from the plant . This is followed by distillation to obtain a purer product. The final product consists almost entirely of methyl salicylate, the active ingredient of wintergreen oil. The natural production of wintergreen oil has been on the decline in favor ...
How to know what essential oil is used?
Check for the Latin name of the plant. This can help you verify that you’re selecting the specific essential oil you what.
What essential oils should be diluted in?
Essential oils should be diluted in a carrier substance, which can include oils such as grapeseed and jojoba. Always be sure to follow appropriate dilution guidelines.
Is methyl salicylate safe to use with eucalyptol?
The subcommittee concluded that methyl salicylate used at a set concentration either by itself or combined with eucalyptol, menthol, and thymol is both safe and effective in these products.
Is wintergreen oil good for back pain?
The research into wintergreen oil or methyl salicylate as a topical pain reliever has shown mixed results, although wintergreen oil has been suggested as a potential alternative treatment for easing lower back pain. Hebert PR, et al. (2014).
Is wintergreen oil an anti-inflammatory?
The active ingredient in wintergreen oil, methyl salicylate, is closely related to aspirin and has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. As such, products containing wintergreen oil are often used as an anti-inflammatory and topical pain reliever.
Is wintergreen used in toothpaste?
Wintergreen-lovers often protest “But it’s used in the food industry all the time!”. Yes, it is commonly used as a flavouring agent in chewing gum, soft drinks, candy and toothpaste – but we’re talking about minuscule amounts as part of a large batch. Ingesting whole drops on a daily basis at home is a different kettle of fish.
Is Wintergreen a popular flavor?
Interestingly, Wintergreen is not a popular flavour outside of the USA (see Flavor Perception, by Andrew Taylor and Deborah Roberts; and Food and the Memory by Harlan Walker). Its medicinal-like qualities tend not to appeal to UK preferences.
Is it safe to drink pure essential oil?
Well, just because something is pure, doesn’t mean it’s totally harmless. Do you really want to ingest a pure poison? It only takes a few millilitres to make a fatal dose, so casual ingestion really isn’t something you want to be doing lightly. Adding drops of pure essential oil to your glasses of water on a daily basis is unnecessary and potentially very harmful. Remember, oil and water do not mix! The essential oil is not “diluted” in the water – you are drinking pure oil.
Is Wintergreen essential oil safe for aromatherapy?
It is listed as having no aromatherapy or home uses, with the recommendation to “avoid both internally and externally”.
What is the chemical in wintergreen essential oil?
Chemical Overview for Wintergreen Essential Oil. Wintergreen is rich in the ester, methyl salicylate. Methyl salicylate is the component responsible for the analgesic activity of wintergreen essential oil. Birch ( Betula sp.) essential oil is also rich in methyl salicylate and offers the same analgesic, anti-inflammatory, ...
What is wintergreen essential oil used for?
Wintergreen essential oil can be used in gels, creams, lotions, or oils to relieve muscular aches and pains, reduce pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, reduce or ease muscular tension, reduce pain associated with fibromyalgia or chronic lower back pain, and relieve joint stiffness and/or pain.
How much dilution of birch essential oil?
You can use a high dilution (upwards of 30-40%) but keep wintergreen or birch essential oils at 2—3% of that total.
What essential oils can replace wintergreen?
If a child under 12-14 has acute pain, there are other essential oils that could easily replace wintergreen for this age group (e.g. peppermint, rosemary, and even lavender).
Can you use wintergreen essential oil on anticoagulant medication?
Due to the presence of methyl salicylate, wintergreen essential oil should not be used with individuals on anticoagulant medication or who are just about to have a major surgery.
Is birch oil the same as wintergreen?
Birch ( Betula sp.) essential oil is also rich in methyl salicylate and offers the same analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic activity as wintergreen essential oil.
Is Wintergreen essential oil a good analgesic?
Wintergreen essential oil often gets a bad rap due to the presence of methyl salycilate yet it is much loved for its strong analgesic activity. Wintergreen essential oil is a powerful analgesic (relieves pain), anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation) and antispasmodic (relieves spasms).
What is wintergreen used for?
In manufacturing, wintergreen is used as a flavoring agent in food, candies, teas, root beer, and in pharmaceutical products.
Is wintergreen safe to take?
Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important . Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Can you use Wintergreen oil on children?
Don't use wintergreen oil on the skin of children, especially those less than 2 years old. Pregnancy: Wintergreen is LIKELY SAFE in the small amounts found in food. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if wintergreen is safe to use in the larger amounts that are used as medicine.
Can wintergreen be taken by mouth?
Stomach and intestinal inflammation: Taking wintergreen by mouth might make these conditions worse.
Is wintergreen oil safe to use on children?
It can cause skin irritation in some people. Special Precautions and Warnings. Children: Wintergreen leaf and oil are LIKELY UNSAFE for children. They can be poisonous. Taking as little as 4 mL of wintergreen oil by mouth can be deadly.
Does wintergreen oil slow blood clotting?
Wintergreen oil can also slow blood clotting. Taking wintergreen oil along with warfarin (Coumadin) can increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin (Coumadin) might need to be changed. Moderate Interaction. Be cautious with this combination.
What is wintergreen essential oil?
The essential oil that we call wintergreen is most commonly extracted from the leaves of Eastern teaberry ( Gaultheria procumbens ). The oil has a soft, pale yellow to pink color, and the plant has been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine as a pain reliever and fever-reducer. 1
How much aspirin is in wintergreen essential oil?
Therefore, just as aspirin can be toxic, so too can wintergreen essential oil. Effectively, 1 drop of wintergreen essential oil = ~81 mg of aspirin [a baby aspirin]. Methyl salicylate, similar to aspirin, is absorbed rapidly from the gastrointestinal tract.
Is wintergreen oil a pesticide?
In 2014, a technology company was issued a patent for a pesticidal formulation containing wintergreen oil, as well as rosemary oil. 8 This suggests that the uses of wintergreen may be beyond our current understanding, and research may pave the way for new and additional applications.
Is Gaultheria procumbens oil good for dental?
A 2013 study supports the oral hygiene benefits of Gaultheria procumbens oil. The study demonstrated the oil’s effects as an anti-biofilm agent for Streptococcus mutans (the pathogen responsible for dental caries) and Candida albicans. This research also revealed antimicrobial effects across a wide range of pathogens, including: Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. 1
Is wintergreen essential oil the same as aspirin?
This means that wintergreen essential oil’s mode of action on the body is identical to that of its conventional medication counterpart.
Is wintergreen a toxic substance?
Pharmacology & Toxicity. Although well known for its therapeutic effects, wintergreen is not without its hazards. The potent molecule, methyl salicylate, is structurally similar to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). After ingestion, methyl salicylate is readily metabolized by the body to salicylic acid, which is the same bioactive intermediate as in ...
What is wintergreen oil used for?
Swallowing oil of wintergreen is like swallowing a large number of adult aspirin. Tea tree oil is used for some kinds of fungal skin infections. Nutmeg is used in food but, when misused or abused, can cause hallucinations and coma. Eucalyptus is used for its soothing effects when inhaled, for example during a cold or cough.
What essential oils are poisonous to the liver?
Peppermint is used for gastrointestinal discomfort. It's important to choose the correct species of mint, as some types are poisonous; for example, pennyroyal oil is very poisonous to the liver. Wintergreen is used in some over-the-counter skin preparations to relieve pain.
Why are essential oils used in perfumes?
Because they have a scent, essential oils are often used in perfumes, cosmetics, room fresheners, and flavorings. Many have a history of medicinal use, too. Misuse of essential oils can cause serious poisoning.
What to do if you swallow essential oils?
If someone swallows an essential oil, or a product containing essential oils, use the web POISON CONTROL ® online tool for guidance or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Control will help you figure out if this could be dangerous and will tell you exactly what to do.
Where do essential oils come from?
The Full Story. Essential oils are derived from plant parts. Because they have a scent, essential oils are often used in homemade and commercial perfumes, cosmetics, and room fresheners. Some are used, in minute amounts, in food preparations. Some are present in pesticides.
Can essential oils cause rash?
Many essential oils can cause rashes if used on the skin. Many can be poisonous if absorbed through the skin or swallowed. Few have been tested like medicines have, even though people put them in their mouths, on their skin, and in their children’s vaporizers.
Is essential oil regulated?
Since essential oils generally are not regulated, it can be hard to know exactly what is in the essential oil bottle – what species of plant, what concentration of active ingredient, or whether there are any contaminants.
What is the best oil for acne?
5) Tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a very commonly used remedy for multiple woes, including acne (yes, I tried it as a teen!) or even head lice. Traditionally in Australia, where the tree grows, the oil has been used to treat burns, insect bites, and numerous other skin conditions including eczema.
What is pennyroyal oil?
10) Pennyroyal oil. Touted as an antiseptic, pennyroyal has been used for thousands of years for multiple reasons. It can be lethal when swallowed. Women have used it to induce abortion, risking death for themselves.
Can essential oils be used in children?
In Conclusion: Although essential oils can be soothing scents in your home, or can help with minor woes (for example, I use a few drops of peppermint on my forehead when I have a headache), they are powerful and should be used with care. These 10 most toxic essential oils should definitely be kept away from children!
Can you die from wormwood oil?
Wormwood oil that contains a high concentration of thujone is potentially fatal. If you don’t die after consuming it, you can expect to have seizures, kidney failure or stomach cramps, paralysis, nightmares, vomiting, muscle breakdown, or other distasteful symptoms.
Is essential oil poisonous?
I found that while the majority of the oils are harmless for most people (and can even be helpful) if used in very small amounts and diluted, some of them should be handled as carefully as poisons. Following is a list of ten of the most potentially dangerous essential oils on the market. Lock them up in your cabinet, too high for your little ones to reach!
Is nutmeg bad for you?
Even the spice form of nutmeg, however, can be dangerous. Vomiting, drowsiness, and even a coma are possible when too much is ingested.
Is eucalyptus oil a cough drop?
It is my least favorite element of the common cough drop, but I am still alive after sucking on probably hundreds of cough drops in my lifetime. Undiluted eucalyptus oil, on the other hand, is a different animal. Vomiting and diarrhea are possible side effects, among others.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of essential oils?
Here are just a few more examples of the benefits and drawbacks of essential oils: Lavender is known to help with sleep and relaxation but , as mentioned above, it could act as an endocrine disruptor. Eucalyptus is soothing but it can cause seizures if ingested.
Why is it hard to make a black and white list of essential oils?
Again, it's hard to make a black-and-white list of essential oils to avoid. Because people can have different reactions to different oils: Only the individual can know which ones to avoid. A quick internet search will return hundreds of lists that don't match, so it's really up to you to vet the risks of the essential oil you want to use and to use them safely.
What is the role of essential oils in hormones?
Romy Block, board-certified endocrinologist and co-founder of Vous Vitamin, says essential oils can act as endocrine disruptors, which means they interfere with the natural production of your hormones.
How to use essential oils on pets?
If you want to use essential oils on your pet, talk to your vet. Stop diffusing essential oils that give you allergy symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing or water eyes. Try a patch test before using an essential oil topically. To perform a patch test, place a diluted drop of oil onto a small portion of your skin.
Why is it bad to diffuse lavender?
Dr. Block advises against diffusing lavender and tea tree oils because of the potential complications, particularly in children and teens. Pregnant women and people who have hormone-related medical conditions such as diabetes should talk to their doctors before using essential oils topically or with a diffuser.
How to test essential oil?
Try a patch test before using an essential oil topically. To perform a patch test, place a diluted drop of oil onto a small portion of your skin. If you develop dermatologic symptoms, wash it off and don't use that oil on your skin.
What to do if you are allergic to essential oils?
If you suspect you're having an allergic reaction to an essential oil, stop using the product, Dr. Jain says, and consult your allergist or dermatologist for further evaluation.
