Science-Backed Benefits of Peppermint Tea And Extracts
Peppermint tea, oil, and extract are available. Peppermint tea is usually drunk. While peppermint oil is the pure essential oil from peppermint leaves, peppermint extract is alcohol-diluted oil.
Gum, mouthwash, and toothpaste employ peppermint for its fresh flavor and scent. Peppermint may relieve halitosis, research shows. Food and plaque on teeth and tongue cause halitosis. Peppermint and other essential oils may substantially reduce bad breath-causing bacteria, research shows.
May Improve Breath
Intranasal 1.5% peppermint oil reduced migraine intensity and frequency as well as lidocaine, a chronic migraine anesthetic, according to the International Journal of Preventive Medicine. Hilbert suggests peppermint oil's high menthol concentration produces these effects.
May Reduce Headaches and Migraines
In a small 2018 clinical trial in Nutrients, three daily doses of 100 microliters of encapsulated peppermint oil improved performance on two of three Cognitive Demand Battery (CDB) tasks, with a trend toward improved performance on the final cognition test. This area needs more research.
May Improve Mind
Peppermint oil has been extensively studied for digestive health, including stomach pain and bloating. Peppermint oil relieves digestive pain, he says. Peppermint oil decreases pain-signaling nerve impulse transmission, research shows.Antispasmodic peppermint may help stomach pain.
May Aid Digestion
A 2016 Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research clinical trial of 127 women found that 187 mg of peppermint oil capsules for three days reduced period pain and severity. The researchers found peppermint extract reduced menstrual nausea and diarrhea.
May Reduce Period Pain
Over 60 pregnant women with mild to moderate nausea and vomiting were assessed by Family Medicine and Primary Care. Peppermint oil aromatherapy twice a day or a placebo was administered for a week.
Can Reduce Nausea and Vomiting
Over-the-counter delayed-release peppermint oil capsules like Mintec and Colpermin are popular for IBS-related stomach pain. A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical research of 72 patients indicated that 180 mg of peppermint oil three times a day for four weeks improved IBS symptoms by 40%.