The short answer
Peppermint can be effectively used to treat nausea. It helps in gastrointestinal tract relaxation, improves digestion, and can cause nervous system relaxation. Therefore, it can help with nausea.
Key facts
- Peppermint is a natural herbal medicine with a wide variety of uses.
- Drinking peppermint tea or use peppermint oil can be effectively relieve nausea.
- It can be safely used to help with nausea during pregnancy.
- Peppermint oil is found to reduce the frequency and severity of nausea in patients receiving chemotherapy.
- Peppermint oil, peppermint tea, and gum are the available ways that you can peppermint for relieves nausea.
Content
What are the uses of peppermint oil?
Does peppermint oil help with nausea?
How peppermint can help with nausea?
Can peppermint help with nausea during pregnancy?
How to use peppermint for nausea?
What are the benefits of peppermint oil?
Peppermint has been reported to help with digestive system disorders since the time of Greece, Rome, and ancient Egypt. Both the peppermint leaves and oil extract can help in digestion and relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Peppermint is reported to have a wide variety of uses.
The common uses of peppermint includes the following:
- For topical application, peppermint can help with muscle aches, joint pain, and itching.
- It may freshen your breath, and improve your concentration.
- It shows antioxidant activity
- Peppermint leaves and oil show antiflatulence activity
- Prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting
- Smooth muscle relaxation
- Anti-microbial effects
- Anti-inflammatory activity
- Antiviral Properties
- Modulation of psychosocial distress.
- Anti-yeast Activities
Does peppermint oil help with nausea?
The answer is yes. Peppermint can help with nausea.
Peppermint is considered a natural remedy to relieve nausea. It contains menthol and menthone as pharmacological active ingredients. It is widely used for easing the digestive discomfort and relieving nausea.
Several clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness of peppermint in relieving nausea and many other digestive problems.
A study published in 2021 examined the use of inhaled peppermint essential oil for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in hospitalized patients. Results revealed that Peppermint essential oil is an effective treatment of nausea and vomiting in hospitalized patients
Another study published in 2020 evaluated the effects of peppermint oil on the frequency of nausea, vomiting, and the severity of nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The authors reported that peppermint oil significantly reduced the frequency of nausea, vomiting, and also reduced the severity of nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Accordingly, the authors recommend the usage of peppermint oil together with antiemetics with moderate and low emetic risk after chemotherapy.
Also, peppermint oil aromatherapy was found to be effective in relieving postoperative nausea and vomiting (Ref).
Also, another study reported that inhalation of peppermint oil can be considered as a first-line treatment of nausea in postoperative cardiac surgery patients.
How peppermint can help with nausea?
Peppermint can help with nausea through the following actions:
Muscle relaxation
The active ingredients in peppermint such as menthol and menthone were found to show muscle relaxing effect. Therefore, peppermint can soothe the muscle of your digestive tract decreasing nausea.
With nausea, your stomach and intestinal muscles are contracted leading to spasms, discomfort, and unease. Therefore, muscle relaxation by peppermint can effectively relieve nausea and abdominal discomfort.
Nerve calming effect
Peppermint was found to have a nervous system calming effect. It also helps in reducing stress and anxiety. Therefore, it can help with nausea as stress and anxiety can worsen nausea.
Help in digestion
Peppermint is found to help in digestion through the relaxation of gastrointestinal muscles and enhance the flow of bile into the digestive tract. Therefore, drinking peppermint tea after meals could help reduce nausea induced after meals (Ref).
Can peppermint help with nausea during pregnancy?
The answer is yes. Peppermint can be used to relieve nausea during pregnancy.
Nausea and vomiting are reported by three-fourths of pregnant women. The main causes of nausea during pregnancy are still unknown. Therefore, non-pharmacological treatments have been increasingly used to treat nausea during pregnancy.
A study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care showed that peppermint can be used effectively to reduce nausea and vomiting during pregnancy without any effect on state anxiety.
How to use peppermint for nausea?
There are several ways by which you can use peppermint to relieve nausea. This includes the following:
Inhalation of peppermint oil
Inhalation of peppermint essential oil can help with nausea through what is known as aromatherapy. You can add a few drops of peppermint oil to a bowl of steaming water and inhale the scent. The inhalation of peppermint oil can induce relaxation and this can help in nausea caused by stress and anxiety.
Also, inhalation of peppermint oil can be performed by adding peppermint oil in the spot between your upper lip and nose. One drop three times daily was found to be effective in reducing nausea following chemotherapy administration in cancer patients (Ref).
Drinking peppermint tea
Drinking peppermint tea is one of the most common ways of using peppermint to relieve nausea and other gastrointestinal problems such as flatulence.
You can steep the leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes and drink it warm. It can help in relaxing the muscles of your digestive tract and thus can help with nausea.
Peppermint gum and Lozenges
Peppermint gum, lozenges, and candy are available forms containing peppermints that can be used to help with nausea.
Peppermint capsules or gel
Peppermint is available in capsules and soft gel dosage forms which can help for accurate dose adjustments. Such supplements can help with nausea and digestion.
