According to new research, daily peppermint oil may offer a simple way to reduce slightly elevated blood pressure.
Researchers at the University of Lancashire found that taking 100 microliters of peppermint oil twice a day for 20 days reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number on a blood pressure reading) by an average of 8.5 mmHg.
The findings, published in PLUS onesuggest that peppermint oil could provide a simple, inexpensive and well-tolerated option for people with mildly elevated blood pressure.
A possible low-cost approach to blood pressure
Lead author Dr Jonnie Sinclair, Professor of Sports and Health Sciences, said: “High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and death worldwide, and costs a huge amount of money to treat. Although medications are commonly used to treat it, it is not always clear how well they work in the long term and they can cause unwanted side effects.”
Peppermint naturally contains compounds including menthol and flavonoids. To investigate its possible effects, the researchers enrolled 40 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 and randomly assigned them to two groups.
Participants with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension in one group received a small daily amount of peppermint oil. The comparison group received a mint-flavored placebo without the active oil. Blood pressure improved in the peppermint oil group, while the placebo group showed no significant changes.
Researchers tracked more than blood pressure
Although the primary focus was systolic blood pressure, the researchers also examined several other measures. These included body measurements, blood test results, diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading), heart rate, mental well-being and sleep quality.
Dr Sinclair added: “Our findings were very positive and have important clinical implications, especially given that high blood pressure is the most common preventable risk factor for cardiometabolic disease and the largest single risk factor for overall mortality.
“Peppermint oil is low in calories and low in price, so it has proven to be a very simple and cost-effective solution to potentially treat millions of people around the world.”