Health Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense is one of more than 90 types of essential oils that are gaining steam in the realm of aromatherapy. Essential oils are made from parts of flowers, herbs, and trees like petals, roots, peels, and bark. They get their name because they give the plant its [essence," or fragrance. They can be inhaled or diluted (watered down) and applied to your skin.

Each Essential Oil has its own smell and health benefits. Some popular ones include rose, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, jasmine, and peppermint.

Frankincense is not one of the most widely used oils, but it does have potential health benefits. Also known as olibanum, frankincense comes from trees in the Boswellia family. Boswellia trees are native to Oman and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and in Somalia in northeastern Africa.

Health Benefits

Much is still being learned about the health benefits of frankincense, but doctors like the signs they see early in their research and believe it could have some good uses. Those uses could grow over time.

Frankincense, along with myrrh, has been prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine and administered for treatment of blood stagnation and inflammation diseases in addition to pain relief and swelling.

Improves Asthma

Research by eight doctors revealed that the compounds found in frankincense prevent the production of leukotrienes, which cause bronchial (throat) muscles to constrict in people who have asthma.

Seventy percent of participants in one study of people with asthma said they experienced improvements with their symptoms, including wheezing and shortness of breath, after receiving 300 milligrams of frankincense daily for a month and a half.

May Reduce Arthritis

The prevention of those leukotrienes that helps ease symptoms of asthma also plays a role in helping people with arthritis.

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in joints such as the fingers, knees, and feet. Leukotriene compounds cause this inflammation.

Participants in one study were given 1 gram of frankincense extract per day for eight weeks. Those participants said they felt less joint swelling and pain than those who were given a placebo. In addition to that, they reported a better range of motion, and they walked farther than patients who received the placebo.

Helps Maintain Oral Health

The boswellic acids that come from frankincense have good antibacterial properties, which help prevent and treat oral (mouth-related) infections. These include bad breath , toothaches, and cavities.

In one study, high school students with gingivitis were given gum that contained 100 milligrams of frankincense extract or 200 milligrams of frankincense powder. They chewed the gum for two weeks, and both gums were reported to be more effective at reducing signs of gingivitis than a placebo.