Rosemary Oil

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, belongs to the Labiatae or Lamiaceae family of plants, which also includes mint, lemon balm, salvia, marjoram, and oregano.

Rosemary is a potent source of plant compounds that offer a variety of health benefits. Fresh and dried rosemary is commonly used in the culinary world, but the plant, including its extracts and oils, have therapeutic uses, too.

Here`s everything you need to know about Rosemary Oil, including its potential health benefits, risks, and safety.

Benefits of Rosemary Oil

Rosemary contains a number of powerful substances, including carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid, which offer anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects.1

Fresh and dried rosemary is used in cooking as a flavoring agent and the plant is also used to make products such as rosemary extract, rosemary powder, and rosemary oil.

Rosemary oil differs from rosemary extract, as they contain different compounds in varying concentrations. Rosemary extract supplements can be taken orally, while rosemary oil is applied topically or inhaled as aromatherapy.

Applying rosemary oil to your skin and hair and inhaling it as aromatherapy may offer a few health benefits.

May Improve Hair Growth

Rosemary oil has been shown to stimulate hair growth in certain populations, including in people with androgenic alopecia, a type of hair loss also known as male pattern baldness in men and female pattern baldness in women.

Research suggests that rosemary oil may promote hair growth by enhancing blood flow to small blood vessels in the scalp, increasing the production of hormone-like lipids involved in hair follicle growth, and inhibiting inflammatory pathways involved in the progression of alopecia.

May Improve Cognitive Function, Relieve Stress, and Boost Mood

When inhaled, rosemary oil may offer anti-stress, anti-anxiety, and mood-boosting effects, which may positively impact your mental well-being and benefit those with mood disorders.

Inhaling rosemary Essential Oil may help decrease stress and boost cognitive function by reducing blood levels of certain hormones involved in stress, such as corticosterone, while increasing levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.5

Inhaling rosemary oil allows certain compounds found in the oil to enter the bloodstream, where they can act directly on the brain, impacting mood, attention, and more.

Could Help Reduce Pain

Topical treatment with rosemary oil may help improve pain.

Molecules in rosemary essential oil are absorbed through the skin and impact pain pathways in several ways, including targeting pleasure memory sites in the brain and interacting with receptor sites for neurotransmitters involved in pain pathways.