Getting Accurate Aromatherapy Information

Essential oils are becoming very popular and are being used more than ever.  Polaris Market Research says: “The global aromatherapy market was valued at USD 1.70 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.9% during the forecast period (2030). This is a "middle of the road" prediction; some say more, some say less growth. They attribute this expansion to people looking for natural health products to address many conditions such as pain, skin problems, infections and other health issues. Additionally, people are looking for remedies that have less side effects. Essential oils have very few if any side effects unlike prescription pharmaceuticals (Wang et al., 2014). This also points to the fact that money can be made in the aromatherapy industry and not always ethically.

There’s a lot of information out there about aromatherapy and how to use essential oils.  Is it all accurate and factual?  I think we all know the answer to that question. No, there is a lot of misinformation out there about aromatherapy and essential oils.  Some people who distribute and sell essential oils, may be well-meaning, but have limited knowledge on the use, safety and workings of essential oils.  There are some suppliers of oils that do not provide accurate information on this or may even give misinformation about them. 

Here are some examples of practices given from essential oil distributers and suppliers that are not true:

1. “Put a couple of drops of lemon oil in water and drink it for detoxification or a couple of drops of peppermint oil in water for stomach upset.”  Please do not do this.  Lemon essential oil is very powerful and very caustic.  I use lemon essential oil to remove glue from jars and bottles to recycle/re-purpose them.  It’s that strong!  Lemon essential oil is best used diluted in a carrier oil. Peppermint essential oil is also very powerful and needs to be diluted properly. Oil and water do not mix, so drinking water with essential oils in it is just ingesting several drops of lemon or peppermint essential oil alone.  If there is inflammation in the stomach, these oils could cause more irritation or possibly cause stomach problems. There are safer, more effective ways to use essential oils for detoxification and digestive issues.

2. “Frankincense essential oil can treat cancer.”  No, it doesn’t.  This was put out by poorly informed suppliers who saw that boswellic acid, which occurs naturally in frankincense resin has been studied for its effects on cancer.  However, this was with frankincense extract, not the essential oil.  Boswellic acid is a heavy molecule which cannot be carried over during distillation into the essential oil.  Even with the extract, it would have to be in a great amount and then targeted to the specific area to have any degree of effectiveness against cancer. There are several essential oils that have anticarcinogenic properties that could be recommended instead.

3. “Since essential oils are natural, they are safe, and you can use as much as you want.”  Oh, no.  This is not true.  Yes, essential oils are natural, but they are highly concentrated, and a few have safety concerns and contraindications with medications, pregnancy, heart problems, liver problems, skin sensitivity, and young children.  Contraindications with essential oils can easily be found online, from reputable suppliers, or from a certified aromatherapist. 

4. “Since essential oils are natural, you cannot get an allergic reaction when using them.” Sure, you can.  Many natural substances can cause an allergic reaction such as pollen, dust, food allergies, and many others.  Essential oils can cause reactions in sensitive folk, children, and those with specific allergies or a weakened immune system.  A skin patch test is usually recommended for this.  Generally, essential oils do not cause allergic reactions, but they can.

Essential oils have been around for centuries, and modern aromatherapy started around 1910.  In its early years, it was seen as a casual, "anything goes" area. Since then, we have more research, exploration, and experience.  Now we have several organizations that set standards for certification of aromatherapists.  Certified aromatherapists have training in botany, organic chemistry, anatomy/physiology, safety and conservation of essential oil-bearing plants. There are also experts in the field of essential oil safety, chemistry and application.  All of this creates a professional industry that can better address our health and well-being.  We are moving the aromatherapy industry out of an uninformed, loose, armchair enthusiast arena into a science and evidence-based health field.