Summary of Peppermint
Primary Information, Benefits, Effects, and Important Facts
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a plant which is a hybrid from watermint and spearmint, used initially for culinary and food manufacturing purposes but has also been used for its supposed medicinal benefits. Peppermint has an oil component which appears to be its medicinal component, and this oil has a very large content of menthol which is seen as its bioactive ingredient. This menthol is nontoxic at the recommended dose, but is the same menthol also found in some cigarette products.
The main medicinal role of peppermint is due to its muscle relaxing properties in the stomach and intestinal tract, and internal usage of peppermint appears to be able to speed up the early phase of digestion in the stomach while reducing colonic motility. It is known as a carminative agent (thought to relief flatulence), and it has a fair bit of evidence to supports its usage in reducing abdominal pain in persons with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It doesn't seem to influence other symptoms of IBS too much, but the reduction of abdominal pain is quite notable.
Other possible benefits of peppermint oil include fast headache relief (which involves applying a topical solution of 10% peppermint oil to the scalp at the onset of a tension headache) and possibly a reduction in nausea when used as aromatherapy. It is safe with the recommended dosages, but overconsumption of peppermint oil supplements does have a toxic level which is feasible to reach intentionally.
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Things To Know & Note
Is a Form Of
Primary Function:
Also Known As
Menthol, Mentha piperita, Mentha balsamea
Do Not Confuse With
Spearmint or Watermint (the plants from which peppermint is a hybrid)
Goes Well With
Topical absorption (may enhance absorption of other nutrients topically, as evidenced with aminophylline)
Caution Notice
Examine.com Medical DisclaimerHas been noted to inhibit the conversion of nicotine into continine, which is thought to be due to inhibition of the CYP2D6 enzyme. While minor in potency, it does appear to be relevant to peppermint ingestion (study in question used tea)
Menthol can inhibit the CYP3A4 enzyme in humans with a fairly respectable potency, slightly less than grapefruit juice, and thus may be contraindicted when using select pharmaceuticals
How to Take Peppermint
Recommended dosage, active amounts, other details
Oral supplementation of peppermint oil for the purpose of gastrointestinal health and motility involves consuming anywhere between 450-750mg of the oil daily in 2-3 divided doses, and this is around 0.1-0.2mL of the oil itself per dosage. The exact optimal dosage of peppermint is not known, and the numbers reflect a menthol content somewhere between 33-50%.
Usage of peppermint for the treatment of headaches involves having a solution of 10% peppermint oil and applying a relatively thin layer to the front of your head upon the start of a headache, with another application after 15 minutes and 30 minutes (for three applications in total).
Usage of peppermint for aromatherapy does not follow any particular dosing, and similar to other forms of aromatherapy it should be used as either an oil or in a distiller until a pleasant aroma permeates the vicinity.
Any form of peppermint oil should be effective although for persons who experience heartburn (acid reflux) and wish to supplement with peppermint oil for their intestines, then an enteric coated capsule would be useful (since the muscle relaxing effects may affect the esophagous if the capsule breaks prematurely).
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Human Effect Matrix
The Human Effect Matrix looks at human studies (it excludes animal and in vitro studies) to tell you what effects peppermint has on your body, and how strong these effects are.
Grade | Level of Evidence [show legend] |
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Robust research conducted with repeated double-blind clinical trials |
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Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled |
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Single double-blind study or multiple cohort studies |
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Uncontrolled or observational studies only |
Level of Evidence
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The amount of high quality evidence. The more
evidence, the more we can trust the results.
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Outcome |
Magnitude of effect
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The direction and size of the supplement's impact on
each outcome. Some supplements can have an increasing effect, others have a decreasing effect, and others have no effect.
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Consistency of research results
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Scientific research does not always agree. HIGH or
VERY HIGH means that most of the scientific research agrees.
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Notes |
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Very High See all 8 studies |
In persons with IBS, supplementation of peppermint oil appears to reliably and effectively reduce abdominal pain for as long as it is taken. Benefits are no longer seen two weeks after supplement cessation and abdominal pain is the only symptom notably reduced.
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High See all 5 studies |
There appears to be interactions with peppermint as aromatherapy and reducing nausea, but the best evidence at this point in time is mixed and with some faults. More research is needed to see the potential role of peppermint aromatherapy in nausea reduction
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Very High See 2 studies |
Preliminary evidence suggests that topical application of peppermint oil is effective in reducing tension headache severity when applied at the start of the headache (can work within 15 minutes), and is comparable to 1,000mg acetominophen in potency
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- See study |
Supplementation of peppermint oil four hours prior to a colonoscopy eases tension in the colon and aids reduces complaints associated with treatment.
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- See study |
Flatulence as a side-effect of IBS is reduced with ingestion of peppermint oil
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- See study |
Irritability as a side-effect of tension headaches is reduced secondary to the treatment of tension headaches
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Very High See 2 studies |
Topical application of peppermint oil or water appears to be more effective than placebo in alleviating nipple cracks in breastfeeding women
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- See study |
Pain has been noted to be reduced in instances where pain is associated with tightened intestinal tissue (ie. during a colonoscopy) or during tension headaches. No inherent analgesic effect is known
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- See study |
A slight increase in the rate of gastric emptying is noted with peppermint oil, which is thought to be of benefit to persons with GERD
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Very High See all 3 studies |
Although mood state during cognitive testing is unaffected, quality of life is increased when headaches or abdominal pain is being treated with peppermint oil.
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- See study |
The pilot study on this topic did not have a placebo control, but noted complete resolution of spasms in all persons following a single supplemental dose of peppermint oil; a large amount of promise
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Moderate See 2 studies |
Although there is no influence acutely in cognitive testing, there appears to be improvements in sustained attention processing with prolonged testing (10-40 minutes) with the aroma of peppermint. Suggesting an anti-fatigue effect.
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- | - See study |
Subjective ratings of calmness during cognitive testing are not significantly influenced with the aroma of peppermint
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- | - See study |
The aroma of peppermint has been unable to influence memory processing (quantity or quality of memory formation) relative to control
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- | - See study |
Processing accuracy does not appear to be significantly influenced with acute inhalation of peppermint extract during cognitive testing
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- | - See study |
Processing speed is not significantly influenced with the aroma of peppermint during cognitive testing
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- | - See study |
Peppermint aromatherapy does not appear to significantly influence the state of wakefulness
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- | - See study |
Working memory does not appear to be influenced with the aroma of peppermint
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Studies Excluded from Consideration
ERD Articles
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Research Breakdown on Peppermint
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References
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- ^ a b Biosynthesis of (−)-mintlactone and (+)-isomintlactone in Mentha piperita.
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- ^ Delayed release peppermint oil capsules (Colpermin) for the spastic colon syndrome: a pharmacokinetic study.
- ^ a b c d A pharmacokinetic comparison of two delayed-release peppermint oil preparations, Colpermin and Mintec, for treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome.
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- ^ a b MacDougall JM, et al. Inhibition of human liver microsomal (S)-nicotine oxidation by (-)-menthol and analogues. Chem Res Toxicol. (2003)
- ^ a b Ghazi AM, et al. Effect of mint drink on metabolism of nicotine as measured by nicotine to cotinine ratio in urine of Jordanian smoking volunteers. Nicotine Tob Res. (2011)
- ^ a b Hukkanen J, Jacob P 3rd, Benowitz NL. Metabolism and disposition kinetics of nicotine. Pharmacol Rev. (2005)
- ^ a b Dresser GK, et al. Evaluation of peppermint oil and ascorbyl palmitate as inhibitors of cytochrome P4503A4 activity in vitro and in vivo. Clin Pharmacol Ther. (2002)
- ^ Kovar KA, et al. Blood levels of 1,8-cineole and locomotor activity of mice after inhalation and oral administration of rosemary oil. Planta Med. (1987)
- ^ Moss M, et al. Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang. Int J Neurosci. (2008)
- ^ Effects of Peppermint Scent Administration on Cognitive Video Game Performance.
- ^ Heuberger E, Ilmberger J. The influence of essential oils on human vigilance. Nat Prod Commun. (2010)
- ^ a b c Lane B, et al. Examination of the effectiveness of peppermint aromatherapy on nausea in women post C-section. J Holist Nurs. (2012)
- ^ a b Burns EE, et al. An investigation into the use of aromatherapy in intrapartum midwifery practice. J Altern Complement Med. (2000)
- ^ a b c Tate S. Peppermint oil: a treatment for postoperative nausea. J Adv Nurs. (1997)
- ^ a b Anderson LA, Gross JB. Aromatherapy with peppermint, isopropyl alcohol, or placebo is equally effective in relieving postoperative nausea. J Perianesth Nurs. (2004)
- ^ Schoenen J, Timsit-Berthier M. Contingent negative variation: methods and potential interest in headache. Cephalalgia. (1993)
- ^ a b Beesley A, et al. Influence of peppermint oil on absorptive and secretory processes in rat small intestine. Gut. (1996)
- ^ Schwartz RK. Olfaction and muscle activity: an EMG pilot study. Am J Occup Ther. (1979)
- ^ Tutuian R, Castell DO. Review article: oesophageal spasm - diagnosis and management. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. (2006)
- ^ Dalton CB, et al. Diffuse esophageal spasm. A rare motility disorder not characterized by high-amplitude contractions. Dig Dis Sci. (1991)
- ^ Allen ML, DiMarino AJ Jr. Manometric diagnosis of diffuse esophageal spasm. Dig Dis Sci. (1996)
- ^ a b Pimentel M, et al. Peppermint oil improves the manometric findings in diffuse esophageal spasm. J Clin Gastroenterol. (2001)
- ^ Mizuno S, et al. Oral peppermint oil is a useful antispasmodic for double-contrast barium meal examination. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. (2006)
- ^ Imagawa A, et al. Peppermint oil solution is useful as an antispasmodic drug for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, especially for elderly patients. Dig Dis Sci. (2012)
- ^ Vakil N, et al. The Montreal definition and classification of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a global evidence-based consensus. Am J Gastroenterol. (2006)
- ^ Patrick L. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): a review of conventional and alternative treatments. Altern Med Rev. (2011)
- ^ a b c Hills JM, Aaronson PI. The mechanism of action of peppermint oil on gastrointestinal smooth muscle. An analysis using patch clamp electrophysiology and isolated tissue pharmacology in rabbit and guinea pig. Gastroenterology. (1991)
- ^ Inamori M, et al. Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying: a crossover study using a continuous real-time 13C breath test (BreathID system). J Gastroenterol. (2007)
- ^ Iida H, et al. Early effects of oral administration of lafutidine with peppermint oil, compared with lafutidine alone, on intragastric pH values. Hepatogastroenterology. (2011)
- ^ Rees WD, Evans BK, Rhodes J. Treating irritable bowel syndrome with peppermint oil. Br Med J. (1979)
- ^ Rösch W, et al. Phytotherapy for functional dyspepsia: a review of the clinical evidence for the herbal preparation STW 5. Phytomedicine. (2006)
- ^ von Arnim U, et al. STW 5, a phytopharmacon for patients with functional dyspepsia: results of a multicenter, placebo-controlled double-blind study. Am J Gastroenterol. (2007)
- ^ Madisch A, et al. Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Digestion. (2004)
- ^ Fixed peppermint oil/caraway oil combination in functional dyspepsia – efficacy unaffected by H. pylori status.
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- ^ Reiter M, Brandt W. Relaxant effects on tracheal and ileal smooth muscles of the guinea pig. Arzneimittelforschung. (1985)
- ^ Giachetti D, Taddei E, Taddei I. Pharmacological activity of essential oils on Oddi's sphincter. Planta Med. (1988)
- ^ Evans BK, et al. Proceedings: Further studies on the correlation between biological activity and solubility of some carminatives. J Pharm Pharmacol. (1975)
- ^ Shavakhi A, et al. Premedication with peppermint oil capsules in colonoscopy: a double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial study. Acta Gastroenterol Belg. (2012)
- ^ Suares NC, Ford AC. Diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Discov Med. (2011)
- ^ Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.
- ^ Liu JH, et al. Enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective, randomized trial. J Gastroenterol. (1997)
- ^ Lech Y, et al. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with peppermint oil. A double-blind study with a placebo. Ugeskr Laeger. (1988)
- ^ Cappello G, et al. Peppermint oil (Mintoil) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Dig Liver Dis. (2007)
- ^ a b Alam MS, et al. Efficacy of Peppermint oil in diarrhea predominant IBS - a double blind randomized placebo - controlled study. Mymensingh Med J. (2013)
- ^ Merat S, et al. The effect of enteric-coated, delayed-release peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. (2010)
- ^ Cholertic activity of Thapsia chem I, II, and III in rats: Comparison with terpenoid constituents and peppermint oil.
- ^ a b c d e f Akdoğan M, et al. Effect of spearmint (Mentha spicata Labiatae) teas on androgen levels in women with hirsutism. Phytother Res. (2007)
- ^ a b c Akdogan M, et al. Effects of peppermint teas on plasma testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone levels and testicular tissue in rats. Urology. (2004)
- ^ Grant P. Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. A randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. (2010)
- ^ ESSENTIAL OILS OF ANATOLIAN LABIATAE: A PROFILE.
- ^ Huml S. Sore nipples. A new look at an old problem through the eyes of a dermatologist. Pract Midwife. (1999)
- ^ Pugh LC, et al. A comparison of topical agents to relieve nipple pain and enhance breastfeeding. Birth. (1996)
- ^ a b Sayyah Melli M, et al. Effect of peppermint water on prevention of nipple cracks in lactating primiparous women: a randomized controlled trial. Int Breastfeed J. (2007)
- ^ Melli MS, et al. A randomized trial of peppermint gel, lanolin ointment, and placebo gel to prevent nipple crack in primiparous breastfeeding women. Med Sci Monit. (2007)
- ^ Garten S, Falkner RV. Continual smoking of mentholated cigarettes may mask the early warning symptoms of respiratory disease. Prev Med. (2003)
- ^ Giovino GA, et al. Epidemiology of menthol cigarette use. Nicotine Tob Res. (2004)
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- ^ Toxicities of peppermint and Pycnanthemum albescens oils.
- ^ Thorup I, et al. Short term toxicity study in rats dosed with pulegone and menthol. Toxicol Lett. (1983)
- ^ Herro E, Jacob SE. Mentha piperita (peppermint). Dermatitis. (2010)
- ^ Anal burning and peppermint oil.