Millions of people live with high blood pressure without even realizing it. Because the condition often develops silently, researchers continue searching for simple, affordable ways to support heart health before more intensive treatment becomes necessary.
A new study from the University of Lancashire, published in PLOS One and reported by ScienceDaily, suggests peppermint oil could become an unexpected area of interest.
More than just a flavor
Peppermint is commonly associated with teas, sweets and toothpaste, but its natural compounds have attracted growing attention from scientists.
Ingredients such as menthol and flavonoids are believed to have biological effects, leading researchers to investigate whether peppermint oil could influence cardiovascular health.
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To explore the idea, the research team carried out a randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 40 adults aged 18 to 65 who had either prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100 microliters of peppermint oil twice a day for 20 days or a peppermint-flavored placebo containing no active oil.
The results
After just 20 days, participants who received peppermint oil experienced an average reduction of 8.5 mmHg in systolic blood pressure, the upper number in a blood pressure reading. By comparison, the placebo group showed little meaningful change during the study period.
Researchers also tracked several additional health measures, including heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, blood markers, body measurements, sleep quality and mental well-being.
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Although these factors were monitored throughout the trial, the clearest difference between the two groups was the improvement in systolic blood pressure.
Key findings:
- Peppermint oil was associated with an average 8.5 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure.
- The study included 40 adults with mildly elevated blood pressure.
- Participants consumed the oil twice daily for 20 days.
- The placebo group experienced no significant improvement.
- Larger studies are needed before peppermint oil can be recommended as a treatment.
A promising first step
The researchers emphasize that these findings should not be viewed as evidence that peppermint oil can replace blood pressure medication. Instead, they describe the results as an encouraging starting point for future research.
Led by Dr. Jonnie Sinclair, the team believes peppermint oil's low cost, widespread availability and good tolerability make it an attractive candidate for larger clinical trials.
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If future studies confirm these findings, it could eventually become a useful addition to existing strategies for managing mildly elevated blood pressure.
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This article is made and published by Mie Hermansen, who may have used AI in the preparation.