Essential oils used in aromatherapy can help to lower heart rate and blood pressure – but only if the user is exposed to them for less than one hour.
However, “prolonged exposure for longer than one hour to essential oils may be harmful to cardiovascular health in young, healthy subjects”, claim authors of a study in Taiwan.
The study among spa centre workers in Taipei showed that the beneficial effects of the oils were reversed if they were exposed to them for more than one hour.
Dr Kai-Jen Chuang from Taipei Medical University in Taiwan recruited 100 young, healthy non-smoking spa workers to take part in the research, which is published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.
They were asked to visit the study centre three times over about three weeks, during which time they were exposed to essential oil vapours that were released from an ultrasonic ioniser for two hours and had their resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure measured.
Before each participant entered the study room, 100 per cent pure bergamot essential oil was vaporised for one hour.
Results showed that the level of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the oils was linked significantly with reduced blood pressure and heart rate for between 15 and 60 minutes after the start of exposure, which the authors say is statistically significant.
However, after one hour’s exposure, VOC levels were associated with an increased 15-minute mean blood pressure and heart rate.
“Our results suggest that exposure to essential oil for 1 hour would be effective in reducing heart rate and blood pressure,” said Dr Chuang. “However, the most interesting finding of our study is that exposure to essential oil for over an hour was associated with elevated blood pressure and heart rate.”
Chuang K-J, Chen H-W, et al. The effect of essential oil on heart rate and blood pressure among solus por aqua workers. Eur J Prevent Cardiol November 29 2012. doi: 10.1177/2047487312469474
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