The health benefits of marjoram essential oil can be attributed to its properties as an analgesic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antiviral, and bactericidal. It may also act as a carminative, cephalic, cordial, diaphoretic, digestive, and a diuretic. Marjoram essential oil might play an essential role as an emmenagogue, expectorant, fungicidal, hypotensive, laxative, nervine, sedative, stomachic, vasodilator, and a vulnerary substance for keeping you healthy.
What is Marjoram Essential Oil?
Marjoram essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of both fresh and dried leaves of the marjoram plant (Origanum majorana). It is also known as knotted marjoram. It is a plant that belongs to the Mediterranean region and has been well-known for its medicinal uses for many years. The main components of marjoram oil are sabinene, alpha-terpinene, gamma terpinene, cymene, terpinolene, linalool, sabinene hydrate, linalyl acetate, terpineol, and gamma terpineol.
Health Benefits of Marjoram Essential Oil
Let’s find out more about what health benefits this versatile essential oil has. You’ll certainly find something that will help your health!
Marjoram essential oil is calming, comforting, and relaxing. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
May Reduce Pain
Marjoram oil may reduce the pain associated with colds, fevers, inflammation, overexertion of muscles, toothaches, and headaches. The best thing about this is that it does not have any adverse side effects, unlike other analgesic pain relievers available on the market.
May Relieve Spasms
Marjoram essential oil may be helpful in curing nearly all types of spasms and related problems. It can efficiently relieve spasms in the respiratory system, intestines, and muscular spasms in the limbs. It might also help palliate convulsions, pulled muscles, and cramps.
May Control Sexual Desires
Marjoram essential oil may help suppress or control sexual desires. This property is beneficial for those who are suffering from abnormal and extreme sexual urges.
May Prevent Sepsis
The antiseptic properties of marjoram oil may make it a suitable application for both external and internal wounds. It may also function well as an ingredient in antiseptic lotions and creams. This protects the wounds against becoming septic and developing tetanus.
May Help Cure Infections
Furthermore, it can be effective in curing infections caused by viruses and ailments associated with them, such as the common cold, influenza, mumps, and even pox.
May Prevent Bacterial Infections
Marjoram oil may help kill bacteria. So it can be used to protect yourself from food poisoning, typhoid, malaria, colic, and bacterial infections in the colon, skin, digestive system, urinary tract, and other parts of the excretory system.
May Improve Cognitive Function
Marjoram oil may be very good for the functioning of your brain. This quality also relieves you of headaches.
May Have Cordial Effect
Marjoram oil may have a warming effect on the body and it might improve circulation to increase the blood flow, further warming your cells. This property can help you get rid of coughs and excess phlegm, while simultaneously relieving the pain of arthritis and rheumatism.
May Promote Sweating
Marjoram oil may promote perspiration and keeps you healthy by aiding in the removal of toxins, sodium, salts, and excess water from the body. This might also help bring down fevers and even weight loss since urine is composed of 4% fat approximately.
May Facilitate Digestion
Marjoram oil may promote digestion by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices like gastric juices, acids, and bile in the stomach, while its aroma alone can stimulate the salivary glands and thus aid in the primary digestion of food. Lastly, it may also stimulate the peristaltic movement of the intestines and help the ingested food to advance through the digestive tract, thereby facilitating digestion and regular bowel movements.
May Aid in Gas Troubles
Marjoram essential oil may efficiently handle any gas trouble you may have. It might provide the gases a safe downward passage by relaxing the muscles in the abdominal region and also stops further gas from forming. This can help get rid of a number of problems such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, chest pain, hypertension, and excessive flatulence. Sometimes, the inner lining of the stomach becomes corroded due to prolonged acidity and can result in the formation of gastric ulcers. This happens due to a lack of bile, which neutralizes the acids. Marjoram oil might help you avoid this situation as well since it maintains those proper secretions in the stomach.
May Promote Urination
Marjoram oil may increase the frequency of urination, thus helping remove excess water, sodium, uric acid, bile salts, and other toxic elements from the body. Increased urination may also lower blood pressure, clean kidneys, and reduce fat. If you are not suffering from swelling or accumulation of water in the body, you should drink more water if you are taking marjoram oil. This is because frequent urination can lead to dehydration, which is also quite dangerous for your health.
May Reduce Hormonal Issues
Ladies who have problems with irregular, obstructed or painful menstruation can benefit from the emmenagogue property of marjoram oil. It might help clear menses and make them regular. It can also potentially provide relief from other symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome or PMS such as a headache, pain in the abdominal area, dizziness, and mood swings. Finally, marjoram oil can also help prevent untimely or premature menopause from setting in. Also, there have been studies, which claim that marjoram essential oil might be a good agent to treat PCOS and infertility in women. [1]
May Control Diabetes
Marjoram essential oil may inhibit the growth of the enzyme protein tyrosine phosphate 1B (PTP1B), as per a research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry in 2014. This enzyme is known to negatively impact the insulin levels, thereby affecting the blood sugar levels. Hence, marjoram oil may be a great choice for diabetics who are looking for options that help control diabetes. [2]
May Potentially Be A Natural Expectorant
Marjoram essential oil may have been shown to be quite effective at giving relief from the deposition of mucus and phlegm in the throat and sinuses, as well as congestion of the nasal tract, larynx, pharynx, bronchi, and lungs due to colds and viral infections. It might also be particularly effective in chronic coughing.
May Offer Relief From Fungal Infections
It may inhibit the growth of fungus and help cure infections caused by them. This property of marjoram essential oil can help treat a number of skin diseases and condition like dysentery, which are all often caused by a dangerous growth of fungus.
May Speed-up Healing
Marjoram essential oil may act as a vulnerary by promoting the quick healing of wounds, both external and internal, and protecting them from infections.
May Relieve Stress
Marjoram oil may induce a calming, relaxing, and sedative effect on both the mind and body while relieving nervous stress and anxiety. It may also generate a happy feeling in times of anger or sadness. This property can be helpful to pacify people who have suffered some sort of shock, trauma, or a major setback in life.
May Prevent Nervous Disorders
It may strengthen the entire nervous system, tone it, and keep you active while protecting you from various nervous disorders.
May Act As A Vasodilator
This might be a very important medicinal property of marjoram oil and can be a blessing for those who are at high risk of heart attacks, atherosclerosis, or brain hemorrhaging due to hypertension. As a vasodilator, it widens and relaxes the blood vessels, eases the flow of blood, and reduces blood pressure, thereby lessening the strain on the entire cardiovascular system. It may also help reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and brain hemorrhaging.
Other Benefits
This powerful essential oil may also help treat and control headaches, sinusitis, cold, bronchitis, asthma, stress, insomnia, pain in muscles and joints, and fatigue.
Marjoram Essential Oil Uses
Marjoram essential oil is a valuable oil to have in your pantry as it can be used in the following ways:
- Calming oil: Diluted marjoram oil can be topically applied to relieve the tension from the neck.
- Diffuser for sound sleep: Use the oil in a diffuser to get a great night’s sleep.
- Relief from respiratory problems: Diffuse the oil to get relief from respiratory problems; it might have a soothing effect on the nervous system.
- Pain Reliever: A combination of peppermint, lavender, and marjoram oil can be topically applied to the sore joint for instant relief.
- Linen spray: Make your own linen spray to freshen your sheets by combining 1 cup of water, ½ tsp baking soda, and 7 drops each of marjoram oil and lavender essential oil.
- Soothing massage oil: Diluted marjoram oil can be applied to soothe sore muscles, especially after exercising.
- Cooking: Marjoram herb can be substituted with marjoram oil. 1 drop of oil is equivalent to 2tsp. dried herb.
Note: Topical application of any essential oil should be done under medical supervision.
Word of Caution: There are no inherent health risks or side effects of using marjoram essential oil, but as with many alternative medicines and aromatherapy techniques, pregnant women and children should avoid it. Also avoid contact with sensitive areas like eyes, ears, nose, etc.
Blending: The essential oils of Bergamot, Cedar Wood, Chamomile, Cypress, Eucalyptus, and Tea tree blend very nicely with Marjoram essential oil.
