Peppermint Oil Cuts Systolic Blood Pressure 8.5 mmHg in 20 Days

Q: How does the blood pressure drop from peppermint oil compare to the effects of a strict DASH diet?

The peppermint oil result was roughly in the same range as a strict DASH diet, and may even be slightly larger in this small short-term study. In the Lancashire trial, people taking peppermint oil saw systolic blood pressure fall by about 8.5 mmHg over 20 days. By comparison, established guidance and the supporting web material generally place the DASH diet’s typical systolic reduction at about 3 to 8 mmHg, with the biggest effects usually seen when DASH is followed closely and sodium is also kept low. So, on a simple side-by-side basis, peppermint oil’s 8.5 mmHg drop is at the upper end of — or just above — the usual blood-pressure benefit credited to DASH alone. That makes the finding notable. But the evidence is not equally strong. DASH is backed by many larger and longer studies and is a standard recommendation for blood-pressure control. The peppermint result comes from just 40 people studied for only 20 days, so experts say it should be viewed as preliminary. It is not yet a substitute for DASH, sodium reduction, exercise, weight loss, or prescribed medication when needed. The practical takeaway is that peppermint oil showed a short-term effect comparable to what a strict DASH approach can achieve, but DASH remains the more proven and reliable option until larger trials confirm peppermint’s benefit.

3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 24

A 20-day randomized trial found adults taking 100 microliters of peppermint oil twice daily lowered systolic blood pressure by an average 8.5 mmHg, while the placebo group showed little change.
The University of Lancashire study enrolled 40 adults aged 18 to 65 with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension and compared active peppermint oil with a peppermint-flavored placebo lacking the active oil.
Researchers also tracked diastolic pressure, heart rate, blood tests, body measurements, mental well-being and sleep quality, framing the oil as a low-cost, well-tolerated add-on for mildly elevated blood pressure.
Published in PLOS One, the findings point to a potentially inexpensive option against hypertension, a major global driver of heart disease and mortality.