Oregano Oil Before Bed: What Science Says, Side Effects, and More

Introduction

Oregano oil is an extract derived from the oregano plant, also known as “Origanum vulgare.” The oregano plant is characterized by its bushy appearance and is related to the mint family. It has many uses, as it is used in cooking as well as for some medical purposes.

One of the most impressive features of oregano essential oil is its ability to combat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. When it comes to cooking and recipes, you’ll probably find them more in Italian dishes. Tomato-based foods, such as pizza and pasta sauce, are one of the most typical places you'll find oregano.

Origin of Oregano Oil

Oregano oil is obtained by extracting the essential oil from the leaves and stems of the oregano plant. The extraction process typically involves steam-distilling dried leaves and stems to remove as many chemicals as possible and produce oil.

The primary active ingredient in oregano oil is carvacrol, a powerful phenolic antioxidant that has been shown to be effective against toxins and fungal infections. Although it is found in high concentrations in oregano oil, thymol is found in its purest form in fresh thyme.

Oregano Oil Benefits

Is An Effective Antioxidant

Some diseases, including cancer and heart disease, and the aging process may be tied to free radical damage. Protecting the body from free radical damage is one of the main functions of antioxidants. Antioxidants are one of the most heavily found components in oregano oil.

Includes Carvacrol

Carvacrol, which is a form of phenolic antioxidant and antibiotic, is effective in combating toxins as well as fungal illnesses and is one of the primary components of oregano oil.

Includes Thymol

Thymol, which is an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial agent, is another essential component found in oregano oil. It was always used in medicine traditionally, particularly for the treatment of the respiratory tract.

May Help Regulate Cholesterol Levels

Aside from being used as an antibiotic, carvacrol, the main compound in oregano oil, has also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels in a 10-week conducted study, where a group of mice fed both a high-fat diet and carvacrol had considerably lower cholesterol than mice fed only the high-fat diet.

May Help Reduce Inflammation

Oregano oil's primary component, carvacrol, is anti-inflammatory as well.

In one experiment, mice with inflamed paws or ears were given topical applications of carvacrol at varying doses. There were 35.61% and 33.43% less paw and ear edema, respectively.

Side Effects of Oregano Oil

Possible Stomach Distress May Occur.

If consumed excessively, oregano oil may cause stomach pain. Other gastrointestinal upset-related side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Can Potentially Interact With Other Medications

Oregano oil might interact with diabetic drugs, causing low blood sugar levels. Additionally, oregano may raise the risk of bruising and bleeding when combined with drugs that help reduce blood coagulation.

It’s always recommended to consult a doctor before using or taking oregano oil, and it’s equally important to monitor your blood sugar levels.

May Cause Allergies

Excessive use of Oregano oil can be unhealthy and can go as far as causing allergies. Thymol, one of its phenols, could play a role in this. In large quantities, thymol can cause irritations to the skin and internal organs.

If you know that you have an allergy to mint, basil, or other similar herbs, then you probably have an allergy to oregano as well.

Is Oregano Oil Beneficial to Sleeping Quality?

Oregano oil has two antioxidant agents, carvacrol and thymol, which help in reducing inflammation and controlling cholesterol levels.

In addition to regulating blood cholesterol levels, carvacrol can help reduce the condition known as sleep apnea, which occurs when a person's breathing becomes disrupted repeatedly while they are sleeping. In a conducted study, cholesterol levels and sleep apnea were proven to be potentially linked to each other. Therefore carvacrol is potentially useful in reducing sleep apnea.

Additionally, the antioxidants in oregano oil help fight free radicals, responsible for many body diseases, as well as reduce oxidative stress, which is known to disrupt sleep.

Accordingly, oregano oil should be safe before sleep and further help you have a better and more relaxing sleeping time.

You can use oregano oil in several ways before bedtime. You can either use it as a supplement and take it orally as a capsule before sleeping or you can use it in your food. There are many oregano oil-based recipes.

The ideal way, if you want to use it naturally in your food would be to use it in your dinner since that’s the last meal before bedtime.

What are the Best Sources of Oregano Oil?

There are a number of forms in which oregano oil can be ingested. Depending on what you’re using it for, oregano oil can be found in forms like capsules and oral supplements.

It can also be used in more natural ways, like using it in food recipes. Recipes that use oregano oil are primarily found in tomato-based meals, such as pizza and pasta sauce, and olive oil-based dishes.

You can make delicious dishes like Italian marinades for lamb, poultry, and beef when you combine olive oil with oregano.

Can Oregano Oil Promote Weight Loss?

The carvacrol in oregano may potentially make it useful for weight loss.

There isn’t much research done to demonstrate oregano oil’s carvacrol's effectiveness in weight loss, but in a 2012 study, a group of mice was given a regular diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with carvacrol.

Carvacrol supplementation significantly reduced weight gain and body fat levels in response to a high-fat diet compared to the high-fat diet alone. This might indicate that oregano oil can potentially help with weight loss.

Oregano Oil Dosage

The condition you are trying to treat will determine how much oregano oil you should take. Additionally, there isn’t a typical dosage specified for oregano oil to be used. The FDA has recognized it as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) because of its widespread application in the food industry.

However, the most popular dosage found is 600mg in oral supplementation. Oregano can also be utilized in food. There are many recipes that use oregano oil, especially in Italian dishes like pasta, and it can be found in some tea bags in the form of 15 grams of dried leaves that are recommended to use in 250 milliliters of water.

Oregano leaf tea bags can be a good choice for mixing the properties of tea to aid in the digestion of food with the anti-bacterial properties of oregano to boost the immune system.

There are other natural ways to use oregano oil, like using it as a natural antibiotic or anti-fungal overgrowth agent by diluting it with a carrier oil, like coconut, or by mixing it with powders by putting 3 drops of oregano oil and rubbing it into your feet and the infected area twice daily.

Conclusion

Oregano oil has a lot of great benefits. From having essential antioxidants like carvacrol and thymol and how they help control blood cholesterol and fight free radicals to reducing inflammation, among other benefits. Additionally, oregano oil may be effective in aiding weight loss and improving sleep quality.

It's important to remember that using too much oregano oil can cause side effects. Before deciding to use oregano oil, we should always talk to a doctor.

Overall, if you use oregano oil the right way, whether before bedtime or during the day, it can be a useful natural medicine with many health benefits.