What are the effects of peppermint?
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) has mainly antispasmodic and bile flow promoting effects. In addition, antimicrobial, antiviral and diuretic effects have been described for the medicinal plant.
Medically recognized applications
The use of peppermint leaves for cramp-like digestive complaints and flatulence is medically recognized. The leaves of the medicinal plant can also be beneficial for cramp-like complaints in the gallbladder and bile ducts.
How is peppermint used?
Peppermint (leaves, oil) can be used medicinally in the form of ready-made preparations or as a tea. The essential oil of the medicinal plant is often used in aromatherapy.
If your symptoms persist for a long time or even worsen despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Peppermint as a tea
The same daily dose applies to children from ten years and adolescents. For children from four to nine years, a maximum of three to five grams of peppermint leaves per day is recommended, and for children with one to three years, a maximum of one to three grams. In the first year of life, peppermint tea must be dosed even lower. Even better, infants should not be given peppermint tea at all, to be on the safe side.
Ready-made preparations with peppermint
The effect of peppermint tea depends on the active ingredient content of the leaves used, and this can sometimes vary depending on the growing region, variety and time of harvest (although a minimum content of active ingredients is prescribed for medicinal teas from pharmacies).
For irritable bowel symptoms, for example, taking enteric-coated capsules with peppermint oil can be helpful: they transport the active ingredients in high concentration directly to the target site (intestine).
You can find out exactly how to use and dose peppermint preparations from the package leaflet or from your pharmacist.
Peppermint in aromatherapy
For tension headaches, a rub with the strongly cooling peppermint oil can help: Put one to two drops of the essential oil on a handkerchief and rub the neck and temples with it.
To inhale for a cold, put a drop of peppermint oil in a bowl of hot water. Now put a towel over your head and hold your open face over the rising vapors. Inhale slowly and deeply. Caution: If the vapors are too hot, you can get burned!
You can also use the basic mixture of peppermint, cypress, niaouli and cardamom for a full bath for a cold with a headache: Add ten drops of the essential oil mixture to a cup of milk and then pour the whole thing into the bath water.
Take peppermint oil?
Occasionally, peppermint oil is also taken, for example, for irritable bowel syndrome. Ask an experienced doctor or alternative practitioner about this or get a ready-made preparation with peppermint oil from the pharmacy.
Peppermint tea is usually well tolerated. However, it is not known what health consequences prolonged and/or high-dose consumption has. Stomach-sensitive persons occasionally react to the internal use of peppermint or its preparations with stomach complaints.
External use of peppermint oil sometimes causes skin irritation and eczema.
Inhalations with peppermint oil can irritate the respiratory tract in sensitive people.
The following applies to all essential oils: Use only 100 percent natural essential oils – preferably those obtained from plants grown organically or collected from the wild.
Peppermint oil must not be applied to the face and chest of infants or young children, as this may result in a life-threatening laryngospasm (glottic spasm) with respiratory distress. Babies and small children should also not ingest the oil. In general, you should always discuss the use of essential oils (internally and externally) in children with a doctor first!
Some liquid preparations of peppermint contain alcohol. Therefore, they should not be taken permanently. For children and alcoholics such alcoholic extracts are not suitable at all.
How to obtain peppermint and its products
You can find the ready-made medicinal preparations based on peppermint, exactly dosed according to the pharmacopoeia, as well as the dried leaves for tea preparation (medicinal tea) and the essential oil in any pharmacy. Observe the respective package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist how to use and dose the preparations correctly (for example, in children or during pregnancy and breastfeeding).
Interesting facts about peppermint
When you grind the leaves of peppermint between your fingers, the essential oil stored in glands (peppermint oil, M. piperitae aetheroluem) released. It gives off the typical, intense minty odor. The taste of the leaves is slightly peppery, which led to the name peppermint (Latin: piperita = peppery).
