Though most of this research is just beginning, it supports some traditional uses of the oil and illustrates possible new uses.
Here are some potential benefits and uses of rosemary essential oil.
1. May Improve Brain Function
Research indicates that inhaling rosemary oil helps prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical important for thinking, concentration and memory.
When 20 young adults were asked math questions in a small room diffused with rosemary oil, their speed and accuracy increased in direct proportion to the duration the oil was diffused.
Additionally, their blood levels of certain rosemary compounds likewise increased — illustrating that rosemary can enter your body through breathing alone
2. Stimulates Hair Growth
One of the most common types of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern baldness, though it can also affect females
Rosemary oil treats androgenetic alopecia by preventing a byproduct of testosterone from attacking your hair follicles, which is the cause of this condition
When men with androgenetic alopecia massaged diluted rosemary oil into their scalp twice daily for six months, they experienced the same increase in hair thickness as those who used minoxidil (Rogaine), a common hair regrowth remedy.
3. May Help Relieve Pain
In folk medicine, rosemary is utilized as a mild pain reliever
In a two-week study, stroke survivors with shoulder pain who received a rosemary oil blend with acupressure for 20 minutes twice daily experienced a 30% reduction in pain. Those who received only acupressure had a 15% reduction in pain
Additionally, an animal study determined that rosemary oil was slightly more effective for pain than acetaminophen, a common over-the-counter pain medication
4. Repels Certain Bugs
For deterring harmful insects that may bite you or infest your garden, consider rosemary oil as a natural alternative to chemical products.
When a rosemary-oil-based pesticide, EcoTrol, was sprayed on greenhouse tomato plants, it reduced the population of two-spotted spider mites by 52% without harming the plants (17Trusted Source).
Rosemary also helps repel certain blood-sucking insects that can spread harmful viruses and bacteria.
5. May Eases Stress
Many factors can cause stress — including school tests. Inhaling rosemary oil may help reduce test anxiety.
When nursing students breathed rosemary oil from an inhaler before and during test time, their pulse decreased by about 9% — while no significant change occurred without rosemary oil (8Trusted Source).
Because increased pulse rates reflect short-term stress and anxiety, rosemary oil may naturally reduce stress (21Trusted Source).
Additionally, when 22 young adults sniffed rosemary oil for 5 minutes, their saliva had 23% lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared to those who smelled a non-aromatic compound (22Trusted Source).