Clary Sage Oil Uses, Benefits and Side Effects

Clary sage oil is a plant with many uses. It has been used in the cosmetics industry and for medicinal purposes to help increase libido and overall health. However, users should be aware of some potential side effects of using this product, including drowsiness, dizziness, or nausea, before adding it into their skincare regimen.

Clary sage oil is a flower that has been used in aromatherapy for hundreds of years. It’s typically used as an antidepressant, and it can also be used to treat anxiety and depression. There are some potential side effects with its use, but there are no serious risks associated with clary sage oil.

Clary sage has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. Salvia sclarea is the scientific name for this perennial of the genus Salvi. It is regarded as one of the best essential oils for hormones, particularly in women.

Many people have claimed that it helps with cramps, heavy menstrual periods, hot flashes, and hormonal abnormalities. It’s also renowned for its ability to boost circulation, aid digestion, promote eye health, and combat leukemia.

With anticonvulsive, antidepressant, antifungal, anti-infectious, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory characteristics, clary sage is one of the most beneficial essential oils. It’s also a sedative and nerve tonic with calming and warming properties.

What Is Clary Sage, and What Does It Mean?

The Latin word “Clarus” means “clear,” which is how the clary sage got its name. It’s a perennial plant native to the northern Mediterranean and certain parts of North Africa and Central Asia that blooms from May to September.

The plant grows to a height of 4–5 feet and has thick, hair-covered square stems. The blooms, which range in hue from lilac to mauve, bloom in clusters.

Clary sage essential oil comprises sclareol, alpha terpineol, geraniol, linalyl acetate, linalool, caryophyllene, neryl acetate, and germacrene-D, with esters accounting for roughly 72 percent of the total.

Health Advantages

1. Provides relief from menstrual discomfort

Clary sage aids in the regulation of the menstrual cycle by naturally regulating hormone levels and facilitating the opening of a clogged system. It may also be used to alleviate PMS symptoms, including bloating, cramping, mood changes, and food cravings.

This essential oil is also antispasmodic, which means it helps with spasms and other associated problems, including muscular cramps, headaches, and stomachaches. It does this by calming nerve impulses that humans are unable to regulate.

The impact of aromatherapy on women in labor was investigated in a fascinating research conducted at Oxford Brooks University in the United Kingdom. The study included 8,058 women over the course of eight years.

According to the findings of this research, aromatherapy seems to be useful in lowering mother anxiety, fear, and discomfort during childbirth. Clary sage oil and chamomile oil were the most efficient pain relievers among the ten essential oils used during labor.

Another 2012 research looked at the impact of aromatherapy as a pain reliever on high school females throughout their menstrual cycle. There was an acetaminophen (pain reliever and fever reducer) group and an aromatherapy massage group. The abdomen was massaged once with clary sage, marjoram, cinnamon, ginger, and geranium oils in a base of almond oil on participants in the treatment group.

After 24 hours, the amount of menstrual discomfort was measured. The aromatherapy group had a considerably larger decrease in menstrual discomfort than the acetaminophen group, according to the findings.

2. Helps to maintain hormonal balance

Clary sage has an effect on the body’s hormones because it includes natural phytoestrogens, also known as “dietary estrogens,” which are taken from plants and not produced by the endocrine system. Clary sage’s propensity to generate estrogenic effects is due to these phytoestrogens. It lowers the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer by regulating estrogen levels and ensuring the long-term health of the uterus.

Excess estrogen in the body causes a variety of health problems today, including infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, and estrogen-based malignancies, thanks in part to our diet of high-estrogen foods. Clary sage is a very beneficial essential oil since it helps to regulate estrogen levels.

Inhaling clary sage oil reduced cortisol levels by 36% and enhanced thyroid hormone levels, according to a 2014 research published in the Journal of Phytotherapy Research. The experiment included 22 postmenopausal women in their 50s, some of whom had been diagnosed with depression.

The researchers concluded that “clary sage oil had a statistically significant impact on reducing cortisol and had an antidepressant effect increasing mood” at the conclusion of the study.

3. Helps to Get Rid of Insomnia

Clary sage oil may help those who are suffering from sleeplessness. It is a natural sedative that will provide you with the calm and tranquil sensation you need to fall asleep. When you can’t sleep, you normally feel groggy when you wake up, which affects your ability to operate throughout the day. Not only can insomnia impair your energy and emotions, but it also has an impact on your health, job performance, and overall quality of life.

Stress and hormonal fluctuations are two primary reasons for sleeplessness. By reducing stress and anxiety and harmonizing hormone levels, an all-natural essential oil may help with insomnia without the need for medications.

Applying a massage oil containing lavender oil, grapefruit extract, neroli oil, and clary sage to the skin improved sleep quality among nurses working rotating night shifts, according to a 2017 research published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

4. It Improves Circulation

Clary sage increases blood circulation by opening blood vessels and calming the brain and arteries. It also naturally decreases blood pressure by relaxing the brain and arteries. This improves metabolic system performance by increasing the quantity of oxygen that reaches the muscles and supporting organ function.

The capacity of clary sage oil to reduce blood pressure in women with urinary incontinence or involuntary urination was tested in a research conducted at the Department of Basic Nursing Science in the Republic of Korea. Thirty-four women took part in the research, and they were given either clary sage oil, lavender oil, or almond oil (for the control group) to inhale for 60 minutes before being assessed.

The clary oil group had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure than the control and lavender oil groups, a significantly lower diastolic blood pressure than the lavender oil group, and a significantly lower respiratory rate than the control group according to the findings.

The findings imply that inhaling clary oil might help females with urine incontinence relax, particularly when undergoing exams.

5. It is beneficial to one’s cardiovascular health.

Clary sage oil’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities protect the heart and may help decrease cholesterol naturally. In addition, the oil reduces mental tension and enhances circulation, all of which are critical for lowering cholesterol and strengthening your cardiovascular system.

One double-blind, randomized, controlled experiment involving 34 female patients found that clary sage substantially reduced systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure and respiration rate compared to the placebo and lavender oil groups. The subjects just breathed clary safe essential oil, and 60 minutes later, their blood pressure readings were tested.

6. Functions as a Stress Reliever

Clary sage is an antidepressant, and one of the finest natural anxiety cures since it promotes confidence and mental power while reducing worry and thoughts of failure. It also contains euphoric qualities, which make you feel happy and relaxed.

Clary sage oil might be developed as a therapeutic treatment for people with depression, according to a 2010 research done in South Korea. A forced swimming test was used to determine antidepressant qualities in rats, and clary oil exhibited the greatest anti-stressor effect.

7. Is a Leukemia Fighter

A promising research done at the Hellenic Anticancer Institute’s Department of Immunology in Athens, Greece, looked at the effect of sclareol, a chemical component found in clary sage oil, in fighting leukemia. The findings revealed that sclareol might cause cell lines to die by inducing apoptosis.

Apoptosis is the process of planned cell death; since the early 1990s, research into the function of apoptosis has exploded. A lack of apoptosis leads to unregulated cell growth, which may lead to cancer.

8. Bacteria and Infections are killed.

Clary sage inhibits the development and spread of bacterial and fungal illnesses, as well as stopping germs from entering our bodies through water or food. These antibacterial qualities protect the colon, intestines, urinary tract, and excretory system.

This potent oil is also antiseptic, which means that if you apply it to wounds, they will not get infected with bacteria. This useful characteristic will help your body recover faster by protecting wounds and healing cuts.

Because of its antibacterial characteristics, clary sage oil may be used to heal wounds and skin infections, according to a 2015 research published in the Postepy Dermatol Alergol journal. The findings showed that the essential oil had potent antistaphylococcal action against clinical strains isolated from wound infections, including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus xylosus.

9. It’s good for your skin.

Linalyl acetate, a naturally occurring phytochemical present in many floral and spice plants, is a key ester in clary sage oil. This ester decreases skin irritation and acts as a natural rash treatment, as well as regulating skin oil production.

In this aspect, clary sage oil is comparable to jojoba oil; therefore, mixing the two makes for an excellent skin moisturizer that will keep the skin even throughout the day.

10. Helps with Digestion

The basis of good health is the digestive system. This wonderful system is made up of neurons, hormones, bacteria, blood, and organs that all work together to perform the complex process of digesting the meals and liquids we ingest on a daily basis.

Although there is little proof for this effect, clary sage oil has been used to increase the release of gastric juices and bile, which helps to speed up and ease digestion. It reduces cramping, bloating, and stomach pain by reducing indigestion symptoms.

This potent essential oil may also aid in avoiding gastrointestinal problems by assisting the body in absorbing the vitamins and minerals it consumes throughout the day. It’s been used to assist cure ulcer symptoms and stomach sores, as well as controlling bowel motions and easing constipation.

How to Locate

Clary sage essential oil may be found at any health food shop that offers oils. Remember that when buying clary sage oil, you want to be sure you’re obtaining 100 percent clary sage oil with no fillers or byproducts. Choose a trustworthy manufacturer and look for a label that states it’s from the genus salvia sclarea.

Once you’ve received your bottle, begin experimenting with different combinations to find the most effective ones.

Citrus oils, as well as lavender, cypress, frankincense, geranium, rose, vetiver, and sandalwood essential oils, combine beautifully with clary sage oil.

Uses

• Diffuse or inhale 2–3 drops of clary sage essential oil for stress reduction and aromatherapy.
• Add 3–5 drops of clary sage oil to warm bath water to boost mood and joint discomfort. To create your own therapeutic bath salts, combine the essential oil with Epsom salt and baking soda.
• 2–3 drops of clary sage oil in a clean, warm washcloth for eye care; rub the cloth over both eyes for 10 minutes.
• Make a massage oil by mixing five drops of clary sage oil with five drops of a carrier oil (such as jojoba or coconut oil) and applying it to the affected regions for cramp and pain alleviation.
• Make a 1:1 mixture of clary sage oil with a carrier oil (such as coconut or jojoba) for skincare. Directly apply the mixture to your face, neck, and body.
• Only extremely high-quality oil brands should be utilized for internal usage. Mix a drop of the oil with honey or a smoothie, or create clary sage tea (which you can also purchase in tea bags).
• Massage the belly with an equal mixture of clary sage oil and a carrier oil, or use a hot compress soaked in 3–5 drops of the essential oil to help digestion.
• Mix 6 drops of clary sage oil with two drops of frankincense, white fir, or orange oil to boost healing prayer or meditation. Fill a diffuser or oil burner halfway with the mixture.
• Mix 4 drops of this oil with four drops of lavender oil and massage the concoction on the chest or back to naturally ease asthma symptoms.
• While washing, apply equal parts clary sage and rosemary oil onto your scalp for hair health.

Consequences

When using clary sage oil during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester or in the belly, use it with care. It has the potential to produce severe uterine contractions. It should also not be used on babies or toddlers.

There have been claims that clary sage oil brightens eyes, enhances vision, and protects against vision loss caused by premature or normal aging; however, there isn’t enough evidence to indicate that essential oils should be used in the eyes just yet. It’s possible that it’s not safe, so talk to your ophthalmologist first.

This essential oil should not be used if you have consumed alcohol or if you have recently consumed alcohol. According to reports, this might cause vivid dreams and difficulty sleeping. If you’re going to use the oil topically, make sure you test your skin for sensitivity beforehand. To be sure you won’t have a bad response, test it on a tiny area first.

Interactions Between Drugs

Clary sage oil interacts with chloral hydrate and hexobarbitone. Clary sage seems to enhance the effects of many hypnotic and sedative drugs, causing lethargy and drowsiness. The effects of the two pharmacological medications seem to be amplified as a result of these interactions.

Last Thoughts

• The essential oil of clary sage is produced from the perennial plant salvia sclarea. It’s been renowned as one of the best essential oils for hormonal wellness in women.
• This potent essential oil has been demonstrated to help with menstruation pain, hormonal balance, sleeplessness, increased circulation, improved heart health, reduced stress, improved digestion, improved skin health, fought infections, and fought leukemia.
• Aromatically, topically, and orally, clary sage oil may be utilized. Make sure you’re using a reputed company’s 100 percent pure essential oil. It may be breathed straight from the bottle, diffused, used topically, or blended into smoothies.

Clary sage essential oil is a natural herb that can be used for many purposes. It has been used in aromatherapy to help with skin issues and as an insect repellent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is clary sage best used for?

A: Clary sage has been shown to be good for a variety of uses, including promoting clear thinking, relieving anxiety and depression, improving sleep quality, and treating irritable bowel syndrome.

What are the side effects of clary sage?

A: The side effects of clary sage include dry mouth, headache, dizziness, and fatigue.

When should you not use clary sage?

A: Clary sage is a herb that can be used topically to treat skin conditions. It may cause significant dryness and irritation if applied in large amounts and should not be used on broken or irritated skin.

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