What is Thyme Oil, and What are the Benefits of its Effective Use?

Nov 1, 2024

Ever since the Covid-19 lockdown, the concept of influencer culture and ‘at home’ hacks have taken a rise exponentially. People are able to share their own home remedies for varied ailments, and educate followers and viewers on what they can be doing to change their self-care or home-making routines.

A recent onset was the benefits of rosemary oil for hair care, especially hair regrowth with baldness, hair breakage, and hair fallout. Another useful oil that is slowly emerging into everyone’s self-care repertoires is thyme oil. This is another herbal oil with many benefits not only on the aesthetic side of self-care, but also for fostering overall well-being.

Thyme oil possesses origins in herbal medicine and remedies, and is also well-known for its tedious production and complex chemical compounds. These aspects will be expanded on, alongside some productive and helpful ways thyme oil can contribute to and improve you health and lifestyles. Let’s dive into it, first what is thyme oil

What is Thyme Oil?

Thyme, like mint, rosemary, basil and coriander, is an everyday garden herb. It is used mainly in cooking and culinary fields, but it also possesses varied health-related benefits and medicinal value. Historically, it was seen as a valuable possession, and was highly acclaimed as a solution for many ailments and problems.

Thyme oil is created via the thyme herb, scientifically classified as, ‘Thymus vulgaris’, ‘via a steam distillation’ process. This first distillation creates an oil that is dark red, and is commonly used for perfume or scenting purposes. Due to its highly potent nature, red thyme oil can be unsafe and harmful to the skin. It therefore needs to be diluted with a secondary oil.

Upon a second distillation, the oil turns a ‘gold-to-pale yellow’ colour, which is most often used for health and aesthetic benefits. This second distillation makes the oil highly concentrated, and resultantly quite an expensive investment. A little goes a long way, indeed! Aside from a unique and distinctive aromatic profile, thyme oil is also made up of varied chemical compounds which are beneficial for overall health.

Benefit of Thyme Oil’s Unique Composition

Thyme oil possesses a unique chemical composition, where it is made up of ‘carvacrol, thymol, linalool, cineol, camphor and borneol’. Research shows that these elements come with their own specific and unique benefits.

Most of these benefits are related to personal health and well-being, to name a few: ‘fighting acne, boosting immunity, repelling pests, aromatherapy, boosting moods, and [a preventative] for bacterial and yeast infections’. Thyme oil therefore possesses many benefits due to its unique, and quite diverse chemical composition.

5 Benefits of Thyme Oil

As mentioned above, the uses and benefits derived from Thyme Oil are immense. I will break down a diverse few, concerning the spheres of physical and mental well-being, the personal environment, and aesthetics.

1. Anti-Microbial Properties:

Thyme oil possesses the ability to kill off bacteria and germs. It therefore serves as an effective solution for cleaning and restoration of deteriorating and decaying spaces. They are strong agents for killing off infections, as illustrated, when ‘researchers tested thyme oil against 120 strains of bacteria, [and] found that it demonstrated strong activity against all clinical strains, including anti-biotic resistant strains of bacteria'.

2. Anti-inflammatory and Pain Relief:

Thyme oil also acts as an anti-inflammatory, and can be used to treat skin conditions such as acne or fungal bacterial infections. It can assist in minimising infection or worsening of open wounds, and can play a role in preventing them from going septic. Furthermore, when infused as an additive to herbal remedies and teas, it can assist with the management and ease of internal pain such as headaches and toothaches.

3. Respiratory Health:

Believe it or not, thyme oil can also actually help with coughing. Its possession of thymol has been shown to relax the body, ease pain, and make it comfortable, and in so doing, ease the body’s process of healing amidst strain and difficulties in breathing. Its essential oils can be extracted and utilised to assist as a ‘natural cough remedy’. An ingestion of thyme tea, studies have shown, can alleviate respiratory tract illnesses, and can assist in the reduction of mucus and congestion in the throat and chest.

4. Mental Well-Being:

Thyme oil has shown potential in reducing stress and anxiety, likely due to its impact on the nervous system. According to a study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, thymol and other terpenes in thyme can help lower cortisol levels, the body’s main stress hormone, helping to calm the mind and promote relaxation. The aroma of thyme oil is also relaxing. It can be used as an essential oil, and as part of aromatherapy to relax the body, and in so doing, the mind as well. Due to its ‘active substance, carvacrol’, the scent has been shown to increase serotonin and dopamine levels, hormones which are known to control, maintain and improve one’s mood and demeanour.

5. Oral Health:

Thyme oil is renowned for its effectiveness in addressing oral issues like tooth decay, gingivitis, plaque, and bad breath. Thanks to its antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, it naturally eliminates germs in the mouth, helping prevent oral infections. It serves as a natural remedy for gum disease and combats bad breath effectively. The active compound thymol, found in thyme oil, is even used in dental varnishes to protect teeth against decay. According to research published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, thymol can help reduce harmful bacteria linked to gum disease and cavities.

Precautions of Overuse

The benefits and takeaways of thyme oil seems so immense, there has got to be a catch, right?

It goes without saying that there is a limitation to the rewards that may be reaped from using thyme oil. The extent of these benefits do indeed possess a limit. There are also some precautions that must be considered, in order to facilitate and sustain safe consumption. This is because its ‘safety and effectiveness is extremely limited’:

Overconsumption of thyme oil when ingested can result in allergic reactions, an upset stomach, and dizziness.

Irritation to the skin: Ensure that you test a small amount before using, in case you are allergic to it.

Be wary of direct use on the skin or ingesting when pregnant or breastfeeding.

Thyme can slow down blood clotting: It is crucial that you avoid if you possess a bleeding disorder, as it can dramatically increase bleeding. It is also a good idea to stay cautious of consumption should you be scheduled for a surgery in the near future.

Thyme oil can be very beneficial and convenient when used sparingly and suitably. The contexts and purposes they are used for can make certain tasks very easy, where results are almost immediate.

When using thyme oil for health and body purposes, it is also recommended that the advice of a medical professional is sought. This article, and the research exemplifying do, indeed, possess limitations to recommendations that can only emerge from a professional field.