Aromatherapy is gaining traction with over 90 types of essential oils, including Frankincense. A variety of flower, herb, and tree parts are used to make essential oils, such as petals, roots, peels, and barks. As a result, they give the plant its “essence,” or fragrance. The oils can be inhaled or diluted (watered down) and applied topically.

It is important to note that each essential oil has its own smell and health benefits. Rose, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, jasmine, and peppermint are among the most popular. The oil of frankincense is not widely used, but it does have potential health benefits. Boswellia trees produce frankincense, also known as olibanum. In the Arabian Peninsula, Boswellia trees are native to Oman and Yemen, and in northern Africa, in Somalia.

Frankincense oil is prepared by the steam distillation of gum resin from the Boswellia tree.

Potential Health Benefits

While there is still much to learn about the health advantages of frankincense, experts are encouraged by the early indications and think it may have some useful applications. These uses might develop in the
future.

In traditional Chinese medicine, frankincense and myrrh have been recommended for use in the treatment of disorders characterized by blood stagnation and inflammation, as well as pain relief and swelling.

Other benefits may include:

Fight Cancer?

A study done by nine doctors in China revealed frankincense and myrrh may help in the treatment of cancer. Specifically, boswellic acid might prevent cancer cells from spreading. Specific cancers frankincense may help fight are:

• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Skin cancer
• Colon cancer

In another study discussed in a Cancer journal article in 2011, patients with brain tumors took 4.2 grams of frankincense or a placebo each day. Sixty percent of the group taking frankincense had reduced fluid in their brain, compared to 26% of the people given the placebo.

Improves Overall Health

Frankincense oil is best known for fighting harmful microorganisms. These properties work well for maintaining dental health as well. While it finds wide dental uses in several cultures where it is hailed for its protective properties, a double-blind randomized clinical trial has found it to be especially useful against gingivitis. The study deems this to be a safe and cheaper medicine that can be used in aid of conventional treatment.

Relieves Stress

When inhaled, frankincense oil been shown to reduce heart rate and high blood pressure. It has anti-anxiety and depression-reducing abilities, but unlike prescription medications, it does not have negative side effects or cause unwanted drowsiness.

May Help Balance Hormones and Improve Fertility

Frankincense oil benefits may include reducing symptoms associated with menstruation and menopause by balancing hormone levels, although the research on this topic is limited. It has been used to help relieve:

• pain
• cramps
• constipation
• headaches
• anxiety
• nausea
• fatigue
• mood swings

Frankincense oil may also help with regulating estrogen production and may reduce the risk of tumor or cyst development in premenopausal women.

Animal studies have shown that frankincense oil can be used as a fertility-promoting agent, which may be due to the oil’s chemical structure acting similarly to that of steroids. When frankincense was used on rats internally, it increased fertility and the number of implantations and viable fetuses, which suggests that the oil may possibly increase sperm motility and density.

Improves Asthma

Research by eight doctors revealed that the compounds found in frankincense prevent the production of leukotrienes, which cause bronchial (throat) muscles to constrict in people who have asthma. Seventy percent of participants in one study of people with asthma said they experienced improvements with their symptoms, including wheezing and shortness of breath, after receiving 300 milligrams of frankincense daily for a month and a half.

May Reduce Arthritis

The prevention of those leukotrienes that helps ease symptoms of asthma also plays a role in helping people with arthritis.

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in joints such as the fingers, knees, and feet. Leukotriene compounds cause this inflammation.

Participants in one study were given 1 gram of frankincense extract per day for eight weeks. Those participants said they felt less joint swelling and pain than those who were given a placebo. In addition to that, they reported a better range of motion, and they walked farther than patients who received the
placebo.

Helps Maintain Oral Health

The boswellic acids that come from frankincense have good antibacterial properties, which help prevent and treat oral (mouth-related) infections. These include bad breath, toothaches, and cavities. In one study, high school students with gingivitis were given gum that contained 100 milligrams of frankincense extract or 200 milligrams of frankincense powder. They chewed the gum for two weeks, and both gums
were reported to be more effective at reducing signs of gingivitis than a placebo.

May Improve Stomach Function

The previously mentioned anti-inflammatory properties of frankincense also help to reduce symptoms of diseases based in the stomach, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. One study involving people who had chronic diarrhea gave those people either 1,200 milligrams of Boswellia or a placebo each day. Six weeks into the study, the people who had used Boswellia had cured their problem at a better rate than those who had used the placebo.

Health Risks

As with any product or food you use, it’s important to consider their health risks, if any. Frankincense essential oils are used in aromatherapy. Many essential oils used in that way are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and therefore might be harmful if used on the skin. Problems with essential oils could include:

Allergic Reaction

The body reacts to different chemicals in different ways. As an essential oil, frankincense contains many chemicals that could make your body react negatively. One possible side effect is an allergic reaction.
Signs of an allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, hives, and itchy skin. If you experience one or more of these symptoms soon after coming into contact with frankincense essential oil, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

Skin Sensitivity

Similar to allergies, people who use frankincense essential oil may experience skin discomfort or sensitivity. This is also a way your body lets you know that it’s coming into contact with something that doesn’t agree with it.

If you experience discomfort, pain, dry skin, red patches, or itchy skin after taking frankincense essential oil, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice.

Reaction with Medication

Another side effect frankincense essential oil could lead to is a negative reaction when interacting with any medications you’re taking. It’s important to talk to your doctor before using frankincense essential oil to see how it might react with medications you take regularly and how to prevent side effects.

Amount and Dosage

Because doctors are still in the early stages of researching frankincense and only small studies have been conducted, it is recommended to not go overboard when using the oil on your own.

Although there have been encouraging signs so far, doctors are not ready to make wide-ranging declarations about how effective it can be on an ongoing basis. Talk to your doctor for a recommendation on how much you should use.