Health Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil (2024)

Frankincense is one of more than 90 types of essential oils that are gaining steam in the realm of aromatherapy. Essential oils are made from parts of flowers, herbs, and trees like petals, roots, peels, and bark. They get their name because they give the plant its “essence,” or fragrance. They can be inhaled or diluted (watered down) and applied to your skin.

Each essential oil has its own smell and health benefits. Some popular ones include rose, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, jasmine, and peppermint.

Frankincense is not one of the most widely used oils, but it does have potential health benefits. Also known as olibanum, frankincense comes from trees in the Boswellia family. Boswellia trees are native to Oman and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and in Somalia in northeastern Africa.

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

Health Benefits

Much is still being learned about the health benefits of frankincense, but doctors like the signs they see early in their research and believe it could have some good uses. Those uses could grow over time.

Frankincense, along with myrrh, has been prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine and administered for treatment of blood stagnation and inflammation diseases in addition to pain relief and swelling.

Other possible benefits include:

May 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
  • Coloncancer

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 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

Frankincense essential oil may negatively interact with other medications you’re taking. Talk to your doctor before using frankincense essential oil.

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.

Health Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil (2024)

FAQs

Health Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil? ›

Frankincense essential oil contains properties that reduce feelings of anxiety, stimulate the immune system, and diminish signs of aging, among other demonstrated activities. It can be used cosmetically, medicinally, and for eliminating surface and airborne bacteria.

What is frankincense essential oil good for? ›

Jump To Section
  • Frankincense is a natural astringent.
  • Its anti-inflammatory properties can help decrease Inflammation and Pain.
  • Frankincense oil can help your breathing.
  • It may help boost immune system function and prevent illness.
  • It may help balance hormones.
  • It protects the skin and may prevent the signs of ageing.
Nov 21, 2022

Can you put frankincense oil directly on your body? ›

When applied to the skin: Frankincense essential oil or gum extract is possibly safe. It might cause skin irritation in some people. When inhaled: Frankincense essential oil is possibly safe. There isn't enough reliable information to know what the side effects might be.

Can frankincense heal the body? ›

Substances that occur in frankincense have a number of possible health benefits. These include controlling bleeding, speeding up the wound-healing process, improving oral health, fighting inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and improving uterine health.

What is the healing power of frankincense? ›

Frankincense, along with myrrh, has been prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine and administered for treatment of blood stagnation and inflammation diseases in addition to pain relief and swelling. A study done by nine doctors in China revealed frankincense and myrrh may help in the treatment of cancer.

Where do you put frankincense oil on your body? ›

Treat your hands and feet with a Frankincense oil massage that will have them feeling and looking rejuvenated for another active day outside. Add a couple drops to your feet and hands and massage the oil into your skin.

Does frankincense oil help arthritis pain? ›

In the first trial, 30 participants with osteoarthritis were randomly given either 333 mg Indian frankincense capsules three times a day or placebo tablets for eight weeks. The Indian frankincense group had moderate improvement in pain, knee flexion and walking distance compared to the placebo group.

How to use frankincense for arthritis pain? ›

Directions
  1. Adults and children 12 years of age and older: apply 10-30 drops into palm or hand and massage into affected areas.
  2. massage oil in hand to coat painful areas.
  3. can be used up to 4 times daily.
  4. children under 12 years of age: consult a physician.

What happens if you don't dilute frankincense oil? ›

By applying essential oils undiluted on the skin over time, your body can begin to trigger an immune response which can lead to sensitization. When you dilute your essential oils, you decrease the likelihood of this happening.

What is the best carrier oil to mix with frankincense? ›

The carrier oils that can be used for frankincense are fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, and sweet almond oil. Some additional carrier oils that can be used are avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil, extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil.

What is the strongest essential oil for pain? ›

Which Essential Oils Are Best For Pain? One of Mother nature's most powerful painkillers, peppermint oil is frequently used for alleviating pain [1]. Closely related to peppermint, wintergreen oil boasts similar properties due to its methyl salicylate component.

How do you use frankincense oil for inflammation? ›

Helps Relieve Inflammation and Pain

To improve circulation and lower symptoms of joint pain or muscle pain related to conditions like arthritis, digestive disorders and asthma, try massaging frankincense oil to the painful area or diffusing it in your home.

What are the side effects of Indian frankincense? ›

Boswellia serrata extract has been used safely in doses up to 1000 mg daily for up to 6 months. It usually doesn't cause major side effects. But some people have reported stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, headache, heartburn, and itching.

Why put frankincense under your tongue? ›

Relieve inflammation in the respiratory system by diffusing Frankincense or inhaling vapors from a bowl of hot water. Place 2 to 3 drops of Frankincense under the tongue 1 to 2x daily to reduce inflammation, nerve issues, and depression. Reduce gum disease, slow recession of gums by Oil Pulling with Frankincense.

Does frankincense oil help knee pain? ›

Frankincense and myrrh.

When used together, these oils eased joint inflammation in rats with arthritis. Experts are looking into how this might help with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

How to use frankincense oil for joint pain? ›

Directions
  1. Adults and children 12 years of age and older: apply 10-30 drops into palm or hand and massage into affected areas.
  2. massage oil in hand to coat painful areas.
  3. can be used up to 4 times daily.
  4. children under 12 years of age: consult a physician.

How do you use frankincense oil for healing? ›

To improve circulation and lower symptoms of joint pain or muscle pain related to conditions like arthritis, digestive disorders and asthma, try massaging frankincense oil to the painful area or diffusing it in your home. You can add a drop of oil to steaming water, and soak a towel in it.

Is frankincense good for arthritis? ›

It can prevent the production of inflammatory substances in the joints. Current evidence, based on four RCTs, suggests that it might have some beneficial effects in treating participants with osteoarthritis of the knee which might last for a period of time after treatment is stopped.

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