The Truth About the Internal Use of Essential Oils

There is a good amount of talk among essential oil users and educators about ingesting essential oils. Is the internal use of essential oils really safe? Which oils may be ingested – and which should be avoided? Finally, what are the potential risks? The answers to some of these questions are highly debated within the essential oil community. If you ask a Certified Aromatherapist, most will tell you NOT to ingest essential oils.

However, as a holistic doctor, I respectfully disagree with that stance and confidently recommend the internal use of dōTERRA essential oils. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of information on the internet to conflate the issue, with some professional aromatherapists insisting that essential oils should only be used aromatically. These discrepancies can be traced to the French versus English approach to using essential oils, which are based on their respective concepts of the impact of stress and biomedical awareness of disease.¹

It’s interesting to note that the individual who first coined the word aromathérapie was a French chemist by the name of René-Maurice Gattefossé, and he experimented with both topical and internal use of essential oils as early as 1910².

It is my hope that as the internet brings greater clarity and awareness of multiple schools of thought, that more people will be able to reap the benefit of each method of using essential oils: aromatically, topically, AND internally!

Can Essential Oils Be Safely Ingested?

Yes, they can! While aromatic and topical use are both effective (and often, all you need in order to get help), there are simply some instances when internal use is going to deliver the most potent and powerful results. Not only do I use essential oils internally myself, but I also recommend using oils internally, topically, and aromatically to my essential oil community and patients.

When & How Should Essential Oils Be Used Internally?

Our skin absorbs up to 60% of anything it comes into contact with, so you may be quite satisfied with topical application of essential oils. However, for some health and wellness challenges, particularly systemic or stubborn ones, you will find internal use to be highly effective.

Studies show that essential oils actually protect the mucosa in our bodies. For example, the limonene found in citrus oils has a positive effect on the mucous membranes of the stomach lining, without disrupting normal stomach acid secretion. Further, research shows that certain essential oils support a healthy pH and increased enzymatic activity in our mouth when used as part of a healthy oral care routine (for example, with dōTERRA’s On Guard mouthwash).

Other essential oils support the optimal functioning of our intestinal tract, encourage a healthy inflammatory response in our bodies, and protect our cells against oxidative stress and free radical damage when taken internally.

While it is prudent to do your own research, it’s clear that we can successfully use essential oils internally to further support our overall vitality and wellness.

Which Oils Can be Safely Ingested?

First – many essential oils are on the FDA’s list of substances that are “GRAS” (Generally Recognized as Safe, and can be added to foods), but please do not mistake that as a green light to ingest ANY essential oil you have lying around! I exclusively use and recommend dōTERRA essential oils because each batch is rigorously tested for purity and quality.

There are some types of essential oils that should NEVER be ingested – for example, all oils derived from the bark of trees, and several of the blends that dōTERRA produces, including Deep Blue. If you are using dōTERRA oils you can pick up one of several reference books I recommend in my Essential Oil Resource Guide, or refer to dōTERRA’s website for clear guidance.

How to Safely Ingest Essential Oils

Now that you’re aware of the importance of purity and sourcing for essential oils that you plan to use internally, and you’ve brushed up on the details about which ones can and cannot be safely ingested, you’re ready to learn HOW to use essential oils internally.

Firstly, it’s not advisable to put a drop of pure essential oil directly into your mouth. This is especially true with any of the “hot” oils, or culinary/herbal oils, such as Oregano, Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemongrass, and Thyme. They interact with your oral tissues much differently than with the highly acidic environment of your stomach!

Instead, you may try placing a drop of Peppermint or Frankincense essential oil into your palm, then “mix” the oil with the pad of your thumb, and apply the oil to the roof of your mouth. I recommend trying this with a dime-size amount of fractionated or full fat coconut oil first, to minimize any sensitivity. This is a useful technique to freshen your breath, help keep you alert, and resolve occasional headaches.

Essential oils should usually be diluted, even if you’re using them internally. There are a few simple and efficient ways to safely ingest essential oils:

• Add one to two drops to a full glass of water (citrus oils or the Slim & Sassy blend are lovely for flavouring your water)
• Add during food preparation when cooking or baking
• Make your own custom blends in veggie caps (add carrier oil with a pipette to extend the shelf life of these!)
• Take dōTERRA softgels, such as Serenity, TriEase, DigestZen, Copaiba, and On Guard

Please also note that you will want to keep essential oils away from your eyes, ears, and nose. A roller bottle blend of oils diluted with a carrier oil is the safest, easiest way to apply oils when you need to address those sensitive areas.

When NOT to Ingest Essential Oils

Finally, it’s important to note that even essential oils that can safely be ingested should not be ingested by everyone! With young children, there is almost never a need for internal use without the oversight of a wellness professional – topical and aromatic applications will sufficiently do the job!

Essential oils should be used internally only in small amounts and infrequently during pregnancy, preferably under the guidance of a knowledgeable mentor. Stephanie Fritz is an author and midwife whose work I refer to often for mums-to-be and new mums alike. I recommend her book, Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Birth & Babies, which you can purchase here.

Additional Resources

In the event that you still have reservations about the internal use of essential oils, please read through the literature provided by dōTERRA:

Is It Safe to Ingest Essential Oils?

Internal Use of Essential Oils

My hope is that you will reap even more benefits from your precious dōTERRA oils now that we have dispelled the myth that essential oils should never be ingested! I am happy to direct you to further research, resources, and guidance for the safe internal use of essential oils, if you need it.

Still have questions? Please leave them below! And don’t forget to share this article with anyone you know who is interested in internal use of pure essential oils, or who may have reservations about using them internally.

xo Dr. Marissa

Get started with pure essential oils that can be safely used topically, aromatically, AND internally here.

¹ https://aromaticstudies.com/models-for-aromatherapy-french-english-and-the-emerging-new-model
² http://www.thebarefootdragonfly.com/aromatic-history-gattefosses-aromatherapie