Fenugreek Oil

Fenugreek is an annual herb that’s part of the pea family (Fabaceae). It’s also known as Greek hay (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and bird’s foot.

The herb has light green leaves and small white flowers. It’s widely cultivated in northern Africa, Europe, West and South Asia, North America, Argentina, and Australia.

Seeds from the plant are consumed for their therapeutic properties. They are used for their impressive essential amino acid content, featuring leucine and lysine.

The herb’s essential oils are extracted from the seeds, usually with the supercritical CO2 extraction process. This is the preferred method of extraction because it’s considered nontoxic and leaves zero residual organic solvents.

Benefits

The benefits of fenugreek essential oil come from the herb’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and stimulating effects. Here’s a breakdown of studied and proven fenugreek oil benefits:

1. Aids Digestion

Fenugreek oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help improve digestion. This is why fenugreek is often incorporated in dietary plans for ulcerative colitis treatments.

Studies also report that fenugreek helps support healthy microbial balance and may work to improve gut health.

2. Enhances Physical Endurance and Libido

Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that fenugreek extracts have a significant impact on both upper- and lower-body strength and body composition among resistance-trained men compared to a placebo.

Fenugreek has also been shown to increase sexual arousal and testosterone levels among men. Research concludes that it has a positive effect on male libido, energy and stamina.

3. May Improve Diabetes

There’s some evidence that using fenugreek oil internally may help improve diabetes symptoms. An animal study published in Lipids in Health and Disease found that a formulation of fenugreek essential oil and omega-3s was able to improve starch and glucose tolerance in diabetic rats.

The combination also significantly decreased the glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol rates, while increasing HDL cholesterol, which helped the diabetic rats maintain homeostasis of blood lipid.

4. Enhances Breast Milk Supply

Fenugreek is the most widely used herbal galactagogue to enhance a women’s breast milk supply. Studies indicate that the herb is able to stimulate the breast to supply an increasing amount of milk, or it may stimulate sweat production, which increases milk supply.

It’s important to add that studies do note the potential side effects of using fenugreek for breast milk production, including excessive sweating, diarrhea and worsening of asthma symptoms.

5. Fights Acne and Promotes Skin Health

Fenugreek oil works as an antioxidant, so it helps fight acne and is even used on the skin to support wound healing. The oil also has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that can soothe the skin and relieve breakouts or skin irritations.

The anti-inflammatory effects of fenugreek oil also help improve skin conditions and infections, including eczema, wounds and dandruff. Research even shows that applying it topically can help reduce swelling and external inflammation.

6. Works as an Expectorant

Fenugreek is known to work as an expectorant that helps relieve congestion by expelling phlegm. In fact, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the herb is known as a “phlegm mover” that breaks up stuck energies and has a cooling anti-inflammatory effect.

One study found that fenugreek syrup and honey helped improve quality of life and lung function among participants with mild asthma.

Diffusing the oil can help relieve a cough and ease that stuffy feeling you get when dealing with respiratory infections.

7. May Suppress Appetite

A study published in Clinical Nutrition Research found that drinking fenugreek tea and fennel tea were both significantly effective in suppressing appetite among overweight women in South Korea.

Researchers found that fenugreek tea decreased hunger, led to less food consumption and increased feelings of fullness compared to the placebo.