In a study published in the journal Epilepsy Research on March 26, researchers analyzed 350 seizure cases from across four South Indian hospitals over the span of four years. Results showed that 15.7 percent of the seizures—making up 55 patients from the group—could potentially have been induced by inhaling, ingesting, or applying eucalyptus or camphor essential oils. Researchers found that while some patients in the group had histories of epilepsy, 40 percent had never experienced a seizure before. Also, once patients were advised to stop using essential oils, their follow-up visits with doctors over the following one to three years revealed that almost none experienced another seizure. And for more things to avoid, If You Take These 2 Supplements, Your Stroke Risk May Be High, Study Says. The study notes that most patients had reported using toothpaste, balms, pills, or other items containing eucalyptus or camphor, which are popular products in India for treating everyday maladies such as pain, headaches, or cold symptoms. But in an interview with The Academic Times, Thomas Mathew, PhD, one of the study’s authors and head of the neurology department at St. John’s Medical College Hospital in Bengaluru, India, called the initial results of the study “surprising and shocking.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “Ingestion of eucalyptus and camphor has been reported to trigger seizures, while the topical application is generally perceived as safe. However, our observations from the current study indicate that this may not be true,” the study’s authors wrote. And for more on how to keep other vital organs safe, If You Drink This Much Coffee a Day, Your Heart’s in Danger, Study Finds. Despite being “one of the largest studies on essential oil-related seizures in adults,” the researchers were quick to emphasize the limitations of their research, saying that the small number of patients from one area of India meant a more widespread study would have to be conducted. The “true incidence of these essential oil-related neurological disorders like seizures are difficult to ascertain as doctors rarely ask these in their history taking, as these are not mentioned in conventional textbooks or teaching curricula,” Mathew told The Academic Times. “We need large epidemiological studies to find the true prevalence, which is unfortunately not available at present.” And for more health news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. While the Indian study may have been the largest to date, it’s not the first time the use of essential oils has been linked to seizures in some people. According to the Epilepsy Society in the U.K., there are a few oils that anyone who has epilepsy should avoid, including rosemary, fennel, sage, eucalyptus, hyssop, wormwood, camphor, and spike lavender. And for more on how you can keep your brain healthy, Doing This One Thing Twice a Day Lowers Your Dementia Risk, Study Says.
