7 Health Benefits of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

December 3, 2023 Agric4Profits

Lemon balm plant is a member of the mint perennial family. Common balm or balm mint are other names for the plant, which is scientifically known as Melissa officinalis.

Its natural habitat is the southern regions of Europe, as well as other regions of the Middle East and Central Asia, but it is now routinely grown in the Americas and other areas of the world.

Different lemon balm benefits have been used in traditional medicine, particularly in European nations like Austria. In reality, the 14th-century alcoholic extract beverage Carmelite water, which is still sold in Germany, contains lemon balm.

The natural health cures that have been around the longest can sometimes be the ones that are the most effective. That is unquestionably the case with lemon balm, a fast-growing herb whose benefits on anything from cancer to sleeplessness have been researched.

What uses does the herb lemon balm have? Since the Middle Ages, Melissa has been recommended by physicians as a natural remedy to enhance sleep, lessen anxiety, heal wounds, and lengthen life. Melissa is used in teas, cooking, and the production of Melissa essential oil.

Since the plant originated in Europe and the Middle East, many studies have been done on its advantages today.

You’ll want to grow some lemon balm in your own garden once you learn all the ways it can benefit you, as I’ve listed below.

7 Health Benefits of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

1. Protects Against Heart and Liver Problems

According to studies, lemon balm essential oil can help lower elevated triglycerides and enhance the liver’s ability to synthesize cholesterol, which may help protect the heart and liver.

Inhaling lemon balm oil lowers several of the components that contribute to the common liver cancer cell’s unceasing growth, according to the same 2012 study that produced these findings.

Lemon balm may also provide heart-health benefits by preventing damage to the heart muscles. In a 2016 study, scientists administered an oral extract of the plant to animals and discovered that it decreased blood pressure and heart rate. They also discovered signs of resistance to heart injury at lower doses.

2. Antibacterial

There is some proof that lemon balm products, such as kombucha (a probiotic-rich fermented beverage), have antibacterial properties that may naturally combat pathogenic microorganisms.

Particularly against candida, lemon balm oil exhibits strong antibacterial and antimicrobial activity. A number of candida symptoms, such as tiredness, cognitive fog, digestive issues, and a compromised immune system, are brought on by this typical yeast infection.

3. Fights Against Diabetes

Researchers have examined the impact of lemon balm essential oil and extract on blood sugar levels. By lowering blood sugar levels and diabetes-related oxidative stress, both provide comparable benefits.

In fact, Free University of Berlin researchers were so convinced by the strong evidence that they concluded that “ethanolic lemon balm extract can potentially be utilized to prevent or concurrently treat type 2 diabetes.”

Does lemon balm help people lose weight? It may be helpful for keeping a healthy weight since it has anti-inflammatory effects, can help you deal with stress, helps digestion, and promotes metabolic health. Although it is not a miracle cure, assistance with weight loss may be a possible side effect.

4. Improves Sleep And Combats Anxiety

Herbal remedies made from lemon balm have historically been used to treat sleeplessness and anxiety. One of its well-known qualities is a slight sedative effect.

These assertions appear to be supported by scientific evidence and go beyond the treatment of general anxiety. For instance, there is some evidence that this herb helps reduce impulsivity, hyperactivity, and concentration issues in elementary school students.

It also appeared to improve mood and/or cognitive performance when consumed internally in food products, as shown by a study including young adults.

According to the available studies, it may enhance math abilities, concentration, and alertness. For instance, there is some evidence that this herb helps reduce impulsivity, hyperactivity, and concentration issues in elementary school students.

It also appeared to improve mood and/or cognitive performance when consumed internally in food products, as shown by a study including young adults.

According to the available studies, it may enhance math abilities, concentration, and alertness. Does lemon balm give you the jitters? It might, despite the fact that it functions differently from sedative drugs.

It appears to lessen insomnia symptoms and sleep disturbances when used as a herbal sleep aid, even during the menopause when symptoms like anxiety, hot flashes, and restlessness are particularly common.

5. Helps To Prevent Herpes

Due in part to its antiviral properties, lemon balm uses also includes topical applications. It is a helpful herbal medicine to treat the herpes virus specifically when administered topically to the skin.

Although there is no permanent treatment for herpes, there are techniques to shorten the length and frequency of outbreaks. The majority of studies on lemon balm’s effectiveness for treating herpes labialis, or cold sores, have been done to date.

According to a study, applying lemon balm extract as a lotion lengthens the time between herpes outbreaks, speeds up the healing process, and seems to lessen symptoms like burning and itching.

Interestingly, studies show no risk of the herpes virus developing resistance after repeated applications due to the method lemon balm acts to achieve this.

When lemon balm essential oil is used, the same outcomes appear to be obtained. It appears that lemon balm’s anti-herpes simplex virus properties are related to its antioxidant components, according to a number of publications. These include polyphenols and tannins. There are no known negative consequences from applying or ingesting this chemical.

6. Anti-inflammatory And Antioxidants

This herb can combat free radical damage in ways that could be ground-breaking for natural medicine. The possible effect of lemon balm against glioblastoma multiforme, a particular type of cancer, may be especially notable in this advantage. It usually starts in the brain, and there are no known effective treatments for this quickly spreading malignancy.

However, a 2014 study discovered that multidrug resistance associated protein 1 expression was inhibited, and apoptosis (spontaneous cell death) was brought on in these cancer cells (MRP1).

Given that MRP1 contributes to the drug resistance that tumors develop to conventional treatments like chemotherapy, this is very significant.

The most prevalent liver cancer cell, MCF-7 (a breast cancer cell line), a colorectal cancer cell line, a type of cancer affecting the organ lining separating the organ from the rest of the body, and two different types of leukemia cells are among the cancer cell lines that have shown apoptotic effects when exposed to lemon balm products in other studies.

In one investigation on how the antioxidants in lemon balm influence oxidative stress brought on by modest amounts of radiation, lemon balm showed remarkable outcomes, including a notable rise in blood levels of other cells.

7. Can Regulate Active Thyroid

More than 12% of Americans suffer from thyroid disorders, and one of the two most prevalent thyroid illnesses, hyperthyroidism, can be helped by a lemon balm.

When attempting to control an overactive thyroid, natural health practitioners frequently utilize lemon balm extract as one of their therapy options.

According to research, these extracts, especially in those with Grave’s disease, prevent substances from attaching to the thyroid receptor that causes the thyroid to overactive.