Almost everyone has suffered from nausea and vomiting at some point in their lives; it’s a memorable -albeit unpleasant- part of the human experience. Most likely, after expelling whatever had upset your stomach, you rinsed your mouth out and felt relatively better the next day. Imagine not being able to rid yourself of nausea, even after vomiting. What would you do? 

This is a reality faced by children and adults enduring cancer treatment, with children being more affected than adults. The Journal of Pediatric Nursing claims nausea and vomiting to be the most upsetting symptoms experienced by children undergoing treatment. Adolescents tend to have nausea to a greater extent than younger children, while girls were observed to have more nausea than boys. This is presumed to be due to hormonal reasons, however, because the physiology of nausea and vomiting is not well understood, no one can be sure why. For more information on ways cancer can affect young girls’ hormones, see Effect of Cancer on Puberty in Adolescent Females – Here To Serve. 

What we do know about the physiology of nausea and vomiting is that the brain actually has a ‘vomiting center’ located in the brain stem, and it works with another part of the brain called the chemoreceptor trigger zone. Although the name sounds similar to chemotherapy, chemoreceptors are a healthy, normal part of every human body. The prefix ‘chemo’ means chemical, and chemoreceptors are sensitive to the chemical composition of blood, triggering changes when necessary to maintain balance in the body. Unfortunately sometimes this results in nausea and vomiting. 

Treating nausea and vomiting is very important. Without treatment, long-term nausea and vomiting will cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, making the body work even harder to get well. Normally, antiemetics are used, but sometimes these are ineffective. An alternative is peppermint essential oil, which can help nausea. In this blog we will explore this natural, safe, and effective alternative for controlling nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. 

If you’ve relegated peppermint to fancy after-dinner mints or the entire month of December, keep reading. Peppermint is an extraordinary herb with a multitude of uses. Peppermint essential oil is extracted from derivatives of the chemical compound mentha, found in the leaves and flowers of the peppermint plant. While it has many benefits, for the purposes of this blog we’ll focus on how it helps to alleviate nausea and vomiting.  

As noted above, the vomiting center in the brain is triggered by chemical imbalances in our blood. These imbalances can occur because of pain, medications, and even when certain nerves are stimulated, such as the vagus nerve. Peppermint essential oil works to correct these imbalances. One large way this happens is in peppermint essential oil’s interactions with the gastrointestinal tract.  

• Inhaling vs. Ingesting: One way peppermint essential oil works to decrease nausea is by avoiding the use of the GI tract. Many medications used to decrease nausea must be ingested. This means that before the body can use them, they must pass through the acidic environment of the stomach, which can cause imbalance. Inhaled medications – and peppermint essential oil, when inhaled – can bypass the stomach and the blood-brain barrier, getting straight into the bloodstream where they can begin working.  
• Relaxing Smooth Muscles: Smooth muscles  comprise the majority of the GI tract. According to Advances in Pediatrics, peppermint essential oil inhibits smooth muscle contraction (The Essentials of Essential Oils – ClinicalKey). When muscles are not contracted, blood vessels are more easily able to carry blood where it needs to go. The vomiting center in the brain would be alerted to imbalances in the blood caused by contracted muscles decreasing blood flow. With peppermint essential oil keeping smooth muscles relaxed, blood flow remains unconstricted, and imbalances -and subsequent nausea- are avoided. 
• Aiding in Gut Motility: In addition to relaxing smooth muscles in the GI tract to promote blood flow, peppermint essential oil aids in gut motility. The Journal of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy notes that peppermint essential oil decreases the amount of acetylcholine in the blood (Peppermint essential oil: its phytochemistry, biological activity, pharmacological effect and application – ClinicalKey). Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter responsible for exciting the body systems and promoting sympathetic nervous system responses. This is important to note for gut motility and decreasing nausea because resting and digesting occurs best when the parasympathetic nervous system, not the sympathetic nervous system, is in the driver’s seat. By ensuring there’s not an unnecessary amount of acetylcholine in the bloodstream, peppermint essential oil promotes resting and digesting, allowing gut motility to function more normally, decreasing nausea.  

Understanding that peppermint oil does indeed work to decrease nausea is very different from knowing how to safely use it. Before you use peppermint essential oil there are several safety precautions you must be aware of.  

• Avoid Wintergreen: While both peppermint and wintergreen are minty, peppermint is safe for children and wintergreen is very toxic to children!
• Drug Interactions: It is important to discuss your plans to use peppermint oil with your doctor before you begin using it because peppermint oil can interact with some medications and cause them to stop working properly. For example, it potentiates antispasmodics but decreases effectiveness of cyclosporines, an immuno-suppressive medication. For a better understanding of herbs and medication interactions, see Is it Safe to Take Herbal Supplements During Cancer Treatment? (heretoserve.org).
• Pregnancy Safety: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have any medical conditions you also should talk to your doctor before using peppermint oil. 
• Side Effects: Side effects you need to be aware of if given topically include rash or contact dermatitis, so it is important to test a small area of skin before applying a larger amount therapeutically.  If given internally as a tea, it can cause or worsen heartburn and indigestion because it relaxes the esophageal sphincter. Additional concerns for ingesting peppermint is that it can potentially lower blood sugar and cause mouth sores. When inhaled, peppermint essential could cause asthma exacerbation. 

If you find these safety concerns raise valid reasons to avoid the use of peppermint oil for nausea, there are other alternative natural remedies that can be used. The Journal of Pediatric Nursing published a study that utilized lemon essential oils for nausea, which can be found here: Effect of peppermint-lemon aromatherapy on nausea-vomiting and quality of life in pediatric patients with leukemia: A randomized controlled trial – ClinicalKey for Nursing; however, because it is an essential oil many of the same safety considerations would apply. Acupressure is another easy, low-risk alternative to try to relieve nausea. The pressure point for nausea is located two to three finger widths below the anterior wrist and between the two major tendons. Pressing with the thumb at that point can alleviate nausea in some people 11 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Nausea (healthline.com).  

Keeping safety in mind, how exactly do we utilize peppermint oil for nausea? There are several different ways peppermint essential oil can be used. Peppermint oil comes in small vials or bottles, some have droppers, others have a small plastic orifice reducer to ensure the contents come out one drop at a time. This is convenient because a typical dose is only a few drops, regardless of whether it’s inhaled or applied topically. To alleviate nausea, inhalation is the best route, however, we will discuss the other options in the event they work better for you. 

Topical Application: Peppermint essential oil must be diluted with a carrier oil such as almond or coconut oil in order to be safely applied to the skin. A 0.5% dilution is recommended for children, which equates to 3 drops of essential oil for every ounce of carrier. Don’t apply to a child’s face, instead rub it on their chest or stomach to assist with nausea. A couple drops on a cool washcloth can also be placed on the chest or stomach. 

Ingestion: There is not enough research on ingesting essential oils or their potency (one drop of peppermint oil is the equivalent of drinking 26 cups of peppermint tea), and they are not standardized in extraction/purification methods. Therefore it is not recommended to bypass your gag reflex by putting a few drops into a capsule unless recommended by a doctor. 

Inhalation: The best way to administer peppermint oil via inhalation is by placing 2-4 drops on a cotton ball, placing the cotton ball in a medicine cup and having your loved one hold it close enough so they can smell it. This way you avoid contact with the skin, and if your loved one isn’t benefiting from the treatment they can easily remove it. Avoid diffusers because they can harbor mold, which is dangerous for cancer patients and their weakened immune systems.  

Cancer treatments can cause a multitude of side effects, including nausea and vomiting. If left untreated, nausea and vomiting can cause dehydration and other more dangerous conditions. Using peppermint oil for nausea is an easy, natural, and low-risk alternative to antiemetics. Studies have shown that in addition to alleviating nausea and vomiting, peppermint oil can calm nerves, has anti-inflammatory properties, and offers a host of other benefits. As with anything you’re doing for your health, it’s important to consult your doctor before starting to use peppermint essential oil.Comfort and relief are the goals and if peppermint oil isn’t helping you achieve them, don’t use it. Knowing how to use peppermint oil for nausea is important; it’s another tool in your belt to help you and your loved ones feel better! 

If you or a loved one has experience using peppermint essential oil for nausea, please comment below. We’d love to hear your story.  

Here to Serve Supports Families throughout the Cancer Journey 

Here to Serve continues to be a home for hope and support for families with children going through cancer. We are on a mission to ease the in-home challenges families face when a child or young parent battles cancer. From diagnosis to recovery, we provide comprehensive care, offering physical, financial, and emotional support all in one place. Our focus is on families who often don’t qualify for traditional aid, ensuring that no one faces this journey alone. 

If your child has recently been diagnosed with cancer, or you as a young parent are navigating a cancer journey, Here to Serve is here for you. Together, we’ll navigate the challenges and remove burdens that allow you to focus on what matters most, caring for your loved ones. 

References:

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• 11 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Nausea (healthline.com)
• dōTERRA Peppermint Oil — Dotty’s Oils (dottys-oils.com)
• Essential Oils: 11 Main Benefits and 101 Uses – Dr. Axe (draxe.com)

About The Author 

Rachel Peach Fenske, BSN, has worked in healthcare for over a decade, and the past six years as a nurse. Additionally, she is a healthcare freelance writer and cares for her two elderly parents who have multiple health problems. Having worked in many different healthcare settings, Rachel has seen the triumphs and changes the years (and the pandemic) have wrought on the clinical landscape. She feels the current system is failing many people in a myriad of ways, which is what drew her to volunteer for Here to Serve. This non-profit organization makes sure nobody – regardless of their situation – falls through cancer’s healthcare cracks. Here to Serve helps in unique, community-minded ways that empower families, who otherwise would be left floundering amid the life-changing chaos that cancer creates.