The Benefits of Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a soothing herb known for its calming effects, helping to alleviate stress, anxiety, and insomnia. It also promotes cognitive function and has mild antiviral properties. Frequently used in teas and supplements, it helps support emotional well-being and can even improve digestion by relaxing the muscles in the digestive tract.
Key Highlights Lemon Balm
- Aids in a good night’s sleep
- Helps to relieve anxiety and stress
- Improves memory and concentration
- Aids digestion
Biochemistry Timeline
Lemon Balm supplementation typically shows benefits in about two weeks, enhancing mood, reducing anxiety, promoting relaxation, and improving sleep quality, making it an effective natural remedy for stress relief.
What is Lemon Balm?
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) has been used in various cultures for different medicinal reasons stretching back centuries. In fact, records referring to its therapeutic uses can be dated as far back as 2000 years. It has a wide range of potential beneficial effects including stress-relief, anti-anxiety, sleep, mood and cognitive function support.
This beautiful botanical is a citrus-scented herb and can be used in cooking as well as for therapeutic uses. It is a member of the mint (Labiatiae) family and has small pale-yellow flowers. The herb’s genus gets its name from the Greek word for “honey bee” as lemon balm attracts bees. Sweet!
The Amazing Benefits of Lemon Balm
Disease Prevention
Due to the high content of flavonoids, Lemon balm has wonderful antioxidant properties and has been shown to help prevent neurological diseases associated with oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress has been involved in the progression of some degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Lemon balm extract can scavenge both synthetic and natural free radicals to protect against harmful oxidant damage and stress. For this reason, it has been shown to have significant protective effects for disease treatment and prevention.
Antiviral Properties
So powerful are the antiviral properties of lemon balm that when applied topically to cold sores, it accelerates healing and helps to prolong intervals between cold sore outbreaks. This remarkable herb not only reduces the duration and severity of symptoms but also provides a soothing effect that alleviates pain and discomfort. Its active compounds, such as rosmarinic acid, work to inhibit the herpes simplex virus, thereby reducing inflammation and preventing the virus from replicating. Regular application of lemon balm can significantly decrease the frequency of outbreaks, making it a valuable addition to the natural treatment regimen for those prone to cold sores.
Sleep Quality
Counting sheep doesn’t always cut it, but luckily nature has its way of providing us with a natural sedative. As well as promoting calmness, lemon balm also aids restful sleep and has often been used as a sleeping remedy in the elderly.
For those who find restful sleep challenging due to anxiety, lemon balm may be beneficial. A 15-day pilot study showed that in a stressed group, 600 mg of lemon balm leaf extract (300 mg for breakfast and 300 mg for lunch) reduced insomnia related to anxiety (42%). Another study shows that when participants ingested lemon balm with food they reported positive effects on various aspects of mood, including reduced levels of anxiety.
One study showed that lemon balm improved the quality of sleep in post-menopausal women, sleep disturbances being a common symptom of menopause.
Mood Regulation
Known as the ‘calming herb’ it has been historically used to regulate mood and cognitive function and more recently has been shown to decrease depression, anxiety and stress. When Lemon Balm was consumed in different forms like beverages and yoghurts, these studies indicated that participants experienced improved mood and reduced anxiety, although the effects varied depending on the form and dosage.
Research has shown that lemon balm has been found to ease the negative mood effects of laboratory-induced psychological stress. Those who took lemon balm reported an increased sense of calmness and reduced feelings of alertness. During the study, individuals underwent computerised tasks involving memory, maths and concentration. Those taking lemon balm enjoyed better results than those who didn’t take it.
Summary
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a calming herb renowned for alleviating stress, anxiety, and insomnia. It enhances cognitive function and offers mild antiviral properties. Typically consumed in teas and supplements, it promotes emotional well-being and aids digestion by relaxing digestive muscles. Users generally experience benefits within two weeks, including improved mood and sleep quality. Rich in flavonoids, Lemon Balm provides antioxidant protection against oxidative stress, potentially aiding in neurological health. Historically used for its soothing effects, it may also reduce symptoms of anxiety and insomnia, making it a valuable natural remedy for overall wellness.
FAQs
What is the recommended dosage for Lemon Balm? Common dosages range from 300 mg to 600 mg, taken two to three times daily. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice.
Are there any side effects? Lemon Balm is generally safe, but some individuals may experience mild side effects such as nausea, dizziness, or allergic reactions.
Is Lemon Balm safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women? While Lemon Balm is considered safe in food amounts, pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult a healthcare provider before using supplements.
Research:
- Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillère, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean journal of nutrition and metabolism, 4(3), 211–218.
- Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, Perry N, Ossoukhova A, Bilog V, Kras M, Scholz C, Sass M, Buchwald-Werner S. (2014) Anti-Stress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods. Nutrients. 6 (11), 4805-4821.
- Haybar, H., Javid, A, Z., Haghighhizadeh, M, H., Valizadeh, E., Mohaghegh, S, M., & Mohammadzadeh, A. (2018). The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 26, 47-52.
- Kennedy, D. O., Scholey, A. B., Tildesley, N. T., Perry, E. K., & Wesnes, K. A. (2002). Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 72(4), 953–964.
- "Swiader, K., Startek, K., & Wijaya, C, H. (2019). [The therapeutic properties of Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.):
- Reviewing novel findings and medical indications](https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/270255274.pdf). Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality, 92, 327-335."
- Koytchev, R., Alken, R, G., & Dundarov, S. (1999). Balm mint extract (Lo-701) for topical treatment of recurring herpes labialis. Phytomedicine, 6 (4), 225-230.
- Miraj, S., Rafieian-Kopaei, & Kiani, S. (2017). Melissa officinalis L: A Review Study With an Antioxidant Prospective. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine, 22(3), 385–394.
- Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, Perry N, Ossoukhova A, Bilog V, Kras M, Scholz C, Sass M, Buchwald-Werner S. (2014). Anti-Stress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods. Nutrients, 6 (11), 4805-4821.
- Heydari, N., Dehghani, M., Emamghoreishi, M., & Akbarzadeh, M. (2018). Effect of Melissa officinalis capsule on the mental health of female adolescents with premenstrual syndrome: a clinical trial study. International journal of adolescent medicine and health, 31(3), /j/ijamh.2019.31.issue-3/ijamh-2017-0015/ijamh-2017-0015.xml.
- Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of single doses of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) with human CNS nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-binding properties
