Article Revised 01/12/24

Are There Safe and Effective Essential Oils for Weight Loss?

There are several safe and effective essential oils for weight loss, such as grapefruit and peppermint. While no essential oils will actually burn fat, these oils can help curb cravings and improve digestive health and metabolism.

How do essential oils for weight loss work?

Our stomachs and gastrointestinal systems communicate with our brains via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the human body, comprising 75% of our parasympathetic nervous system. When we've eaten what our body decides is enough, our stomachs secrete specific gastric juices that signal to our brains that we are full, and our brains stop telling us that we're hungry, which we experience in the form of cravings. 

However, the relationship between the stomach and the brain is a two-way street. Our brains can also send signals down the vagus nerve to our stomach, telling it to release these same juices. The vagus nerve is deeply intertwined with the chemical processes involved with our moods. This is why lack of appetite and increased appetite are common symptoms and side effects of mood disorders and their treatments. We've all experienced moments when something has caused us to lose our appetite, such as when certain subjects are discussed at the dinner table ("Please, not while we're eating!"), but there are more pleasant ways to suppress the appetite. 

What are the best essential oils for suppressing appetite?

Two of the best essential oils for weight loss due to their appetite-suppressing and metabolism-boosting qualities are grapefruit and peppermint. 

Grapefruit Essential Oils

When we inhale the compounds in grapefruit essential oils, our brain sends signals down our vagus nerve to the stomach, and our stomach then begins producing these craving-curbing gastric juices.

Grapefruit essential oils also contain compounds that reduce insulin levels, and our body responds by working to metabolize calories for energy rather than storing them as fat. Grapefruit is particularly effective at reducing cravings for foods high in sugar because of its effects on the blood glucose levels in our bodies.

It's also important to note that unlike the consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, the inhalation of its essential oils does not interfere with any medications or have any negative drug interactions.

Peppermint Essential Oils

Peppermint essential oils contain compounds that increase the production of certain hormones. One of these is the hormone leptin, which is involved with our feelings of satiety or feeling full, which decreases our impulses to eat more. 

The inhalation of peppermint essential oils also decreases ghrelin levels in the body. This hormone is active in our stomach and intestines, and it increases our appetite and encourages our body to store energy as fat. By reducing the production of this hormone, peppermint essential oils encourage the opposite, suppressing our appetite and encouraging our bodies to burn those calories instead.

Is aromatherapy for weight loss safe?

Most of the appetite suppressants available on the market use some form of stimulant to increase our dopamine levels and metabolism, but this can have a wide array of negative side effects.

Aside from the anxiety and jitters that can come with stimulant use, many weight loss supplements often don't just curb our desire for food. They can reduce our healthy desires as well, such as exercise, libido, and socialization.

The compounds found in essential oils like grapefruit and peppermint are all-natural and non-toxic, and they don't have the same habit-forming properties as caffeine and other stimulant drugs. They are also often less expensive than more heavily marketed weight loss products. 

However, it's important to make sure you use quality oils from a trustworthy source. Here is an excerpt from a quality control test performed by Beta Analytic:

"Beta Analytic tested five commercially available peppermint oils from different manufacturers. All five products claim to be "100% natural peppermint oil". Based on the lab's carbon-14 analysis results, only 3 of the products are 100% naturally sourced and have no evidence of synthetic petrochemical adulteration. One product is 49% natural while the other product is only 1% natural."

Always make sure you read the label and exercise due diligence when choosing where to buy wellness products, because unfortunately the market is full of many dubious claims and false advertising.

What is a weight loss inhaler?

A weight loss inhaler is anything designed for personal use that contains products that encourage weight loss. No weight loss inhaler actually burns fat, but certain compounds, both natural and non-natural, can suppress appetite or boost and improve metabolism. Again, it's always important to be aware of what you are using, because many products on the market contain potentially harmful synthetic chemicals or make misleading, unproven claims about their efficacy.

Ascents® Clinical Aromatherapy for Weight Loss

The Ascents Curb No. 23 formula combines the effects of grapefruit and peppermint essential oils, providing a safe, all-natural, and non-toxic alternative when it comes to appetite suppression and weight loss. All Ascents products contain pure essential oils and are evidence-based, and their safety and efficacy have been proven in rigorous clinical trials. 

Ascents Curb No. 23 Aromatherapy Essential Oil Inhaler for Weight Loss

Ascents Curb No. 23 Essential Oil Aromatherapy Essential Oil Blend

Ascents Curb No. 23is available as both a personal inhaler and as a bottled oil. If you would like to try Ascents Curb or any of the other Ascents aromatherapy solutions, please fill out our Sample Request Form or call us at 800-671-1890.

Ascents Clinical Aromatherapy - Recommended by Doctors, Used by Hospitals®