Lemon balm, known as a calming herb, helps everything from anxiety to indigestion. It’s a perennial member of the mint family, its leaves having a light lemon fragrance.
Lemon balm is known by many other names, such as bee balm, cure-all, dropsy plant, honey plant, garden balm, heart's delight, sweet balm, and sweet Mary.
Native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia, lemon balm can be found in many parts of the world. Its small white flowers attract bees and other pollinators, while its lemony scent repels mosquitoes.
Lemon balm has been used as medicine for over a thousand years, believed to help with various disorders.
Health Benefits
Studies have shown that the herb is a potential treatment for many issues, from anxiety to menstrual symptoms.
Lemon balm has been shown to provide the following health benefits:
Reducing Anxiety
If you need to relieve stress, lemon balm can help lower anxiety, excitability, and nervousness.
Some research has shown that lemon balm extract can improve one's mood and attention. A study found that chemicals called terpenes found in lemon balm can help calm agitation in people with severe dementia by reactivating brain circuits.
Research published in 2014 examined the mood and cognitive effects of foods containing lemon balm. The supplement was mixed into a beverage and into yogurt along with either natural or artificial sweeteners. Participants in both groups reported positive effects on various aspects of mood, including reduced levels of anxiety.
It may boost cognitive function
Participants were asked to do cognitive tasks involving memory, mathematics, and concentration. The results of these computerized tasks suggest that participants who ingested lemon balm performed better than those who didn’t.
Although these participants did experience an increase in levels of alertness and performance, it’s still possible for fatigue to set in over time. Combining lemon balm with food also affects its absorption rate, which may have had an impact on its efficacy. Additional research is needed.
It can help treat nausea
Given its potential impact on your digestive system, lemon balm may also help relieve feelings of nausea.
A 2005 review assessing the results of several studies on lemon balm found the herb to be useful in treating gastrointestinal symptoms such as this. Although this is a promising development, it’s important to recognize the study limitations.
Many of the studies looked at lemon balm used in conjunction with other herbs. Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of lemon balm when used alone.
Stress Relief
Lemon balm is said to soothe symptoms of stress, help you to relax, and boost your mood.
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Although this was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, it had a small sample size of 18 people. Further research is needed to elaborate on these findings.
Treating Insomnia
Research has shown that when combined with herbs like valerian, lemon balm helps improve sleep. Also, drinking lemon balm tea can help with insomnia.
Combining lemon balm with valerian may help relieve restlessness and sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Researchers in one 2006 study found that children who took a combined dose experienced a 70 to 80 percent improvement in symptoms. Both the researchers and parents regarded lemon balm as being a good or very good treatment.
Easing Digestive Problems
Compounds in lemon balm may relieve gastrointestinal problems, such as bloating and indigestion.
If you experience frequent abdominal pain, bloating , gas, indigestion, bloating, colic, and discomfort, lemon balm may have a positive effect on your digestion.
Recently, A small study assessed the effects of a cold dessert containing lemon balm on functional dyspepsia. Participants ate a sorbet, with or without the herb, after a meal. Although both types of desserts lessened the symptoms and their intensity, the dessert containing lemon balm intensified this effect.
Healing Cold Sores
You can even apply lemon balm topically at the first sign of a cold sore.
Lemon balm ointments have been found to help heal cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Participants in a 1999 study applied either a lemon balm or placebo cream on the affected area four times per day for five days. The researchers found that the participants who used the lemon balm cream experienced fewer symptoms and healed faster than those who didn’t.
The researchers also suggested that using lemon balm cream may help prolong the intervals between cold sore outbreaks. Further studies are needed to expand on these findings.
Ease Menstrual Pain
The compound rosmarinic acid in lemon balm may help minimize the severity of menstrual symptoms like cramps and fatigue.
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It may help ease headache pain
It may help lessen toothache pain
**Health Risks**
Although there are many benefits of using lemon balm, and it’s generally seen as safe, consuming it may have some health risks.
Thyroid Medication and Sedatives
If you’re taking thyroid medication or sedatives for insomnia, ask your doctor before consuming lemon balm — the herb can interact with these drugs.
GENESIS 1:29
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
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