Aromatherapy, while following the recommendations, can alleviate stress, however, long-term exposure to volatile aromatic oils can damage health.

This is evidenced by the results of a recent study by Taiwan scientists published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.

Researchers conducted an experiment during which they simulated the conditions of a typical home aromatherapy, which are fond in many parts of the world. They used an evaporator to saturate the air indoors with aromatic bergamot oil. Bergamot oil is one of the most common ingredients of perfumes, massage oils and aromatic mixtures.

Scientists asked 100 healthy young participants to stay in the room for 2 hours in a row. In total there were three separate visits, during each of which the researchers measured the pulse and blood pressure of the participants (the measurements were made every 15 minutes).

During the first hour of stay in the room, the pulse and blood pressure of participants slightly decreased. But after 75 minutes of aromatherapy this trend has changed. Heart rate and pressure began to rise. The mean increase in systolic pressure was insignificant, it was about 2 mm. ppm. art.. The heart rate increased by an average of 2 beats per minute compared with the baseline.

How can sweet aromas cause harm to health? Dr. Chang, a researcher at Taipei Medical University, believes that aromatherapy oils are essentially the same volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are air pollutants and irritate the eyes, throat and lungs.

In a recent study, Dr. Chang suggested that workers in beauty salons undergo severe VOC exposure. This, in his opinion, increases the level of biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in the blood.

Thus, the excessive effect of aromatic oils can be harmful to the cardiovascular system, even in healthy young people. But not everyone is convinced that this is true.

Dr. Pamela Dalton, an employee of the Philadelphia Center for the Perception of Chemicals named Monell, believes that the study of the Taiwanese scientist had several shortcomings that affected his conclusions.

First, the study did not include a control group. The control group would help understand what would happen to people staying in a room with the same size, furnishings and microclimate, but without aromatic oils.

Dr. Dalton notes that we see a slight decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, but an hour later there are unexpected changes in the opposite direction. This, in her opinion, may be due to prolonged sitting in a closed room, which in itself causes anxiety and stress.

Another point that raised Dr. Dalton's doubts in the results of the experiment is the VOC level in the room, which was only 80 particles per billion. She believes that this is an extremely low concentration.

Until such time as an adequate study is conducted, Dr. Dalton advises people with allergic diseases and asthma to avoid aromatic oils, even if they hope for a therapeutic effect. The rest of the people, in her opinion, can try aromatherapy, but without any guarantees.

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