Oregano Oil: How This Inflammation-Fighting Oil Might Help Soothe Candida

Oregano oil is made from dried, wild oregano plants, perennials native to the Mediterranean. Sorry, spice lovers: Simply eating the plant or drinking it as tea won't unlock its benefits—the real power comes when you distill a lot of it down into an essential oil.

These days, you can find oregano essential oil in softgel capsules and tinctures. Since it has a pungent flavor, I usually recommend that people take it in capsule form as a supplement so it's more palatable. Plus, this way it's easier to monitor dosing. If you're taking it in liquid form, you can either put a few drops of the oil on the tongue to unlock its disease-fighting properties or use it topically with a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, or almond oil to help soothe skin and prevent adult acne. However, do NOT apply it directly to skin as it may cause irritation. (Be sure to check out this comprehensive guide to choosing effective essential oils before you go out and get it, especially if you plan to ingest it.)

Oregano oil is a potent antioxidant that has been used to treat everything from inflammation1 to bacterial infections2. Studies have even shown it might be effective at helping with upper respiratory tract infection3, GI (gastrointestinal) infections, parasites and bacterial overgrowth (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) or an imbalance of microbiota (dysbiosis), urinary tract infections4, skin rashes5, as well as numerous yeast infections6 both topical and internal, such as athlete's foot and vaginal yeast infection. But always talk to your doctor if you think you have an infection or are thinking of using a natural remedy.

There are numerous7 studies8 that cite the beneficial response of oregano oil in warding off candida infections. But how does it work? Let's dive into some science: Oregano oil interacts with the cell wall by killing the membrane of yeast buds. It's also great at killing candida by dehydrating the yeast cells. Carvacrol and thymol, agents in oregano oil, also react by inhibiting the biofilms of the candida.

Candida does not form resistance to oregano oil like it does to some other fungal medications. Some studies9 actually found that oregano oil is just as effective, if not more effective, than traditional oral antifungal pharmaceutical medications. Oregano oil can be used to treat candida overgrowth in the body, vaginal yeast infections, topical yeast rashes, as well as dandruff. You can even use it on pets to clear yeast infections in the ear10.

Oregano oil is a good, well-rounded broad-spectrum antibacterial agent since it covers both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It contains natural agents like thymol and carvacrol, which are the main potent inhibitors of candida and bacterial infections. Carvacrol destroys the cell membranes of bacteria so it doesn't replicate.

Rosmarinic acid is also another component found in oregano oil. It's a potent antioxidant that fights free radicals and is packed with antioxidants. It is great for people with arthritis, colitis, as well as heart disease, to keep inflammation at bay. It also is believed11 that carvacrol has properties that stop cell death and might even help fight certain cancers.