February 12, 2024
What do we all do when purchasing products like perfumes, candles, dish soaps, or herbal teas? Make sure we like the scent, of course! Our sense of smell plays a vital role in our daily routines, and essential oils are a source of many scents that we enjoy. The relaxing scents in body creams and candles that smell so good are often brought to you by essential oils.
While commonly referred to as essential oils, it can be a misunderstood term. Unlike essential nutrients, essential oils are not essential to health. “Essential” refers to the essence of the plant, rather than any health benefits. As we can be exposed to numerous essential oils in the products we use, it is important to know if they are safe. That is where Health Canada scientists come in.
The essence of essential oils
An essential oil is derived from a single plant and is made up a mixture of organic compounds, many of which are volatile (meaning they can be easily evaporated at room temperature). Essential oils are extracted from different parts of the plant (e.g., flowers, leaves, barks, roots, etc.) and contribute to the fragrance and/or flavour of the plant. They can be purchased almost anywhere, including online, at grocery stores or in boutiques that specialize in selling pure and blended essential oils.
Items found in stores such as personal care and household products may contain essential oils and are commonly advertised for therapeutic, as well as non-therapeutic purposes. Pure essential oils in concentrations of up to 100% may also be purchased and used to make homemade/do-it-yourself (DIY) products. These DIY products may be applied directly on to the skin, such as body lotion or massage oil, or for other uses such as cleaning or air care.
Health Canada is evaluating the risk posed by essential oils in these products, under the Canadian Chemicals Management Plan.
Natural doesn’t always mean safe!
It’s easy to think that all naturally occurring substances cause no harm, but that isn’t always the case. Many plants have evolved to acquire the ability to produce toxins to protect themselves against predators such as insects, animals, or other plants. Some of the substances found in nature can cause harm to human health.
Exposure to certain essential oils can also pose a risk to the health of infants, toddlers, and pregnant people.
In evaluating the safety of consumer and DIY products containing essential oils, Health Canada is proposing that some of them may be harmful to human health. Laboratory studies have shown that some essential oils, when applied on the skin, breathed in, or ingested, may affect organs, such as the liver and kidneys, hormones, or the reproductive system. This indicates that some of the essential oils may be harmful to humans and that developing babies may be especially sensitive to some of these substances.
Safety check
There are challenges in assessing the safety of essential oils, including identifying their composition. The species of plant from which an oil is extracted, its geographical location, and the method used to extract the oil are all factors that can affect its composition. Additionally, the scientific data for some of these components can be limited. These elements are taken into consideration when determining the safety of a specific essential oil.
Health Canada uses information on how oils are used and in what quantities to estimate if they might pose a health risk. Survey data and publicly available scientific literature are the main sources of information. However, Health Canada researchers also look at blogs/forums, manufacture and retailer websites on how oils are being used in DIY recipes like homemade bath oil products, body lotions, massage oils, and other personal care and household products such as aromatic diffuser and floor cleaner, to get the bigger picture on how these products are being used.
Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan aims to reduce the risks posed by potentially dangerous chemicals to Canadians and the environment. Stay tuned to find out more as the evaluation of essential oils progresses.