Table of Contents
Understanding Castor Oil’s Benefits
Using Castor Oil for Health Conditions
Castor Oil for Pain Relief
Castor Oil for Fungal Infections
Castor Oil for Constipation and Detox
Using Castor Oil to support health naturally has become hugely popular in recent years. There’s every chance you’re already benefiting from this carrier oil in your routine today – after all, it has become one of the most preferred carrier oils for nourishing skin and hair.
Yet there are other health benefits for which Castor Oil is used. We’re looking closely at how Castor Oil can potentially be used to help target specific health issues like chronic pain, PCOS, constipation, scars and more.
Understanding Castor Oil’s Benefits
Castor Oil in healthcare is no new phenomenon. Rather, this carrier oil has a long-standing reputation as one of the most versatile for therapeutic uses, with Ancient Egyptians relying on Castor Oil to address various ailments from headaches and digestive issues to inflamed skin. It is still used to help these conditions today, although many more uses have joined the list in recent times to make this oil an attractive proposition for overall wellness.
When you look deeper into the chemical constituents that make up Castor Oil, it becomes clear how this plant-based product is so effective when it comes to supporting health.
What are the properties of Castor Oil?
- Ricinoleic acid accounts for up to 90% of Castor Oil, providing extensive anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties for overall health. As a unique fatty acid, ricinoleic acid is responsible for many of Castor Oil’s therapeutic properties.
- Linoleic and oleic acids also act as anti-inflammatories while providing a skin barrier to protect against free radicals.
- Palmitic and stearic acid provide the emollient properties of Castor Oil, which combine to soften the skin and lock in moisture.
- Vitamin E, a known antioxidant, contains healing properties that helps protect the body against environmental damage.
- Omegas 6 and 9 are a source of moisture and nourishment for the body, and also contribute towards Castor Oil’s anti-inflammatory properties.
How do these abundant properties work in practice?
In skin care, Castor Oil deeply hydrates and nourishes all skin types, offering anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits that help manage conditions like eczema, reduce acne, relieve skin irritations, and protect against free radicals while promoting collagen and elastin production.
When it comes to hair care, Castor Oil is believed to nourish the follicles, potentially boosting hair growth and thickness while combating dry scalp and dandruff.
Medically, the properties of Castor Oil can help relieve joint and arthritis pain, fight common warts and fungal infections like athlete's foot, and is said to ease constipation and reduce menstrual cramps.
Whether you choose a regular Castor Oil, Organic Castor Oil or even a PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil to create your own personal care formulations, it’s clear how the properties in this all-natural oil can benefit health. No wonder it’s touted as a remedy for all manner of conditions, helping people return to wellness – but just how effective is Castor Oil when it comes to broader uses like pain relief, PCOS and cramps?
Using Castor Oil for Health Complaints
Castor Oil for PCOS
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance condition in women. Highly common and incurable, PCO affects as many as 13% of reproductive aged women and 1 in 5 Indigenous women in Australia.
PCOS symptoms can include irregular periods, acne, weight gain and excess facial or body hair. As such, many women want to manage the condition to reduce the symptoms as much as possible, and some look towards natural treatments like Castor Oil.
While there is a lack of scientific evidence to say that Castor Oil is good for PCOS, some sources say the natural anti-inflammatory properties in its key constituent, rinoleic acid, can provide relief to women with PCOS. In particular, people are saying that Castor Oil packs can benefit PCOS sufferers by alleviating pain in the abdomen and lower back. Additionally, the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties in Castor Oil may help to reduce the symptoms of acne and promote clearer skin.
Castor Oil for Pain Relief
Joint and muscle pain are extremely common among adults. Whether it’s due to a completely unknown cause or the after-effect of something specific like a sporting injury, many people need treatment to relieve the pain and make their body more comfortable. Natural remedies are an excellent way to help relieve symptoms at home, and Castor Oil for pain relief comes up again and again as an effective solution.
How can Castor Oil reduce joint and muscle pain? It all comes down to the natural constituents in Castor Oil, notably its key constituent, ricinoleic acid, a well-known anti-inflammatory and analgesic. These properties give Castor Oil the ability to reduce inflammation and swelling while helping to minimise pain in the body, as confirmed in this study about Castor Oil and inflammation.
Of course, pain targets parts of the body differently and more studies are required to see how Castor Oil works across the body. The good news is that the natural properties of castor oil can be considered beneficial and effective for reducing most body pains.
Castor Oil for back pain
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, Castor Oil can be seen to alleviate pain in muscles and joints, including the back. This means conditions like sciatica, lower back pain, muscle strain, slipped vertebrae, or a disc hernia can potentially benefit from using Castor Oil topically.
Castor Oil for knee pain
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, Castor Oil can be seen to alleviate pain in muscles and joints, including the back. This means conditions like sciatica, lower back pain, muscle strain, slipped vertebrae, or a disc hernia can potentially benefit from using Castor Oil topically. It’s extremely common to suffer from knee pain, particularly as we age – and Castor Oil can help! According to one study, Castor Oil can be used to treat knee osteoarthritis effectively and without adverse reactions, as demonstrated by the study participants after four weeks of use.
Castor Oil for muscle pain
Muscle pain – or myalgia – is another common condition that can flare up at any time, caused by an injury, overuse, or a virus (and less commonly through chronic conditions like fibromyalgia). When applied topically, Castor Oil can help relieve muscle pain by penetrating the skin and reducing inflammation in the underlying tissues.
Castor Oil for nerve pain
To date, there is limited clinical research directly linking Castor Oil with nerve pain relief. That said, it's worth considering how the general anti-inflammatory effects of Castor Oil work elsewhere in the body when applied topically, and could be beneficial when massaging the oil into areas where nerves are impacting you.
Castor Oil for period pain
Many women suffer from menstrual cramps and require support each month to reduce the pain. It’s thought that the natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in Castor Oil can help reduce painful periods when used topically, providing relief from cramping and pelvic discomfort. Again, there are limited studies to support this theory, but you could try using a remedy like a Castor Oil pack to see if it works for you.
Castor Oil for abdominal pain
When you’re looking to treat abdominal pain, the first thing to do is consider the cause. While some conditions may benefit from the goodness of Castor Oil, others may not be as positively impacted. For example, if constipation is causing pain in the abdomen, the laxative effect of Castor Oil might provide some relief for the symptoms, whereas underlying health conditions like ulcers, gallstones or cysts would require medical attention.
Castor Oil for Fungal Infections
If you’ve ever had a fungal infection like Athlete’s Foot, you’ll understand the discomfort it brings. The constant itching can be maddening, and the risk of the infection worsening, becoming sore, weepy and spreading further across the skin is a genuine concern.
Athlete’s Foot isn’t on its own here. Other fungal infections like ringworm, bacterial acne and nail fungus can cause the skin to itch and become inflamed. Fortunately, with its extensive anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, many of these infections can be alleviated naturally using Castor Oil.
Castor Oil for Constipation and Detox
The link between Castor Oil and constipation has been around for several centuries. It is believed the Ancient Egyptians were among the first to use this natural plant source as a laxative, as detailed in the Ebers Papyrus medical papers that date back to 1550 BC. But does Castor Oil relieve constipation when applied topically?
Many people claim it does and apply Castor Oil to their stomach and lower abdomen to promote a healthy digestive system and bowels, flushing away waste while detoxifying the system. While there isn’t a great deal of research to support their claims, one study of Castor Oil packs on older adults in a care home in Turkey does suggest this natural remedy can help to promote bowel movement.
Castor Oil for Scar Tissue
Even the tiniest skin tear can leave a scar if left untreated. Fortunately, the moisturising properties in many natural oils can help wounds heal quickly without scaring – and Castor Oil is among them.
Because of its extensive hydrating and nourishing properties, Castor Oil can help repair the skin quickly. In addition to adding moisture, it’s thought that the fatty acids in castor oil promote the growth of new cells, helping to reduce scarring. Some even say that Castor Oil penetrates deeper into the skin beyond its surface, working to heal internal scarring caused by injury, infection, or a medical procedure.
Search online, and you’ll find a lot of talk about Castor Oil as a natural remedy for caesarean section scarring. While many women may have found this to be true, no medical evidence supports it.
That said, one study showed how a formula including hydrogenated Castor Oil helped a female patient experience accelerated wound healing when recovering from a mastectomy. Evidence like this and further research might make Castor Oil even more popular as a scar tissue remedy.
Castor Oil for Cancer
Most of us are aware how aggressive cancer is, not to mention how taxing common medical treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be on the body. It’s no wonder many cancer patients want to find a natural alternative.
Talk of Castor Oil helping cancer patients dates back centuries to when the Greek physician Hippocrates first spoke of all illnesses having a natural cause and cure. Back then, natural remedies were the only hope for tending to ailments, which is likely why people continue to draw on nature to look after their health. But can Castor Oil really help people with cancer?
According to Cancer Research UK, there simply isn’t enough evidence to use Castor Oil for cancer, with zero studies to date showing what Castor Oil does for cancer tumours or any affiliation between Castor Oil and skin cancer.
How to Use Castor Oil Topically
Castor Oil Pack: Soak a cotton face washer in Castor Oil so it’s saturated but not dripping. Lie on your back, place the soaked face washer over your abdomen and cover it with another dry face washer. Use a water bottle to apply mild heat and leave for an hour. (You may prefer to use an old towel to lie on to prevent excess oil from staining your bed sheets or couch)
Note that a Castor Oil Pack is said to be benefitial in helping to alleviate menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, constipation and to help heal significant scarring.
Joint Pain Relief: Using a small amount of Castor Oil, gently massage onto sore or achy areas to provide a natural remedy for muscle or joint discomfort.
Massage: Create a massage oil blend by mixing ⅓ Castor Oil with another carrier oil (we recommend ⅔ Almond or Grapeseed Oil) to thin out the thick consistency, to create a deeply penetrating anti-inflammatory massage oil. Apply across the body and feel tense muscles disappear!
Scar Treatment: Castor Oil makes an effective scar treatment oil and can be applied directly to any scarring you would like to reduce. You can also combine it with some drops of complimenting Essential Oils such as Lavender, Frankincense or Carrot Seed.
Fungal Treatment: Soak the affected skin in Epsom Salts for 5-10 minutes to soften, and dry thoroughly before liberally applying Castor Oil.
Nail Treatment: Massage a small amount of Castor Oil onto your nailbeds nightly to heal minor nail fungal infections and keep cuticles soft.
Safe Use of Castor Oil
Castor Oil may trigger allergies and should be avoided by anyone with a nut allergy.
Some medical practitioners use Castor Oil to induce birth, therefore women who are in any stage of their pregnancy should avoid Castor Oil. If you are pregnant, we recommend speaking with your GP before implementing Castor Oil into your healthcare routine.
AWO products are formulated for aromatherapy purposes and are not food grade. Our Castor Oil should not be ingested, consumed internally, or used for culinary purposes.
Where to Buy Castor Oil
While most carrier oils are available at health, wellness and retail stores, please keep in mind that the quality and purity of these oils will vary. For this reason, we recommend you always buy from a reputable supplier.
Here at AWO, we have a wide selection of carrier oils and organic carrier oils that are sold at affordable prices. Because our stock is purchased in bulk quantities, our costs are significantly less - a benefit we like to pass on to our customers. We are also based right here in Australia!