Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits: Improved Running Endurance

If there was ever a wonder drug that can instantly boost energy for running, peppermint essential oil may be it!

If you’re constantly bogged down by fatigue that’s stalling your running performance progress, you may experience performance breakthroughs with peppermint essential oil as it is being appropriately defined as an incredibly effective stamina accelerator by researchers.

Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits: Improved Running Endurance

Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits: Improved Running Endurance

According to recent research, peppermint essential oil boosts energy on a number of fronts, such as recharging weary brain cells, controls appetite and improves breathing!

For instance, according to British researchers, peppermint essential oil holds promise as a remedy for fatigue and brain fog. The researchers found that when inhaled, the aroma of peppermint dramatically increased blood flow to the brain which resulted in reduced fatigue and anxiety, while attentional focus and mental stamina improved within 20 minutes! The researchers noted that the energizing benefits of peppermint stems from its active ingredient, menthol, which helps dilate blood vessels in the head, which is essential to improving alertness and mental stamina.

Furthermore, scientists have discovered another possible use of peppermint essential oil in that it may effectively curb an overly hyperactive appetite, thereby delaying hunger which may reinforce stamina that is more sustainable for running long distances. On that note, the appetite-regulating capacity of peppermint essential oil may remove the extra burden of experiencing hunger during running. The removal of this extra burden (i.e hunger) may give you more leverage in terms of stamina to perform better when running.

  • According to Wheeling Jesuit University researchers, the scent of peppermint essential oil triggers the release of hunger-halting hormones in the brain AND also, the scent of peppermint essential oil tightens muscles in the digestive tract, which collectively helps extend the feeling of fullness and may reduce frequent urges to snack or overeat.

Ultimately, hunger certainly interferes with your ability to achieve good results during running; your performance becomes vulnerable, but thanks to the signature mechanisms of how peppermint essential oil restrains persistent hunger pangs, may play a huge factor in adding another layer of stamina to your running efforts. 

Another relevant mechanism of how the aroma of peppermint essential oil may enhance your running performance is by aiding in more clear breathing as peppermint essential oil was found to effectively clear congestion by a considerable amount. According to a German study, when inhaled, the aroma of peppermint essential oil improved breathing for 90% of patients with congestion. Credit goes to the menthol in peppermint which is a potent anti-inflammatory agent that reduces swelling in the mucous membranes of the airways, helping open up the airways for more optimal air intake during running.

  • For best results, to help unclog sinuses and relieve heavy congestion, experts recommend adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a boiling pot of water, then remove it from the stove, and tent a towel over your head and inhale the steam, breathing deeply for about 5 to 10 minutes or another option is to use a nasal spray or vapor inhaler that contains menthol oil.

Aside from getting a quick boost of energy that’s long-lasting, the overall health-boosting benefits of peppermint essential oil is why it is finally receiving the attention it deserves by researchers by virtue of producing noticeable effects in improved mental energy and physical drive, bringing relief to allergy and asthma sufferers and may have a strong hand in producing more satisfying weight loss results.

You can also take peppermint essential oil in the form of a supplement which too, has been proven to be incredibly effective in enhancing performance! For example, a study published in the Journal of the international Society of Sports Nutrition, reached into the positive effects of peppermint on overall exercise performance and conclusively found that oral supplementation of peppermint essential oil improved performance on a number of respiratory parameters.

Ultimately, peppermint essential oil is a unique medicinal figure that can really change the outcome of your performance progress by helping you conquer fatigue.

Bretta Riches

"I believe the forefoot strike is the engine of endurance running..."

BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
Bretta Riches

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!