Condition
Tension Headache
Tension headache is the most common kind of headache, a dull, aching pain often felt like a tight band around the head, linked to stress, poor posture and tense neck muscles. Among supplements, peppermint oil applied to the skin has the most support, and trials found headaches improved, about as well as with acetaminophen. Those trials were small, though, so the evidence is moderate at best.
Sources: PMID 8805113; PMID 7954745
- Supplements studied
- 2
- Graded outcomes
- 2
- Trials
- 2
- People studied
- 73
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headaches Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 2 studies | 73 people | ||
| Irritability | Improves (the measure goes down) | 32 people | ||||
| Subjective Well-Being | Improves (the measure goes up) | 32 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headache Pain Topical peppermint oil (10% menthol) as effective as acetaminophen for tension headache | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 150 people |
Key findings
- HeadachesImproves (the measure goes down)
- Headache PainImproves (the measure goes down)
The Tension-Type Headache Prevention & Relief protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Peppermint Oil (Topical)10% peppermint oil in ethanol applied to temples every 15–30 minutes at headache onset
- Magnesium400–600 mg daily (citrate, glycinate, or oxide)
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The supplement graded A or B for Tension Headache. Each opens third-party tested products for that supplement.
- Grade B
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Studies cited
19 studies from PubMed
- Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang
- Examination of the effectiveness of peppermint aromatherapy on nausea in women post C-section
- Peppermint oil: a treatment for postoperative nausea
- An investigation into the use of aromatherapy in intrapartum midwifery practice
- A randomized trial of peppermint gel, lanolin ointment, and placebo gel to prevent nipple crack in primiparous breastfeeding women
- Aromatherapy with peppermint, isopropyl alcohol, or placebo is equally effective in relieving postoperative nausea
- Early effects of peppermint oil on gastric emptying: a crossover study using a continuous real-time 13C breath test (BreathID system)
- The effect of enteric-coated, delayed-release peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome
- Enteric-coated, pH-dependent peppermint oil capsules for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in children
- Treating irritable bowel syndrome with peppermint oil
- Enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective, randomized trial
- Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with peppermint oil. A double-blind study with a placebo
- Peppermint oil (Mintoil) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial
- Effectiveness of Oleum menthae piperitae and paracetamol in therapy of headache of the tension type
- Effect of peppermint and eucalyptus oil preparations on neurophysiological and experimental algesimetric headache parameters
- Peppermint oil improves the manometric findings in diffuse esophageal spasm
- Premedication with peppermint oil capsules in colonoscopy: a double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial study
- Efficacy of Peppermint oil in diarrhea predominant IBS - a double blind randomized placebo - controlled study
- Effect of peppermint water on prevention of nipple cracks in lactating primiparous women: a randomized controlled trial