According to the Food and Drug Administration, “castor oil,” known in Brazil as óleo de rícino or mamona, is approved for medicinal use only as a laxative.
However, a quick search on social media will lead you to various other benefits: preventing wrinkles, sharpening vision, inducing labor, increasing hair growth, and even shrinking cancerous tumors.
Last July, searches for “óleo de rícino” on Google reached their highest levels since 2004.
According to health experts interviewed by The New York Times, here’s what castor oil can – and cannot – do.
Eye Health
Popular posts on TikTok show people spreading castor oil on their eyelids in hopes of improving vision or even alleviating cataracts or glaucoma.
But no high-quality evidence suggests that castor oil can improve eye health, especially not in terms of reversing cataracts or improving vision.
Some eye drops contain this oil as a lubricant, but these products are made with specific formulations adapted for use in the eyes, rather than pure castor oil that people might buy online.
And if the oil is not sterilized, putting it in the eyes can increase the risk of infection, which in turn can lead to a corneal ulcer (an open wound in the eye) or even blindness.
Tumors
The internet advocates that castor oil can penetrate deeply into the skin and, by placing a compress soaked in oil over the site of a cyst or tumor (like one caused by breast cancer), it can eliminate it.
But experts say there is no scientific evidence for this.
Applying castor oil directly to the skin is unlikely to cause any problems, aside from possible irritation.
Labor Induction
The decades-old claim that swallowing castor oil can induce labor has some evidence – albeit limited. In a small 2022 study, researchers concluded that ingesting about four tablespoons of this oil effectively led to softening and opening of the cervix.
But while it may be possible for the oil to stimulate labor in some women, its ingestion is something that doctors do not recommend, in part because excessive consumption can cause nausea, vomiting, and extreme diarrhea, which can result in dehydration.
Constipation
The good news is that castor oil can be an effective laxative, although it may have side effects such as nausea and vomiting. It is safe to consume in small amounts for constipation, but always following medical advice. Many experts do not consider the oil the preferred option compared to other treatments for constipation.
Hair and Eyelash Growth
Many advocates of castor oil claim that rubbing it on the eyelids or massaging it into the hair and scalp can lead to eyelash and hair growth – but again, no rigorous evidence supports this claim.
It is possible that the oil adds moisture to the hair, making it less prone to breakage and allowing it to grow more, but it is difficult to say for sure without conclusive studies, experts say.
Skin Health
Similarly, some people apply castor oil to the skin to prevent and reduce wrinkles and dark circles. While it may help to moisturize the skin, there is no scientific proof that it is an effective anti-aging tool.
It may also have the unintended consequence of clogging pores and exacerbating acne, for example.
In light of this, be cautious of the “miracles” of the internet and social media!
Source: The New York Times