The increase in urinary serotonin and decrease in salivary cortisol concentrations following direct inhalations of concentrated essential oils is not induced by non-specific effects

Abstract

Objectives. The effectiveness of exogenously triggered serotonin (e.g., dietary supplements, drugs) increase is varied. However, since urinary serotonin concentrations were found to correlate with those in the cerebrospinal fluid, the olfactory system might be an efficient and testable pathway to quickly elevate serotonin levels due to its fast-acting central neurophysiological and peripheral pathways. However, little research has been devoted to investigate this assumption. This paper extends previous findings of parasympathetic activation of a specially designed essential oil inhaler (AromaStick® Balance) by experimentally testing its impact on urine serotonin and saliva cortisol excretion.

Keywords

• aromastick®
• cortisol
• essential oil inhaler
• placebo effects
• serotonin