Sarah EatonThere have been over 600 scientific studies that have covered the amazing medicinal power of black seed oil. From fighting cancer to wiping out infections, this oil certainly packs a wallop. Also known as N. sativa, black seed oil comes from the Nigella sativa plant. And, indeed, it is thought to be a panacea, meaning it’s able to treat a wide variety of ailments. In fact, next to oregano oil, there are few things that are as effective against microbes as black seed oil. Other black seed oil benefits include the ability to restore hair loss, promote liver health, and treat skin conditions. Learn more about this potent oil by reading below.
Here are 7 black seed oil benefits:
1. Cancer
Black seed oil benefits start with the ability to fight cancer. And when it comes to fighting cancer or any disease, your best defense is boosting your immune system. You can do that by cutting out or avoiding as many toxins as you can, both from your diet and your environment. Furthermore, you can add food items to your diet that are known for boosting your immunity. Black seed oil is one of those items. It can greatly strengthen your immune system, and unlike other cancer treatments, the worst case scenario with black seed oil is that it won’t work.
However, consider the following evidence. Scientists in Croatia discovered that in a study involving mice, two components in this oil called thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone were effective in reducing tumor cells. In fact, these components resulted in a 52 percent decrease in tumor cells. (1) Thymohydroquinone has also been used to treat such conditions as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
This oil can help prevent and treat cancer in a variety of ways. For example, it can help in the following arenas:
- Anti-proliferation
- Apoptosis induction
- Cell cycle arrest
- Reactive oxygen species generation
- Anti-metastasis
- Anti-angiogenesis
2. Liver Health
Black seed oil benefits extend to your liver, as well. This is huge, because the liver is one of the most important organs in your body. Almost all toxins get processed through the liver, and liver bile is a crucial part of digesting fats. If you have any amount of liver damage due to prescription side effects, alcohol consumption, or disease, black seed oil can quickly help reverse the damage. A recent study, for example, shows that N. sativa helps in liver function, preventing damage as well as liver disease. (2)
3. Diabetes
Black seed oil can also help prevent and may reserve diabetes. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, black seed oil benefits include regenerating pancreatic beta-cells, increasing lowered serum insulin concentrations, and decreasing elevated serum glucose. In fact, N. sativa is one of the only substances in the world that is thought to help prevent both 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, black seed oil benefits diabetes patients because it improves glucose tolerance without adverse effects. (3) It has been compared to metformin, a common diabetes medication. However, there is a laundry list of side effects that come with metformin. Black seed oil, on the other hand, has none of the following side effects:
- Bloating
- Constipation/diarrhea
- Flushing of the skin
- Gas/indigestion
- Heartburn
- Headache
- Nail changes
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Muscle pain
- Stomach pain
4. Weight Loss
N. Sativa can aid in weight loss, as well. In fact, the Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders published a study which found that black seed oil is one of the most effective natural weight loss remedies available. (4)
It contains an anti-inflammatory agent that can help people lose weight the same way it helps treat diabetes. For example, this oil can help decrease common weight gain triggers such as: (5)
• Appetite
• Glucose absorption in the intestine
• Liver gluconeogenesis
• Blood glucose levels
• Cholesterol
• Triglycerides
5. Hair
Arguably, one of the most distinctive black seed oil benefits is the remarkable ability to restore hair loss. While the reason why this occurs is undetermined, some have speculated it’s due to the powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial properties black seed oil contains. It may also be due to a component of the oil called nigellone, which is a strong antihistamine that may help reduce thinning hair. Whatever the cause, black seed oil seems to strengthen hair follicles, making it an excellent treatment for hair loss. As such, this oil may be helpful to those who suffer from androgenic alopecia or alopecia areata.
6. Skin
Black seed oil benefits extend to your skin, as well. It has profound healing abilities, both promoting and inhibiting melanin production, which helps protect the skin from damage. (6, 7)
Black seed oil benefits those who suffer from eczema, as well. In fact, one study found it was effective as the skin cream Betamethasone in decreasing severity of eczema symptoms and improving quality of life. (8)
Unless you happen to have an allergy to black seed oil, you won’t see any horrifying side effects with its use, unlike many other skin treatments. You may have heard of betamethasone. While it may help eczema, it also has a long list of unpleasant side effects. For example, it can cause the following:
- Swelling in your hands or face
- Swelling or tingling in your mouth and throat
- Tightness in your chest
- Difficulty breathing
- Changes in skin color
- Dark-colored freckles
- Susceptibility to bruising
- Muscle weakness
- Weight gain
Why deal with these awful side effects, when you can use a natural product like black seed oil to treat your skin condition? If you suffer from eczema, consider trying black seed oil for relief from your symptoms–without the side effects!
7. Infections (MRSA)
With the strong antibacterial properties, black seed oil benefits includes killing super bugs like MRSA. This is huge because, being a super bug, many strains of MRSA are resistant to antibiotics. MRSA is a worldwide health risk, and the elderly in particular are in danger of developing this infection, because many procedures associated with this people group are also associated with MRSA. However, scientists in Pakistan found that N. sativa was effective against several strains of MRSA, proving this oil can slow or even stop MRSA from spreading. (9)