Lavender Tea To Lose Weight

Lavender tea has long been recommended by herbalists for its calming effects -- a belief that is supported by modern research. While a search of the medical literature does not show any studies directly linking the consumption of lavender tea to weight loss, there are credible studies showing that lavender can improve conditions that often lead to weight gain.

Anxiety

If you are the type of person who eats whenever you feel stressed, you may want to stop binging on calorie- and sugar-laden chocolates and sip warm lavender tea instead. A study published in "International Clinical Pharmacology" showed that subjects receiving 80 mg per day of lavender oil showed statistically significant reductions in anxiety levels compared to controls receiving a placebo. It is important to note that most clinical studies of lavender have used the oil rather than the tea because it is easier to measure the amount of active compounds the person is consuming. If you are looking for a relaxing beverage, you can simply drink the tea, but if you are trying to treat anxiety or insomnia, you may want to buy the capsules.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Lavender oil is not only helpful to people suffering from mild anxiety, it also benefits those dealing with generalized anxiety disorder, which is a more severe form of the condition. In a 2010 controlled clinical study, lavender oil was compared to lorazepam, a benzodiazepine. The results indicated that lavender oil worked almost as well as the drug for many of the test subjects.

Sleep

Nothing leads to mindless binging like exhaustion caused by poor sleep. Scientific studies show that taking lavender oil leads to improved sleep. Subjects given lavender oil and asked to rate it using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index showed improved sleep after 10 weeks of taking lavender oil capsules. Another study measured sleep quality using sleep diaries kept by the subjects and found that lavender oil was comparable to lorazepam in its ability to alleviate sleep disorders caused by anxiety. If you are the parent of a new infant and are aching for a good night's sleep, try bathing the infant in lavender-scented water: Infants given lavender baths cried less and slept more deeply afterward.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome, which is sometimes called syndrome X, is defined by the presence of obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. Eventually, this disorder leads to the development of type 2 diabetes and heart problems. A variety of studies have documented the link between disturbed sleep, reduced sleep duration and the development of this syndrome. To the extent that lavender tea helps you sleep better, it reduces your chance of developing this disorder.

Gynecomastia

A possible negative side effect of using lavender oil is the risk of gynecomastia -- abnormal breast growth -- in prepubertal boys. A doctor noticed abnormal breast growth in three of his young male patients and, upon investigation, found that all three were using products containing either lavender oil or tea tree oil. When his patients stopped using these products, the gynecomastia corrected itself. In vitro research on human cells showed that these oils can have estrogenic affects. As the author of the study, Ken Korach, Ph.D., said, "The results of our laboratory studies confirm that pure lavender and tea tree oils can mimic the actions of estrogens and inhibit the effects of androgens. This combinatorial activity makes them somewhat unique as endocrine disruptors." Apparently, the oils do not alter hormone levels themselves but alter estrogen and androgen signaling. It is not yet clear whether these oils can affect females or older men, but anyone noticing abnormal breast growth after using lavender should consider this substance as a possible cause.