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If you’ve been searching for an affordable, multi-purpose carrier oil to keep in your medicine cabinet, castor oil is a strong contender.

What Exactly is Castor Oil?

It’s an unsaturated, triglyceride fatty oil (Omega-9) derived from the seeds of the castor bean plant (Ricinus Communis), where 90% of its own fatty acid content comes from a rare compound called ricinoleic acid. With a strong taste and translucent yellow in colour, it was used commonly in our parents and grandparents’ days as a natural remedy to relieve constipation.

Properties include:

• Fatty acids
• Flavonoids
• Phenolic compounds
• Amino acids
• Terpenoids
• Pytosterols 

Aside from the strong taste, it’s unique compound of ricinoleic acid has led to its use in over 700 cosmetic products. This, combined with its beneficial salts and esters help stabilise the texture and consistency of external skin products and act as a skin-conditioning agent. Taken orally, the oil is broken down in the small intestine by the pancreatic enzymes, which in turn releases its beneficial compounds and metabolites.

Castor Oil as a Laxative

When you’re constipated, you don’t have bowel movements as often as you should, or your stool is hard to pass. The standard definition of constipation is having fewer than three bowel movements per week.

Everyone goes to the bathroom on a different schedule, though. Some people have several bowel movements per day, and other people have just one bowel movement per day or go every other day.

Any decrease in bowel movements that’s out of the norm for you may be a sign of constipation.

Hard stools can force you to strain while trying to go to the bathroom. Chronic constipation also causes symptoms like abdominal pain and bloating.

Castor oil can be helpful as an occasional treatment for constipation

When someone swallows castor oil, ricinoleic acid latches onto EP₃ molecules in smooth muscle cells on the walls of the small intestine and causes contractions, explaining castor oil's effectiveness as a laxative. Similarly, the researchers showed that ricinoleic acid binds to EP₃ in the uterus and causes contractions.

Click here to purchase 100% Organic, Cold Pressed, Castor Oil.

Using castor oil

Castor oil is a liquid that you take by mouth. It’s typically taken during the day because it works quickly.

The dose of castor oil used to treat constipation in adults is 15 mls. To mask the taste, try putting the castor oil in the fridge for at least an hour to cool it. Then, mix it into a full glass of fruit juice. You can also buy flavoured castor oil preparations.

Castor oil works very quickly. You should see results within two to six hours after taking it. Because castor oil works so fast, it’s not a good idea to take it before bedtime, as you might do with other laxatives.

Like any stimulant laxative, castor oil shouldn’t be taken in the long term. Over time, it can reduce the muscle tone in your intestines and lead to chronic constipation. If you continue to have constipation, see your doctor.

Health Benefits include:

• Anti-diabetic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antimicrobial
• Antioxidant
• Laxative 
• Hepatoprotective (prevents liver damage)
• Free radical scavenging
• Heals wounds
• Prevents stretch marks
• Improves immune function
• Boosts circulation

Benefits used in traditional medicine to treat health conditions:

• Abdominal disorders
• Arthritis
• Backache
• Constipation
• Muscle aches
• Parasitic infections
• Chronic headaches
• Gallbladder pain
• PMS
• Rheumatism
• Insomnia
• Styes

Can Castor Oil Stimulate Labour? 

Yes, but extreme caution is advised. A research article was published in PubMed where mice who were given castor oil while pregnant caused their intestines and uterus to contract and in turn, stimulated labour. A study was then completed on 100 pregnant women and more than half of those given castor oil went into labour within 24 hours. However, some experienced nausea afterwards.

The study authors summary states:

"Most side effects caused by taking castor oil are fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Also, castor oil affected newborn's APGOR score at the first minute … It is very important that women get the appropriate dosage from midwife or obstetrician before trying any castor oil induction."

Recommended Dosage

It is often recommended to take around 15mls (3 teaspoons) per day. As mentioned previously it has a strong taste, so it may be a good idea to mix it in with another flavoured liquid or water. For constipation relief, bowel movements may occur within two to three hours, but can take up to six hours to have an effect. A common warning is to not use castor oil for more than a week, as  you may incur serious side effects with overuse. 

Castor oil is available in both liquid and capsule forms for internal use. Best practice is to always read the product labels and talk to your doctor if to confirm any queries you may have.

Safety concerns

Castor oil isn’t right for everyone. It’s not recommended for pregnant women and people with certain health conditions.

Because castor oil can cause the uterus to contract, it’s not recommended during pregnancy.

It’s also not advised for regular use in children under age 12. If you’d like to give castor oil to your child, ask their pediatrician first.

In adults over 60, castor oil may make bowel problems worse if it’s used over a long period. It can also lower the amount of potassium in your body.

You may need to avoid castor oil if you take certain medicines, including:

• diuretics, which can also lower the amount of potassium in your body
• antibiotics, including tetracycline
• bone medicines
• blood thinners
• heart medicines

In addition to having what many consider to be an unpleasant taste, castor oil has a few side effects. Like other stimulant laxatives, it can cause cramping and diarrhea. It can also reduce the absorption of nutrients in your intestines.

24 Benefits of Castor Oil for Eyelashes, Hair & Health.

 

Hidden Toxicity in Most Beauty Products

Let’s face it – most store-bought skin care ingredients can be nothing short of scary once you read and research the contents included on the labels. You may not realise it, but your favourite products can be large contributors of harmful ingredients, toxins and chemicals, which can be easily absorbed through the skin’s pores causing potential harmful health effects on your body and the environment.

The price of beauty doesn’t have to cost you your health.

The good news is there are many natural ways to retain youthful looking skin without having to purchase expensive, toxic, commercial products. Natural skin care remedies have been used around the world for centuries and some believe shea nut butter was also used by famous ancient women including the Queen of Sheba & Cleopatra. Now is a good time as ever to go back to the basics with a twist of modern-day insight to understand how these existing commercial products we’re using effect our body through hormone imbalances and are considered endocrine disruptors.

Origins of Shea Nut Butter

Shea Butter has been used as a natural skin product in Africa for many centuries to alleviate both skin and scalp issues. Its oil is produced from the edible nut of the fruit from the "Karite tree" (Vitellaria paradoxa) grown in many regions of Africa, that produces a tiny, nut-like fruit from which the butter is extracted. The nuts picked from the tree have their outer layer removed and crushed so they can be slow roasted into butter. It’s then kneaded with water to separate the oils known as fatty acids. The butter is then removed off the top and cooled until it hardens.

The tree itself takes 40 to 50 years to mature and is also sacred to the people, playing an important role in religious and cultural ceremonies. The destruction of the Shea tree is forbidden in most parts of West Africa due to its economic and health benefits prized as an invaluable product for both internal and external body purification. Shea butter is commonly used as an after-shave, hair moisturiser for dry and brittle hair, and is also used on the top of their drums to prevent drying and cracking.

Spotlight study

A study published in the American Journal of Life Sciences claims shea nut butter boosts collagen production (collagen and elastin are major structural proteins providing skin with toughness and plumpness), resulting in anti-aging properties.

Another study from the Journal of Oleo Science reported shea nuts and fat (butter) was found to reduce inflammation and contains a significant source of anti-tumor promoting compounds.

Nutritional Background

Raw Shea butter is rich in stearic, oleic acids, loaded with vitamin E & vitamin A.  High amounts of saturated fatty acids (like MCT oil) can be found and is extracted using cold pressed methods without the need to add chemicals or preservatives. It’s also very smooth in texture and doesn’t melt down to a liquid in room temperature, but when massaged into the body it will soften the skin and is easy to apply. Shea butter is currently used in 1,950 cosmetic products around the world, where 1,680 of those products are used in leave-on applications.

Some benefits of shea nut butter:

• Base ingredient for organic, natural skincare
• Anti-ageing properties, reduce wrinkles, softens skin
• Moisturises scalp, reduces dandruff and protects hair from sun
• Relieves windburn, sunburn, dry skin and skin conditions
• Reduces stretch marks, scarring and cellulite
• Prevents nappy rash with its antifungal & anti-inflammatory properties

 

More Benefits of Shea Nut Butter

Allergy Caution:

“Shea nut butter is also used in some cosmetics where the primary exposure would be skin contact. The nut itself is not eaten in most countries.

Scientific investigations have found that refined shea nut butter does not pose any known or likely allergy risk to consumers, including those with peanut or tree nut allergies.

The US-based Food Allergy Research and Resource Programme (FARRP) conducted a thorough search of the medical literature and stated in August 2016 that that no cases of allergy to shea nut or shea nut butter had ever been reported in the medical literature.

FARRP’s own research indicates that refined shea nut butter does not contain any detectable protein residues. It is the protein in a food that causes allergic reactions. Although another US team found some protein content in shea nut butter, this was minimal. The conclusion would seem to be that any allergy risk from refined shea nut butter is remote, although no one can say the risk is zero. There could be someone, somewhere who will react.”

Emergency information:

What to do if someone has a nut reaction.