Lemon Balm: Top Health Benefits and Uses
What is Lemon Balm?
Lemon balm is a powerful cooling nervine herb which has been enjoyed for thousands of years by traditional communities across the globe.
High in volatile oils, this aromatic herb calms the body and mind. It’s a seminal herb for tension, often referred to as a trophorestorative. Lemon Balm is a calming adaptogen which may be favored when someone is depleted but also has a Type A personality and needs restorative support.
It has numerous immune-supporting benefits. Read below to learn more!
Herbal Monograph Profile: info on Lemon Balms
An herbal monograph is a complete profile of a plant: covering the plant’s botany, herbal energetics, how it has been traditionally used for health benefits and modernly used. This also reviews potential safety considerations.
See below for my herbal monograph profile on Lemon Balm, to discover key benefits and learnings.*
Scientific Name: Melissa officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae
Common Name: Lemon Balm
Parts Used and Collection: Leaves and flowers (aerial parts)
Habitat and Cultivation: Europe, North America. Cultivated all around the globe.
Taste: Lemony, mildly bitter
Energetics: Cooling and drying
Health Actions: Antiviral, antidepressant, antioxidant, nervine, antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis spp.)
A botanical drawing of the lemon balm plant.
Lemon Balm Traditional Uses
Lemon Balm’s botanical name Melissa comes from the Greek word meaning bee, referring to the sweet quality of this herb for which bees have a strong attraction. In Ancient Greece, beekeepers would plant it at the temple of Artemis, the goddess of nature and animals.
The famous herbalist and nun Hildegard von Bignen prizes it in her book Physica circa 115 CE. According to Engles and Brinckman in the American Botanical Council herbal monograph, Lemon Balm is “among the 165 medicinal plant species used in Carinthian monastic medicine of the High Middle Ages (1001-1300), and it is still cultivated today at Carinthian monasteries in Austria”. It has traveled around the world, used for its nervous system support and immune properties.
Many cultures revere Lemon Balm for its spiritual properties. It has traditionally been used to ward off the evil eye and protect families for good health and happiness. And in the Middle Ages, it was used to stop bleeding.
Lemon Balm Health Benefits & Modern Uses
Note: the information below is purely educational, it doesn’t substitute professional medical advice.
Digestive Health
Lemon Balm is an excellent herb for cramps, spasms and emotional tension in the gut. According to Jill Stansbury in Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals Volume 1: Digestion and Elimination, it is associated with dyspepsia connected to anxiety and depression and IBS stimulated by stress (page 33). With its pleasant flavor, this this herb is commonly added to formulations for digestion, stress, immunity and more.
Nervous System Health and Cognitive Function
Lemon Balm is a prized nervous system herb, known to truly uplift peoples spirits especially where we see anxiety, irritability, tension or depression. It tonifies the nervous system. Its anxiolytic properties are like attributed to rosmarinic acid (common to the mint family) which increases the production of GABA-T which helps breakdown and release more GABA in the brain, helping to combat stress and tension (Marion Gluck).
In a double-blind clinical study conducted in 2002, participants who had just 300mg of powdered dried lemon balm experienced significant calmness compared to those who took the placebo and they also displayed much stronger cognitive function and alertness by taking a 900mg capsule of lemon balm (Kennedy et al. Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). This indicates its potency on the nervous system not only for relaxation but also more mental acuity.
Immune and Dermatological Health
Lemon Balm is used for many skin conditions, such as warts and acne. It’s antiviral properties have made it a useful appliication for outbreaks of HSV1 and HSV2, the herpes virus.
In fact, this article from Mount Sinai hospital in New York City shares that:
Some studies suggest that topical ointments containing lemon balm may help heal cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). In one study of 116 people with HSV, those who applied lemon balm cream to their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only 2 days
It can be applied topically and taken internally. Here the immune system is linked to the dermatological system, as we see it indicated for many conditions that manifest on the skin, but it has beneficial immune properties beyond that.
Endocrine Health
As a calming adaptogen, Lemon Balm supports the adrenal system. As Matthew Wood writes in The Earthwise Herbal Volume 1, it’s good for “conditions of sympathetic excess, hyperadrenalism or hyperthyroidism. It is especially indicated when these tendencies are associated with the stomach or heart”.
Household Products
Lemon Balm is often seen in natural home cleaning products, for sprays to disinfect surfaces and also as an aromatic spray to improve the scent of a room. It has a great aroma and natural cleansing properties!
Lemon Balm: How to Use it, Science and Safety
How to use Lemon Balm:
Lemon Balm can be nice as a:
hot herbal infusion or tea
powder
capsule
tincture
glyercite
culinary use in cooking/baking
An easy way to prepare lemon balm is to put about 2-3 tsps per 8oz of hot water, cover and steep it for 7-10 minutes.
Common Herbal Combinations:
These herbs can pair nicely with Lemon Balm:
Mint (Mentha spp.)
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)
Turmeric (Curcuma Longa)
Rose (Rosa spp)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Safety and Contraindications:
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) however due to its ability to inhibit the overdrive of thyroid hormones, it has on rare occasions been known to aggravate those known with hypothyroidism (Groves, Maria. Body Into Balance, page 59).
Pregnancy and Lactation: Generally recognized as safe in pregnancy and lactation. Always consult with a doctor.
Creating a Connection with Lemon Balm
Curious about Lemon Balm? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me directly! And remember, it’s always good to consider if an herb is right for you.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information above is purely educational and cannot substitute professional medical advice. It is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose medical conditions. Consult with a medical professional if you have any concerns.
