Lemon balm for weight loss: What the research shows

When navigating your weight loss journey, it can be natural to feel drawn to things that are, well, natural.

The idea of incorporating homeopathic or herbal treatments into your daily life and routine can sometimes feel easier than that extra round at the gym or micro-managing your food intake, and when these treatments turn into trends, it can be tempting to treat them as a magic bullet to see those pounds slipping away.

One of the most recent trends is lemon balm, a dried herb that can be consumed in tea or tablet form and is currently being touted for its innumerable health benefits on everything from weight loss to stress to your blood glucose levels.

Here, we’ll take a look at what lemon balm is, how you take it, and if it really does impact your health.

What is lemon balm?

A member of the mint family, lemon balm is a citrusy-smelling and tasting herb that has a long history of medical use. Since the Middle Ages, it’s been used as a treatment for stress, to promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion [1].

There are no crazy detox concoctions involved with this one; rather, it’s usually bought as a dried leaf and can be incorporated into a huge range of products.

You can buy this herb as lemon balm supplements, lemon balm tea and lemon balm extract, as well as tinctures, oils, creams and salves.

It's a diverse herb with a diverse range of uses and applications, but is there any science behind it? And how could it help you in your weight loss journey?   

Can lemon balm help you lose weight?

Ultimately, the jury is still out on whether or not lemon balm can help you lose weight. While there is increasing evidence that shows lemon balm leaves can help regulate visceral obesity in mice, targeting their adipose tissue mass [2], these studies haven’t extended to human trials yet.

As a result, many medical professionals say there’s not really any way to know right now the effect lemon balm has on weight management, and it’s probably best not to expect anything in that regard if you decide to take it.

That said, other research has indicated that lemon balm might also help to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the body. Having high triglycerides can increase likelihood of insulin resistance, which may then make it harder to lose weight [3].

On top of that, there's evidence that lemon balm extract may help with fatty acid oxidation and lipid metabolism, which can help to reduce body fat and insulin sensitivity [6].

Further studies are needed to discern if a lemon balm drink might help you lose weight.

When it comes to digestion, some studies have also found that taking lemon balm supplements can help ease the digestive system and any digestive health issues, such as bloating and gas.

All in all, more research needs to be conducted before anyone can draw a definitive line between lemon balm and weight loss, but there have been some positive studies conducted into the other health benefits of this herb. So, while drinking lemon balm tea might be tasty, don't rely on it for weight loss.

Potential health benefits of lemon balm

As it turns out, those olden-day folks of the Middle Ages were onto something.

Several studies have shown that adding lemon balm leaves to your diet, particularly when combined with other relaxant herbs such as valerian, hops and chamomile, works effectively at reducing stress and supporting sleep [1].

In fact, some studies even went so far as to suggest that lemon balm tea can improve your overall sleep quality, particularly if you are experiencing menopause [5].

Speaking of women’s health, lemon balm has also been found to potentially reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) [4], making it an enticing herbal remedy for menstruating people.

Other studies have also shown that topical ointments containing lemon balm may help in combating cold sores caused by the herpes virus [1] and reduce muscle spasms by treating skeletal muscle that's more sensitive to insulin [2].

Are there any risks?

Whether you're using lemon balm tea bags, taking it as a supplement, or rubbing it on a cold sore, lemon balm is, like any herb, something with the capacity to trigger side effects within the body.

In particular, lemon balm has been found to have a negative impact on people with thyroid issues, specifically with low or underactive thyroid, otherwise known as hypothyroidism.

This can be confusing as it’s sometimes been found to work positively for people with an overactive thyroid, otherwise known as hyperthyroidism.

Regardless, if you have any thyroid condition or a family history of thyroid conditions, you should talk to your doctor before you start taking lemon balm in any form.

As a relaxant itself, lemon balm has also been found by some studies to interact negatively with sedatives and is not currently recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as the impact on them is still under-researched.

Can you take lemon balm every day?

As long as it’s consumed in healthy moderation, it is safe to consume lemon balm every day. However, if you're consuming it for weight loss purposes, you might want to consider a different approach to tackling weight gain or weight management.

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