Though castor oil can be used as a laxative and as a moisturizer, most of the other claims made about the oil are not backed by scientific evidence.
You might have seen TikTok or Instagram influencers talking about all the ways you can use castor oil. The videos about castor oil have made a lot of different claims. One of the most common is that castor oil can help you detox your liver. Some videos even claim that applying castor to your stomach or around your lymph nodes can do things like shrink ovarian cysts or tumors, support your liver, and help manage your hormones. As much as we would love for castor oil to help with all sorts of illnesses, there just isn’t any science that supports the claims made in the videos. And unfortunately, some of those claims can be dangerous, especially if people skip treatment and try to use castor oil as a cure instead.
❗️ Castor oil can also be dangerous to pregnant people because it can also cause early delivery of the baby.
So what can you use castor oil for?
The only FDA-approved use for castor oil is as a laxative (and it has been used that way for centuries, including Ayurvedic practices!). But be aware that castor oil can cause diarrhea, so it’s important to talk to a doctor or healthcare provider if you want to use it instead of other over the counter medications for constipation.
Some people use it as a moisturizer or in their hair because castor oil is rich in fatty acids. Along with coconut oil or grapeseed oil, castor oil can help your skin retain moisture because it creates a protective barrier. Though it can be used as a moisturizer, always be careful when trying new products on your skin because it can also clog pores and cause allergic reactions.
Though castor oil can be used as a moisturizer or laxative, there is no evidence that it can detox your body, manage hormones, or shrink tumors or cysts.
Stay tuned for another post on why your body is great at detoxing itself!
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
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