Hi Suzanne,

My research shows there are minimal side effects of Oil of Oregano. The most common reported side effect are a warm tingling sensation in the mouth when the oil is taken in its 'raw' form. Another is that oregano oil may affect the absorption of iron in the body. However, I haven't found any research looking at the effects of taking Oil of Oregano while taking heart medications. If you have concerns, I'd recommend consulting with your cardiologist before taking any type of herbal supplement.

I cannot find any literature on the Internet related to my reaction: I have the flu or bad cold in the lower respiratory. I took the prescribed 3 drops under the tongue 3x's a day for 2 days w/o incident. On the 3rd day I took 8 drops mixed with 8oz's of carrot juice. About an hour later my BP shot up and HR spiked to 93 from a normal 75 and held there for a half hour until I took some Klonopin and Atenolol to bring it down. Is this normal or common? If it was an allergic reaction why didn't I react the first two days at the normal dose?

Answer: I can't say if this was a normal or common reaction. It appears you tolerated the initial 3 drops 3X under the tongue, but upon increasing the dose your BP and HR increased. I'm not a doctor and cannot prescribe or diagnose any medical conditions. You may want to discontinue taking Oil of Oregano until you see your doctor and discuss these symptoms you experienced. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you. ~ Kevin

Hi,

I`m currently doing a paper on oil of oregano and have done some research on it. I just wanted to inform the first commenter that in doing my research I have found that oil of oregano is thought to be a blood thinner. I would assume then that it should not be taken if you are already on blood thinners.

Secondly, the reason I have decided to do the paper on it is because I have had a similar reaction as the second commenter. I was fine for the first few days of taking it then increased the dose and my heart rate shot up. I did research on the product before taking it and it appeared safe. Only after did I find out that it is decreases the body?s ability to absorb iron and is toxic in high concentrations (although you could argue that anything is not good for you in high concentrations).

I would be interested to see the research paper you are doing on Oil of Oregano; as well as your research that shows Oil of Oregano is thought to be a blood thinner. My research on Pubmed.com and other medical databases failed to show any research studies on the blood thinning properties of carvacrol or thymol; the primary ingredients in Oil of Oregano. This may prove interesting for people that are taking heart medications and are thinking of using Oil of Oregano. Feel free to send any pertinent information on my Contact Page on this website. Thanks again for sharing your information with us.

I too have had similar reactions to the oil of oregano. Three times now, after a half hour of taking 3 drops in juice, my heart races for hours after wards. I don't know why this is happening, but I don't think I will be taking it anymore.

I have been reading this fantastic site and noted that some people were having trouble with rapid heartbeat. I have been taking Oil of Oregano for about a year now on and off for sciatica as it has been brilliant, I take just one capsule a day and I have just had an episode of rapid heartbeat so I took my capsule and within minutes I was fine. Maybe some people are having too high a dose. Just a thought, good luck to everyone taking this amazing oil.

Reply: I believe the rapid heart rate could be a possible side effect if you take too much Oil of Oregano. While there are suggested dosages for Oil of Oregano, there are different concentrations; some people may be more sensitive than others to the active ingredients.