Oregano

Studies in people

• No harm found

  Cholesterol and blood fats³

  In men, drinking juice with oregano extract for four weeks did not change cholesterol or blood fats.

• Benefit

  Muscle soreness after exercise⁴

  In soldiers, taking oregano right after hard exercise was linked to less muscle damage and better recovery.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Long-term disease risk⁵

  In lab studies, oregano's plant compounds may lower the risk of long-term diseases, but most studies were not done in people.

• Open question

  Metabolic syndrome⁶

  Oregano extracts may help with weight and blood fat, but scientists do not yet know if they work in people.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar control⁷

  In lab studies, oregano leaf extract helped cells take up sugar and eased oxidative stress.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Spice allergy and pollen²

  Oregano contains allergens that often cause cross-allergies with other spices and plants.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.