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Over the years, people have tried many different methods to help induce labor naturally, from eating spicy food to bouncing on an exercise ball. Some people may be tempted to try castor oil as a means to help induce labor.
Those who consider using castor oil to induce labor should try to find out about its effectiveness, particularly the safety issues associated with its use for this purpose, before they try it. This is because there are significant dangers.
Keep reading for more information on the risks and dangers of using castor oil to induce labor, whether or not inducing labor is a good idea, and some other ways that may help those who wish to do so.
Share on PinterestCastor oil is an extract from Ricinus communis. R. communis is native to southern Asia.
For centuries, people have used castor oil for various ailments, though most applications only have the support of anecdotal evidence. Few scientific studies have addressed the effectiveness of castor oil in treating health conditions.
Castor oil is a common ingredient in soaps, coatings, lubricants, and other commercial products. It contains several allergenic proteins, including ricin, which research indicates is a potent and dangerous plant toxin.
However, following the removal of these potentially dangerous substances, people can use castor oil for pharmaceutical purposes. For example, castor oil can help with constipation. Learn more about castor oil and constipation here.
Castor oil also has potential benefits for the face and skin. Read about them here.
According to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, castor oil will likely cause uterine contractions and irritation. Although these may appear to be labor contractions, they are more likely the result of digestive distress than actual labor.
In fact, they go on to say that women who take oral castor oil are no more likely to go into labor than those who do not.
However, one recent study found that there is a connection between taking castor oil and inducing labor. The study concluded that castor oil may induce labor within 24 hours if a woman is 40 weeks pregnant.
Researchers conducted the study using women in their 40th and 41st weeks of pregnancy, over a period of 5 years.
A smaller study, this time from 2000, found that 57.7% of the women who took castor oil went into labor within 24 hours. Only 4.2% of the women who did not receive castor oil went into labor within 24 hours. Evidence from this study suggests that castor oil may help induce labor.
However, one 2009 study found no connection between taking castor oil and inducing labor. This study included over 600 participants in week 40 or above of their pregnancy. The study concluded that castor oil had no effect on the time of birth. It also did not seem to have any harmful effects.
A 2018 study found that castor oil induction is more effective in women who have had babies previously. The researchers reported no adverse effects from their sample of 81 pregnant women.
Another 2018 study looked back on women who had used castor oil (while 40–41 weeks pregnant) under the care of their doctor, and they found it to be effective in inducing labor within 24 hours for most of the women.
Though study results are mixed in terms of castor oil’s labor-inducing abilities, none of these studies examined issues of safety for either the mother or the fetus.
In previous studies, researchers have not come across any known risks to the fetus.
However, the mother may experience side effects from ingesting castor oil. Some potential side effects could include:
Women with sensitive stomachs or other gastrointestinal conditions should avoid taking castor oil. Also, those who have had a cesarean delivery in the past should never attempt castor oil ingestion while pregnant. Learn why below.
In most cases, the body will induce labor when it is ready to give birth. Some women may go into preterm labor, while others may go into labor later than their expected due date.
Importantly, women who have had a cesarean delivery should never attempt to induce labor. This is because it can cause uterine rupture.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine describe the journey to full term in the following ways:
If a woman is at full term or beyond and yet to give birth, a healthcare professional will likely consider inducing labor or possibly scheduling a cesarean delivery.
Some other reasons a doctor may choose to induce labor include:
There are no proven ways to induce labor at home. A doctor or healthcare provider can induce labor in a hospital or other clinical setting.
That said, there are some other methods to induce labor that may be effective. These include:
It is important to note that none of these methods are scientifically proven, however.
Anyone concerned about going into labor should speak with a doctor or healthcare provider before attempting any methods themselves.
People should avoid using castor oil to try to induce labor, as there is no scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness for this purpose. It is much safer to work with a doctor if it is time to induce labor. Inducing labor before 40 weeks poses a risk to the fetus.
No studies have found any direct risks or dangers for the fetus in using castor oil, but in the mother, it can cause diarrhea, false contractions, dehydration, and other stomach-related side effects.
People who want to induce labor should speak with a doctor about their concerns.
There are no proven home methods for inducing labor, but a doctor or healthcare provider can help to induce labor in a clinical setting if there is a need for it.
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A recent literature review investigates whether turmeric may be useful for treating cancer. The authors conclude that it might be but note that there are many challenges to overcome before it makes it to the clinic.
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. Native to India and Southeast Asia, people have used turmeric root to flavor their food for thousands of years.
Historically, people associated turmeric with healing properties. Even now, some hail turmeric as a panacea for all ills. Recently, its popularity has surged, as evidenced by the recent turmeric latte fad. However, as with many things in life, the reality rarely matches the hype.
The chemical in turmeric that most interests medical researchers is a polyphenol called diferuloylmethane, which is more commonly called curcumin. Most of the research into turmeric’s potential powers has focused on this chemical.
Over the years, researchers have pitted curcumin against a number of symptoms and conditions, including inflammation, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, liver disease, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, with varying levels of success.
Above all, though, scientists have focused on cancer. According to the authors of the recent review, of the 12,595 papers that researchers published on curcumin between 1924 and 2018, 37% focus on cancer.
In the current review, which features in the journal Nutrients, the authors mainly focused on cell signaling pathways that play a role in cancer’s growth and development and how turmeric might influence them.
Treatment for cancer has improved vastly over recent decades, but there is still a long path to tread before we can beat cancer. As the authors note, “the search for innovative and more effective drugs” is still vital work.
In their review, the scientists paid particular attention to research involving breast cancer, lung cancer, cancers of the blood, and cancers of the digestive system.
The authors conclude that “curcumin represents a promising candidate as an effective anticancer drug to be used alone or in combination with other drugs.”
According to the review, curcumin can influence a wide range of molecules that play a role in cancer, including transcription factors, which are vital for DNA replication; growth factors; cytokines, which are important for cell signaling; and apoptotic proteins, which help control cell death.
Alongside the discussions surrounding curcumin’s molecular influence over cancer pathways, the authors also address the possible issues with using curcumin as a drug.
For instance, they explain that if a person takes curcumin orally — in a turmeric latte, for example — the body rapidly breaks it down into metabolites. As a result, any active ingredients are unlikely to reach the site of a tumor.
With this in mind, some researchers are trying to design ways of delivering curcumin into the body and protecting it from undergoing metabolization. For instance, researchers who encapsulated the chemical within a protein nanoparticle noted promising results in the laboratory and in rats.
Although scientists have published a great many papers on curcumin and cancer, there is a need for more work. Many of the studies in the current review are in vitro studies, which means that the researchers conducted them in laboratories using cells or tissues. Although this type of research is vital for understanding which interventions may or may not influence cancer, not all in vitro studies translate to humans.
Relatively few studies have tested turmeric’s or curcumin’s anticancer properties in humans, and the human studies that have taken place have been small-scale. However, aside from the difficulties and limited data, curcumin still has potential as an anticancer treatment.
Scientists are continuing to work on the problem. For instance, the authors mention two clinical trials that are underway, both of which aim to “evaluate the therapeutic effect of curcumin on the development of primary and metastatic breast cancer, as well as to estimate the risk of adverse events.”
They also refer to other ongoing studies in humans that are evaluating curcumin as a treatment for prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and lung nodules, among other diseases.
The authors believe that curcumin belongs to “the most promising group of bioactive natural compounds, especially in the treatment of several cancer types.” However, their praise for curcumin as an anticancer hero is tempered by the realities that their review has unearthed, and they end their paper on a low note:
“[C]urcumin is not immune from side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, and yellow stool. Moreover, it showed poor bioavailability due to the fact of low absorption, rapid metabolism, and systemic elimination that limit its efficacy in diseases treatment. Further studies and clinical trials in humans are needed to validate curcumin as an effective anticancer agent.”
Cannabidiol (CBD) is available in many forms, including oils, tablets, and creams. The ideal dosages vary depending on both its form and usage. There is little research, though, so doctors are not yet able to confirm the safe, beneficial dosages for each use.
CBD is an active ingredient in the cannabis plant. Products that contain CBD may provide some health benefits, but they can also pose risks.
The CBD market is growing at a fast rate, and the body of research is expanding. However, there is still confusion about the laws, how to use CBD, and its safety and effectiveness.
CBD products are legal, though their legal status varies among states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not control most CBD products. As a result, the quality, amount of CBD per dose, and safety of the products can vary dramatically, and it is difficult to calculate an optimal dosage.
This article looks at the dosages of CBD, including the research into which dosages are safe and effective, as well as the possible risks of using CBD products.
To date, the FDA have only approved one cannabis-derived product, which is called Epidiolex, and it is only available by prescription. This approval covers the treatment of seizures in people with severe types of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
The dosage for Epidiolex, a form of CBD oil, is as follows:
All other products that contain CBD fall outside FDA regulations, so there are no official guidelines for their dosage. Some manufacturers are advertising CBD products with unproven medical claims, and the quality and safety of these products can vary.
Before using any other CBD products, a person should speak to their doctor about appropriate dosages.
The dosage that a person takes will depend on the method of administration that they are using and the specific product. Methods of administration include:
Recently, a wider range of products containing CBD has become available. These items include food products, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and animal health products.
Research into CBD therapy is still in its early days, and scientists need to conduct many more research studies to determine the benefits and risks of CBD products. Importantly, researchers need to work out the ideal CBD dosages that are both safe and effective for each condition.
As a therapy, CBD oil has gained a high level of research interest. At Medical News Today, we have covered what the research to date has shown about the role of CBD in the following conditions:
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, research has suggested that CBD oil may also have therapeutic benefits for the following conditions:
As the FDA have only approved the use of CBD for specific forms of epilepsy, doctors know little about what dosage people should take when they use it for other reasons. As with any drug, the appropriate dosage is one that provides a therapeutic effect and is well-tolerated.
In clinical studies, researchers have used various oral dosages of CBD, ranging from 100–800 mg per day.
Some studies use even higher dosages. According to a review, an individual reported an improvement in psychosis after taking 1,200 mg per day for a few weeks. In another study, people with schizophrenia reported benefits after taking increasing dosages of 40–1,280 mg per day for 4 weeks.
In a study into the effects of CBD in people with Parkinson’s disease and psychosis, six participants showed significant improvement in symptoms with a dosage of 150 mg per day of CBD.
The following table lists the method of administration and dosage of CBD that researchers have used to study its therapeutic effects on different medical conditions.
To find out whether a CBD product is safe and to determine the effective dosage, people should consult a doctor.
Several factors may influence the dosage that people can take. Depending on the medical condition or the reason why a person is taking CBD, they will need a different dosage.
Some people need high dosages to control epilepsy, whereas smaller dosages may be effective for anxiety.
Another factor that people should consider before using CBD is their weight. In many clinical trials and when using Epidiolex, doctors calculate a dose per kg of body weight. People who weigh less should, therefore, take lower dosages than people who weigh more.
Alcohol and other central nervous system depressants may increase the sedation effect of CBD. People who use other medications that can cause drowsiness should avoid or lower their dosage of CBD. Before mixing alcohol and other medications with CBD, a person should ask their doctor whether it is safe.
People must also consider the dosage in each form of CBD. A capsule of CBD has a specific dosage, but the dosage of oral solutions depends on the volume. For example, a CBD solution containing 25 mg per milliliter (ml) can provide 125 mg if a person takes a full teaspoon, which equates to 5 ml.
Although data in humans remain limited regarding the effects of taking pure CBD, researchers suggest that it has relatively low toxicity.
In monkeys, CBD does not affect bodily functions or behavior unless the animals receive dosages higher than 30 mg/kg orally each day for 90 days or 150 mg/kg intravenously.
In a human physical dependence study, researchers gave people 1,500 mg per day of CBD for 4 weeks. The study participants did not go through withdrawal after the 28 day trial. Another study found that doses up to 1,500 mg per day were well-tolerated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also report that people usually tolerate CBD well. CBD does not cause a “high,” and it does not have the same potential for abuse as cannabis.
The data on the safety of CBD are limited. The data that are available point to possible risks that people must consider before taking CBD for any reason.
Some side effects of CBD are noticeable, including:
Other side effects can happen without people being aware of the cause, such as:
Several factors determine what CBD dosage a person can take, including the intended use and the person’s weight. Although evidence is still lacking, researchers have identified some drugs that interact with CBD, which may also affect the dosage that a person can tolerate.
The FDA have only approved one CBD product. Research on the possible uses, dosages, benefits, and safety of CBD is ongoing.
If the blood supply to your brain is inadequate, even momentarily, you may feel faint. You may even lose consciousness for a short time. If you feel faint, lie down or sit down. If you’re sitting down, place your head between your knees. Don’t stand up again too quickly. Sometimes fainting has no medical significance. In other cases, fainting can be caused by a serious underlying condition. Discuss it with your doctor.
Jan. 17, 2020
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