11/13/2025
A double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial compared the benefits of ingesting lavender EO (softgel providing 80 mg/day; about two drops) against sertraline (Zoloft; 50 mg/day; an antidepressant medication) for mild-to-moderate major depressive disorder. A placebo group was also included. Both the lavender EO and sertraline produced significantly greater reductions in depression severity according to the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) when compared with placebo. Response rates were 53–54% for the lavender EO and sertraline versus 41.5% for placebo, and remission rates were 44–45% versus 32.6%. The lavender EO also significantly improved functional impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale. Both treatments were well tolerated; with only EO burp back being the most common undesirable effect of the lavender EO. These findings demonstrate that ingested lavender EO is an effective, well-tolerated treatment for mild-to-moderate depression, comparable to sertraline.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12500811/
