Peanut Oil

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Precautions
• Dosing

Peanut oil is the oil from the seed, also called the nut, of the peanut plant. Peanut oil is used to make medicine.

Peanut oil is used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. It is also used to decrease appetite as an aid to weight loss. Some people use it to help prevent cancer.

Peanut oil is sometimes applied directly to the skin for arthritis and joint pain, dry skin, eczema, scalp crusting and scaling without hair loss, and other skin disorders that cause scaling.

Rectally, peanut oil is used in ointments and medicinal oils for treating constipation.

Pharmaceutical companies use peanut oil in various products they prepare for internal and external use.

In manufacturing, peanut oil is used in skin care products and baby care products.

Sometimes the less expensive soya oil is added to peanut oil.

How does it work?

Peanut oil is high in monounsaturated “good” fat, and low in saturated “bad” fat, which is believed to help prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. However, in animal studies, peanut oil has been shown to clog arteries, and this would increase the risk for heart disease.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Lowering cholesterol.
• Preventing heart disease.
• Preventing cancer.
• Decreasing appetite for weight loss.
• Constipation, when applied to the rectum.
• Arthritis and joint pain, when applied to the skin.
• Scalp crusting and scaling, when applied to the skin.
• Dry skin and other skin problems, when applied to the skin.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of peanut oil for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

Peanut oil is safe for most people when taken by mouth, applied to the skin, or used rectally in medicinal amounts.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Peanut oil is safe in amounts found in food, but there’s not enough information to know if it’s safe in the larger amounts that are used as medicine. Stick to normal food amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Allergy to peanuts, soybeans, and related plants: Peanut oil can cause serious allergic reactions in people who are allergic to peanuts, soybeans, and other members of the Fabaceae plant family.

The appropriate dose of peanut oil depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for peanut oil. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.